MO Constitution
Missouri History
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First permanent settlement West of Mississippi was
in Ste. Genevieve
Louisiana Territory given by Spain back to France in
1802.
France then sold it in 1803 to the United States for 15
million dollars. (Louisiana Purchase)
Missouri admitted as a state August 10, 1821.
24th state admitted to the United States
Missouri came in to the United States as a slave state
and Maine as a free state with the Missouri
Compromise
Civil War in Missouri
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Missouri is considered a Union state during the
war
State sharply divided
Biggest battle at Wilson’s Creek (near
Springfield)
Other key battles at Carthage, Lexington,
Westport, and Booneville
Scene of 11 percent of all Civil War battles
Missouri Constitution
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Missouri created a new state constitution in
1945. One that we still use today.
Missouri has had 4 Constitutions total (1820,
1865, 1875, 1945)
Governor
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Our current governor is Jay Nixon (Democrat)
Signs and vetoes laws at the state level
Both Governor and Lieutenant governor serve 4 year
terms.
Qualifications: 30 years old, U.S. citizen for 15 years
and live in Missouri for 10 years
The capital of the state of Missouri is Jefferson City
Missouri has had 2 other capitals (St. Louis and St.
Charles)
Governor vetoes and other
information
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If the governor vetoes a bill created by the
Missouri legislature a 2/3’s vote in both houses
may override his veto
If the governor appoints someone to
government position it must be approved by
Senate
If something were to happen to him the next
person in line to take over is the Lieutenant
Governor
Senate and House of Representatives
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There are 163 members in the Missouri House
of Representatives and 34 members in the
Missouri Senate
Term for Senators are 4 years
Term for House of Representatives are 2 years
In cases of impeachment the House will
impeach and the Senate will serve as judge
Missouri
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The Department of Revenue deals with money
coming into the state
Elections in which parties choose their
candidates is called primary elections
Executive Branch
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Governor ( four year term)
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Administers laws
Signs and vetoes bills
Grants pardons, reprieves, or commutations
Appoints and removes officials
Can call out the National Guard in times of crisis
Lieutenant Governor
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President of the Senate
Acting Governor when needed
Becomes governor if anything happens to the
governor (death, impeachment, resign)
Qualifications for Lit. Govenror
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Same as qualifications for governor
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30 years old
U.S. Citizen for 15 years
Missouri Citizen for 10 years
Sect. of State
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Office in charge of compiling, storing and
publishing state documents
Keeper of the Great Seal of Missouri
Authenticates official acts by governor
Chief elections official
State Auditor
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Determines if tax dollars are being spent
wisely, legally, economically.
Audits all state agencies and some counties
State Treasurer
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Manages the billions of dollars that come in
state revenue
Directs state’s banking and investment
services
Safeguards and locates rightful owners of all
unclaimed property
Attorney General
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Represents the legal interests of Missouri and
its state agencies.
State’s chief legal officer
Prosecutes or defend all appeals to which the
state is a party including those appealed to the
Supreme Court of Missouri of the Court of
Appeals
Will on behalf of the state represent all civil
suits and other proceedings necessary to
protect the state’s rights, interests and claims.
Missouri’s Supreme Court
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7 judges
Serve 12 year terms
Highest court in the State
Hears all cases on appeal from lower courts or
transferred from appeals court
Missouri’s Court system
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Circuit Courts at the county of local level (Associate and
municipal courts make are included in the Circuit courts)
 All cases under the law first come to trial in the state’s
judicial circuit courts
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Court of appeals- hears all court cases on appeal
Has 3 districts which hear cases on appeal
The Supreme court is the highest court in the state it meets
and hears cases from the court of appeals and lower courts
in Jefferson City