What was the name of the first French constitution, adopted in 1791?

The first French constitution, adopted in 1791, was the Constitution of 1791, also called the French Constitution of 1791. It transformed France from an absolute monarchy into a constitutional monarchy during the French Revolution.

The National Constituent Assembly worked on the document for more than two years after the Tennis Court Oath of June 1789. It was adopted on 3 September 1791 and accepted by Louis XVI. The constitution established a unicameral Legislative Assembly, an elected judiciary, and an executive power still headed by the king. Its preamble incorporated the principles of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.

The system was based on popular sovereignty but did not introduce universal male suffrage: voting was limited through a distinction between “active” and “passive” citizens, with tax requirements for electors. The constitutional monarchy quickly became unstable after war, royal vetoes, and growing distrust of Louis XVI. The monarchy was overthrown in August 1792, and the National Convention declared France a republic on 22 September 1792. The 1793 constitution was never fully implemented, while the Constitution of 1795 followed the Reign of Terror.