Constitution of May 3, 1791 a constitution adopted by the Four-year Sejm of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Constitution of May 3, 1791 a constitution adopted by the Four-year Sejm of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. And it was the second in the world, after the American Constitution of 1787. It was the Polish Constitution, adopted on May 3rd 1791, and not the much-lauded French Constitution, that was Europe’s first fundamental law. The Constitution of 1935 Following years of authoritarian rule, the constitution of 1935 introduced to Poland a presidential system by limiting the role of the Sejm and delegating most state power to the President. The Constitution of 3 May 1791 is incredibly important to Polish history and identity. Moreover, it was implemented using democratic methods and, in contrast to France, without any blood being shed. Similar to the 1791 constitution, the importance of Catholicism for the Polish nation was highlighted, however whilst paying respect to religious freedom. It was the first constitution in Europe and the second in the world (after American Constitution).

It didn’t change the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth into democracy or gave equal … The second in the World and the first in Europe was the Polish Constitution of May 3, 1791 preceding the French September Constitution by several months. The end of the 18th century produced three constitutions considered the first modern constitutions in the World.

The political achievement that the May 1791 Constitution represented in the history of Poland became an important factor for all Polish citizens living in their occupied homeland. The Constitution of 1935 Following years of authoritarian rule, the constitution of 1935 introduced to Poland a presidential system by limiting the role of the Sejm and delegating most state power to the President. The Polish Constitution of May 3, 1791 (Polish: Konstytucja Trzeciego Maja) was Europe's first modern codified national constitution, and the world's second after the United States Constitution (which was written in 1787 and came into force in 1789).It was instituted by the Government Act (Polish: Ustawa rządowa) adopted on that date by the Sejm of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Recognized as an expression of remarkable political will in times of great adversity, the memory of the 1791 Constitution nurtured political aspirations of many successive generations of Poland’s citizens. Similar to the 1791 constitution, the importance of Catholicism for the Polish nation was highlighted, however whilst paying respect to religious freedom. THE POLISH DEMOCRATIC IDEAS BORN IN 16 / 17 CENTURY AND MATURED ON THE PATH TO THE 3th MAY POLISH CONSTITUTION, LED TO THE BIRTH OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (Quotes are from the article “History of the 3 May 1791 Polish Constitution” by Marek Zebrowski originally published on the PMC website in April 2008).. The American Constitution of September 17, 1787 was the oldest.

The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth – formally, the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and, after 1791, the Commonwealth of Poland – was a dual state, a bi-confederation of Poland and Lithuania ruled by a common monarch, who was both King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania.It was one of the largest and most populous countries of 16th- to 17th-century Europe.