The Texas Constitution of 1876 is best described as?

• A. The lengthy, much-amended state constitution, a product of the post-Reconstruction era that remains in effect today.
• B. A short and simple charter adopted after the Civil War.
• C. A federal constitution for the state government.
• D. An early colonial document.

Answer: (A)

This is a long, heavily amended state charter created in the post-Reconstruction era that remains the governing document for Texas today. After the Civil War, Texas adopted constitutions to reorganize and regulate state government, and the 1876 constitution was drafted to curb centralized power and hard-wire limits into the framework. Because it was meant to be a detailed, enduring blueprint, it grew over time with numerous amendments, yet it continues to function as Texas’s basic governing document. It’s not a short, simple charter, not a federal constitution, and not an early colonial document.