In contrast with the U.S. Constitution, which has been amended only 27 times since it was drafted in 1787, the Virginia Constitution has been the subject of many revisions since its adoption by the Convention of 1776. Significant changes have been brought about at the recommendation of revision commissions. On a number of those occasions, Virginia constitution makers have engaged in significant debates about fundamental questions. In fact, few states have had more opportunities to engage in constitutional revision and to debate fundamental principles. In The Virginia State Constitution, John Dinan analyzes the history and development of the Virginia constitution and undertakes a detailed treatment of the evolving interpretation of each section. In it, he contends that few states have had more opportunities than Virginia to engage in constitutional revision, and, in the process, to debate fundamental political questions about the role of state government. Previously published by Greenwood, this title has been brought back in to circulation by Oxford University Press with new verve. Re-printed with standardization of content organization in order to facilitate research across the series, this title, as with all titles in the series, is set to join the dynamic revision cycle of The Oxford Commentaries on the State Constitutions of the United States. The Oxford Commentaries on the State Constitutions of the United States is an important series that reflects a renewed international interest in constitutional history and provides expert insight into each of the 50 state constitutions. Each volume in this innovative series contains a historical overview of the state's constitutional development, a section-by-section analysis of its current constitution, and a comprehensive guide to further research. Under the expert editorship of Professor G. Alan Tarr, Director of the Center on State Constitutional Studies at Rutgers University, this series provides essential reference tools for understanding state constitutional law. Books in the series can be purchased individually or as part of a complete set, giving readers unmatched access to these important political documents.