<P> The Instrument of Government was adopted by Parliament on December 15, 1653 and Oliver Cromwell was installed as Lord Protector on the following day . The constitution set up a state council consisting of 21 members while executive authority was vested in the office of "Lord Protector of the Commonwealth"; this position was designated as a non-hereditary life appointment . It also required the calling of triennial Parliaments, with each sitting for at least five months . </P> <P> The Instrument of Government was replaced in May 1657 by England's second, and last, codified constitution, the Humble Petition and Advice, proposed by Sir Christopher Packe . The Petition offered hereditary monarchy to Oliver Cromwell, asserted Parliament's control over issuing new taxation, provided an independent council to advise the king and safeguarded' Triennial' meetings of Parliament . A modified version of the Humble Petition with the clause on kingship removed was ratified on 25 May . This finally met its demise in conjunction with the death of Cromwell and the Restoration of the monarchy . </P> <P> Other examples of European constitutions of this era were the Corsican Constitution of 1755 and the Swedish Constitution of 1772 . </P> <P> All of the British colonies in North America that were to become the 13 original United States, adopted their own constitutions in 1776 and 1777, during the American Revolution (and before the later Articles of Confederation and United States Constitution), with the exceptions of Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island . The Commonwealth of Massachusetts adopted its Constitution in 1780, the oldest still - functioning constitution of any U.S. state; while Connecticut and Rhode Island officially continued to operate under their old colonial charters, until they adopted their first state constitutions in 1818 and 1843, respectively . </P>

Who had the most power under the first constitution