Ratified in 1857, the Minnesota State Constitution is one of the oldest state constitutions in effect today. Beginning with the document's roots in the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, Mary Jane Morrison places the document's influences, controversies, and amendments in historical perspective. She then provides a provision-by-provision commentary and analysis of the state's current constitution, and looks at the litigation that has followed, with particular emphasis on how court interpretations have affected its meaning. This unparalleled commentary provides a broad understanding of state constitutional law, within the context of Minnesota's constitutional evolution. A bibliographic essay and list of cases offer significant sources for further study. The Oxford Commentaries on the State Constitutions of the United Statesis an important new series that reflects a renewed international interest in constitutional history and provides expert insight into each of the 50 state constitutions. Each volume in this innovative series contains a historical overview of the state's constitutional development, a section-by-section analysis of its current constitution, and a comprehensive guide to further research. Under the expert editorship of Professor G. Alan Tarr, Director of the Center on State Constitutional Studies at Rutgers University, this series provides essential reference tools for understanding state constitutional law. Books in the series can be purchased individually or as part of a complete set, giving readers unmatched access to these important political documents.