Unit notes and practice questions
Everything here is for unit 3 of the Grade 9 Citizenship textbook: what the chapter covers, the short notes, practice questions with their answers, and the lesson video where one exists.
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A short video lesson on this chapter, made by Temari. It loads only when you press play.
Ethiopia's constitutions, from 1931 to 1995 · 5 min · 2 past exam questions worked through
Tap a part to play the lesson from there.
The cards filed under this chapter on the Grade 9 Citizenship page. Open one at a time.
When you use it
Use when distinguishing between the legal document itself and the operational philosophy of limited government.
Watch out
Do not assume having a constitution means constitutionalism exists. A constitution is the legal text, whereas constitutionalism is the actual practice of rule of law and limited government.
Drafted from Grade 9 Citizenship Education, pages 54-75, then checked twice before it went up
| Document | Year | Structure | Key Historical Facts |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Written Constitution | 1931 | 7 chapters, 55 articles | Granted by Haile Selassie I, aimed to consolidate imperial absolute power |
| Revised Constitution | 1955 | 8 chapters, 131 articles | Prompted by 1952 Eritrean federation, democratic rights stayed paper tiger |
| PDRE Constitution | 1987 | 7 chapters, 119 articles | Ended 1974 to 1987 constitutional vacuum, introduced secularism and republic |
| Transitional Charter | 1991 | 20 articles | Interim charter, recognized human rights and self determination of nationalities |
| FDRE Constitution | 1995 | 11 chapters, 106 articles | Established parliamentary democracy and first federal state structure |
When you use it
Use when answering questions on the dates, article counts, causes, and structural shifts across Ethiopian constitutions.
Watch out
Secularism was introduced in the 1987 PDRE constitution, not the 1995 constitution. The 1974 to 1987 period is termed a constitutional vacuum.
Drafted from Grade 9 Citizenship Education, pages 54-75, then checked twice before it went up
10 multiple-choice questions written against this chapter, each with its answer and the reason. Try one before you open the answer.
Question 1
Which of the following countries is given as an example of a state with an unwritten constitution?
Answer: B Britain
Why
An unwritten constitution exists in customs and conventions rather than in a single codified document. The textbook gives Britain as an example of a country with an unwritten constitution.
Question 2
In which year did Emperor Haile Selassie I introduce the first written constitution in Ethiopian history?
Answer: A 1931
Why
On July 16, 1931, Emperor Haile Selassie I granted the first written constitution in Ethiopia's history.
Question 3
Which traditional Ethiopian document justified that monarchs derived their power to rule from God and were therefore not accountable to any secular power?
Answer: C Kibre Negest
Why
The Kibre Negest (Glory of Kings) justified the divine authority of Ethiopian monarchs, stating that they derived their power directly from God.
Question 4
Which constitutional principle means that the people are the ultimate source of state power?
Answer: B Popular sovereignty
Why
Popular sovereignty refers to the supreme power of the people. Under this principle, the government must be founded on the consent of the people.
Question 5
Constitutions are classified as either rigid or flexible based on which feature?
Answer: B The procedure required for amendment
Why
Classification as rigid or flexible depends on the amendment procedure. Rigid constitutions require special, difficult procedures, while flexible constitutions can be amended by ordinary legislative processes.
Question 6
How many chapters and articles were contained in the 1931 written constitution of Ethiopia?
Answer: A 7 chapters and 55 articles
Why
The 1931 constitution had 7 chapters and 55 articles. Its primary goal was to consolidate the absolute power of the Emperor over local nobilities.
Question 7
What was the most basic external reason for revising the Ethiopian Constitution in 1955?
Answer: B The federation of Eritrea with Ethiopia in 1952
Why
The imperial regime revised the 1931 constitution in 1955. While the internal factor was the disruption caused by Italian aggression, the most basic external reason was the federation of Eritrea with Ethiopia in 1952.
Question 8
Which principle was introduced for the first time in Ethiopian constitutional history by the 1987 PDRE Constitution?
Answer: C Secularism
Why
The 1987 PDRE Constitution introduced secularism (the separation of state and religion) for the first time in Ethiopia, ending the traditional union of state and religion from the imperial era.
Question 9
Why is the period from 1974 to 1987 referred to as a constitutional vacuum or lacuna in Ethiopian political history?
Answer: B The country was governed by decrees and proclamations without a formal constitution
Why
After the Derg overthrew the imperial regime in 1974, it ruled using decrees and proclamations that lacked constitutional status until the promulgation of the 1987 constitution. This period is known as a constitutional vacuum or lacuna.
Question 10
Which legal document served as the supreme law of the land during the transitional period from May 1991 to 1995, containing only 20 articles?
Answer: C The Transitional Charter
Why
The 1991 Transitional Charter was introduced after the fall of the Derg regime. It was a short document of only 20 articles that governed Ethiopia until the 1995 FDRE Constitution was adopted.
The app holds 12 questions on this unit, marked as you go. These are the first 10.
Unit 3 runs from page 54 to page 75 of the Ministry of Education edition.
Ministry of Education edition, English, 184 pages
Temari turns this chapter into timed practice and marks it as you go, with an AI tutor to explain anything that did not land.
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