I decided to observe International Women’s Day (today, March 8) by highlighting several Australian women, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal, who had key roles in bringing about a constitutional referendum held in Australia on May 27, 1967, and in campaigning for the “yes” vote. The referendum contained questions related to two provisions in the Australian Constitution that discriminated against …
The history of the British penal colonies in Australia is fascinating, and something that I have become increasingly interested in while researching my own family history. As a New Zealander, I have long been aware that many Australians are now quite proud of having convict ancestry. There are a number of resources available online and …
Next week we will be saying a sad farewell to the Lincoln Cathedral’s 1215 Magna Carta that has been on display here at the Library of Congress since last November. Needless to say, we’ve all learned a lot about the history of this document and its impact in England, here in the U.S., and around …
The following is a guest post by Elin Hofverberg, a foreign law research consultant at the Law Library of Congress. May 17 (or “Syttende Mai” as the locals call it), which falls this weekend, is always cause for great celebration in Oslo as Norway celebrates its National Day or Constitution Day. This generally means dressing …
The following is a guest post by George Sadek, Senior Legal Research Analyst at the Law Library of Congress. Last month, a new Egyptian Constitution was approved in a popular referendum held on January 14-15. The Head of the Supreme National Electoral Commission, Chief Justice Nabil Saleeb, announced the results of the referendum on January …
The following is a guest post by George Sadek, a Senior Legal Analyst at the Law Library of Congress. Last week George provided an overview of the drafting process and content of the Egyptian Constitution of 2012. He has also previously written posts on Egypt’s constitutional referendum and several other topics. In my last post, …
The following is a guest post by Ángel García, a summer intern in the Law Library’s Global Legal Research Center. March 19, 2012, will be the 200th anniversary of the Constitution of Cádiz. Seizing on the opportunity while interning at the Law Library of Congress, I asked the rare book technician, Nathan Dorn, to find …
Today, Eritrea, Africa’s youngest nation (at least until next month, when South Sudan is expected to declare its formal independence), celebrates its 20th Independence Day. Eritrea, like all of its African brethren, is a colonial creation. Although Turkey, Egypt, and the local Ethiopian rulers controlled different parts of what later became Eritrea at different times, …
