Today In History with The Retrospectors

The World's First Constitution


Listen Later

The world's oldest oldest continuously surviving constitution, was adopted in the tiny country of San Marino on 8th October, 1600.


This was a good 187 years before the United States adopted its own constitution and, during his presidency, Abraham Lincoln frequently held San Marino up as the model of a government founded on republican principles. Such ongoing praise eventually earnt the US president honorary San Marino citizenship!


In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain what an "Extraordinarium" is;  discuss why most of the rest of the world had to wait almost two hundred years before they had their own constitutional moment; and reveal that the world's first parliament was created by vikings…


Further Reading:

• ‘The Constitution of San Marino-Oldest and Active written Constitution of the World’ (FYI, 2021): https://vocal.media/fyi/the-constitution-of-san-marino-oldest-and-active-written-constitution-of-the-world 

• ‘San Marino is founded by Saint Marinus’ (The Centre of the Rule of Law, 2021): https://www.thecenterforruleoflaw.org/rule-of-law-blog/september-3-301-san-marino-one-of-the-smallest-nations-in-the-world-and-the-worlds-oldest-republic-still-in-existence-is-founded-by-saint-marinus-or-maybe-its-one-of-the-newest-nations-at-just-48-years-old-wait-what 

• ‘Why is San Marino a country? - History of San Marino in 12 Minutes’ (Knowledgia, 2023): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXxIV1IRMR4



This episode first premiered in 2023, for members of 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴 - where you can also DITCH THE ADS and get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 100 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast. Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks!

 

We'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/retrospectors

 

The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.

Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart.

Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024.




Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Today In History with The RetrospectorsBy The Retrospectors

  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5

4.5

97 ratings


More shows like Today In History with The Retrospectors

View all
Answer Me This! by Helen and Olly

Answer Me This!

820 Listeners

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4 by BBC Radio 4

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4

2,123 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

1,937 Listeners

Comedy of the Week by BBC Radio 4

Comedy of the Week

491 Listeners

RHLSTP with Richard Herring by Sky Potato, Go Faster Stripe and Fuzz Productions

RHLSTP with Richard Herring

371 Listeners

No Such Thing As A Fish by No Such Thing As A Fish

No Such Thing As A Fish

4,840 Listeners

The Modern Mann by Olly Mann

The Modern Mann

144 Listeners

Curious Cases by BBC Radio 4

Curious Cases

820 Listeners

The Week Unwrapped - with Olly Mann by The Week Unwrapped

The Week Unwrapped - with Olly Mann

76 Listeners

Evil Genius with Russell Kane by BBC Sounds

Evil Genius with Russell Kane

377 Listeners

Off Menu with Ed Gamble and James Acaster by Plosive

Off Menu with Ed Gamble and James Acaster

2,795 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

2,973 Listeners

What The F*** Is Going On? with Mark Steel by WTF Productions

What The F*** Is Going On? with Mark Steel

99 Listeners

Firecrotch & Normcore: THEY LIKE TO WATCH by Sara Barron/Geoff Lloyd

Firecrotch & Normcore: THEY LIKE TO WATCH

115 Listeners

We Can Be Weirdos by Global

We Can Be Weirdos

199 Listeners