History of the Constitution of Brazil
During its independent political history, Brazil has had seven constitutions. The most recent was ratified on October 5, 1988.
Closing of the voting on Brazil's 1988 Constitution, the first constitution after the military dictatorship, with a speech by deputy Ulysses Guimarães, the president of the Constituent Assembly
Pedro I, Emperor of Brazil.
Rui Barbosa had a large influence upon the text adopted as the 1891 Constitution of Brazil.
The adoption of the 1937 Constitution marked the beginning of Getúlio Vargas' dictatorship.
Brazilian Constituent Assembly (1823)
The Brazilian Constituent Assembly of 1823 was the first constituent assembly of Brazil, installed on 3 May 1823, under the presidency of the Major Chaplain Bishop, José Caetano da Silva Coutinho. The Assembly was tasked with drafting Brazil's first constitution. However, its activities ended with its dissolution by the police forces of emperor Pedro I of Brazil in the early hours of 12 November 1823, an episode known as the Night of Agony.
View of the Imperial Palace (left) where Pedro I watched from afar the work of the Constituent Assembly taking place in the building next door.
Pedro I, around the time of the Constituent Assembly of 1823
Document of November 16, 1823, in which Emperor Pedro I justifies and presents the reasons for the dissolution of the Constituent Assembly (IN: Coleção de Leis do Império do Brasil de 1823, part 2.)
