Book excerpt: This book contains the fundamental governing document for the state of Indiana, as well as sixteen articles. The Indiana Constitution has gone through several revisions. The first was established on June 10, 1816, when the Territory of Indiana sent forty-three delegates to a constitutional convention to establish a constitution for the proposed State of Indiana after the United States Congress agreed to grant statehood, and the constitution was approved. Indiana's fundamental law was heavily influenced by existing state constitutions, particularly those of Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky. The original constitution was passed without being put to a vote by the people. The current constitution is an amendment to the Constitution of 1851.