Overview

In his foreword to Six Constitutions Over Texas: Texas’ Political Identity, 1830–1900, historian H. W. Brands describes the saga surrounding the development of the Texas state constitution as having “the sweep of a Russian novel... populated by characters as colorful as any of Tolstoy’s.” Indeed, even a glance at the table of contents reveals hints of international and regional conflict, intrigue, and shifting political alliances that characterized the rise and—in the case of the first five iterations—fall of the constitutions serving as the guiding document for what was variously a state of Mexico, an independent nation, a member of the Union, a Confederate state, and a newly subdued region under Reconstruction. This meticulous study by legal historian William J. Chriss examines how Anglo Texans went about creating their political identity over three quarters of a century and the impact of those decisions. By delineating the social, political, military, and other considerations at play during the various stages of Texas’ development and how those factors manifested in the various constitutions, Chriss illuminates the process by which various groups constructed Texas “as an imagined community, an identity produced by ideological consensus among economic, cultural, and legal elites.” Replete with insights on the ways in which systems of law impact social control and political identity, Six Constitutions Over Texas offers a fresh view of how shifting political ideologies were canonized with varying degrees of permanency in the state constitution.

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9781648431715

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"""At a moment when Americans are wondering if their government will ever work well again, William Chriss's account of Texans' tinkering with their constitutions furnishes food for thought and cause for hope. The Texans tried time after time to fix what was broken in their system. They never got it quite right, but they learned to live with what they got.""--H. W. Brands--H.W. Brands ""We need more broadly conceived books like this one, which explains why and how Texans imagined and shaped their political identity. More than just an astute examination of the six constitutions of Texas--a considerable achievement in itself--Chriss deftly shows how those in power used and interpreted these documents over the course of the nineteenth century.""--Robert Wooster, retired regents professor of history, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi--Robert Wooster ""Six Constitutions Over Texas is a gripping account of the powerful politics that created winners and losers in the ever-evolving battle for the soul of Texas. The constitutions' Framers, not always inspired by pure motives, used the law to create a social order that marginalized dissenting views. Beautifully written and painstakingly researched, this book is a must-read for lawyers, political theorists, and fans or foes of Texas.""--Chief Justice Wallace B. Jefferson, Supreme Court of Texas--Chief Justice Wallace B. Jefferson"

"At a moment when Americans are wondering if their government will ever work well again, William Chriss's account of Texans' tinkering with their constitutions furnishes food for thought and cause for hope. The Texans tried time after time to fix what was broken in their system. They never got it quite right, but they learned to live with what they got.""—H. W. Brands ""We need more broadly conceived books like this one, which explains why and how Texans imagined and shaped their political identity. More than just an astute examination of the six constitutions of Texas—a considerable achievement in itself—Chriss deftly shows how those in power used and interpreted these documents over the course of the nineteenth century.""—Robert Wooster, retired regents professor of history, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi “Six Constitutions Over Texas is a gripping account of the powerful politics that created winners and losers in the ever-evolving battle for the soul of Texas. The constitutions’ Framers, not always inspired by pure motives, used the law to create a social order that marginalized dissenting views. Beautifully written and painstakingly researched, this book is a must-read for lawyers, political theorists, and fans or foes of Texas.”—Chief Justice Wallace B. Jefferson, Supreme Court of Texas"

Author Information

William J. Chriss is an attorney, historian, and political scientist who has taught American history, Texas history, constitutional law, and political theory at Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. He is the author of The Noble Lawyer.

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