Also known as: Constitution of 1816
Last updated: April 26, 2026
The 1816 Constitution was Alexandre Pétion's major constitutional revision for the southern republic of Haiti. It consolidated executive authority through a presidency-for-life framework and contained a radical citizenship clause (Article 44) extending full Haitian citizenship to any person of African or Indigenous descent who came to reside in Haiti after one year. Casimir notes that Pétion had 'in reality founded an elected monarchy,' and the document's model was reinforced by Jean-Pierre Boyer when he reunified Haiti.
Inherited and extended the republican constitutional order Pétion had established.
The 1816 Constitution followed and modified the constitutional tradition begun by the 1805 Constitution
The constitution addressed land reform and economic structures of post-independence Haiti
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"1816 Constitution." 1816. Rasin.ai, 2026. https://rasin.ai/connections/events/1816-constitution. Accessed 2026-05-05.