▁to ▁o vers p ending , ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁the ▁Indiana ▁M amm oth ▁In ternal ▁Im prov ement ▁Act , ▁caused ▁the ▁state ▁government ▁to ▁become ▁ins ol vent . ▁The ▁state ' s ▁financial ▁situation ▁and ▁on going ▁calls ▁for ▁constitution al ▁changes ▁to ▁prevent ▁another ▁crisis ▁increased ▁interest ▁in ▁a ▁constitution al ▁mand ate ▁that ▁prohib ited ▁the ▁state ▁from ▁inc urr ing ▁deb t . ▁Another ▁popular ▁idea ▁was ▁holding ▁bien n ial , ▁as ▁opposed ▁to ▁annual , ▁legisl ative ▁sessions ▁as ▁a ▁cost - cut ting ▁measure . ▁ ▁Although ▁there ▁had ▁been ▁previous ▁attempts ▁to ▁initi ate ▁another ▁constitution al ▁convention , ▁the ▁state ▁legisl ature ▁was ▁finally ▁successful ▁in ▁calling ▁for ▁Indiana ' s ▁second ▁constitution al ▁convention ▁until ▁ 1 8 4 9 . ▁Its ▁deleg ates ▁conven ed ▁at ▁Indian apolis ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 0 . ▁The ▁state ▁constitution ▁of ▁ 1 8 1 6 ▁was ▁replaced ▁with ▁a ▁new ▁state ▁constitution ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 1 . ▁ ▁Constitution ▁of ▁ 1 8 5 1 ▁On ▁January ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 1 8 4 9 , ▁the ▁state ▁legisl ature ▁finally ▁approved ▁a ▁refer endum , ▁after ▁several ▁previous ▁un success ful ▁attempts , ▁to ▁hold ▁a ▁constitution al ▁convention ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 0 , ▁two ▁years ▁before ▁the ▁required ▁twelve - year ▁refer endum ▁mand ated ▁in ▁the ▁constitution ▁of ▁ 1 8 1 6 , ▁provided ▁that ▁a ▁majority ▁of ▁vot ers ▁fav ored