Robert's Rules of Order

Groups need rules for meetings.

A man named Henry wrote a book. He was an officer in the army. He saw many meetings were messy.

He wanted to help people work together. His book helps groups make decisions. It lets everyone share their ideas. Many groups use his rules today.

This includes school boards and church groups. His book is still used now.

Groups need rules to have good meetings.

Henry Martyn Robert was a U.S. Army officer. He lived in San Francisco in the late 1800s. He saw that many meetings were very messy. People had different ways of doing things. This made it hard for groups to work.

In 1876, he published his first book. It was called Robert's Rules of Order. He based his rules on how the U.S. Congress works. But he made them better for small groups. The book helps people make decisions together. It lets every member share their ideas. It also helps groups finish work quickly.

Many groups use these rules today. This includes school boards and church groups. It also includes trade unions and college clubs. Over six million copies have been printed. The book is still being updated now. The newest version came out in 2020. It is called the Twelfth Edition.

Groups often need a way to make decisions together.

Robert's Rules of Order is a famous guide for these meetings. It helps a group reach a decision quickly. It also makes sure every member can share their opinion. The book works for groups of any size. It helps even when people disagree strongly. This is why it is a very important tool for organized groups.

The book works by following specific steps during a meeting. It is based on parliamentary law. This is a set of common rules for conducting business. These rules are not actual laws made by a government. Instead, they are customs used to keep meetings orderly. The rules help a group find the general will of its members. This means the group finds the choice most people want. It helps avoid chaos when many people are talking at once.

A man named Henry Martyn Robert created these rules. He was a U.S. Army officer from 1837 to 1923. While living in San Francisco, he saw many messy meetings. People from many different places had different traditions. This made it hard for groups to get work done. In 1863, he tried to lead a church meeting. He felt he did not know the proper way to lead. He decided to write a book to help others.

Robert published his first edition in February 1876. Its full name was Pocket Manual of Rules of Order for Deliberative Assemblies. He wrote four editions before he died in 1923. The fourth edition came out in May 1915. It was a very large and revised version. Today, the book is still being updated by others. The Twelfth Edition became effective on September 1, 2020. More than six million copies of his books have been printed in total.

Many different kinds of groups use these rules today. You might see them used by a school board. Church groups and homeowners' associations use them too. Even college fraternities and sororities use these rules. They are also used by professional societies and trade unions. Some groups even make their own special rules. However, Robert's Rules remains the most widely used guide in the United States. It helps people work together in a fair way.

Robert's Rules of Order is a manual of parliamentary procedure. Parliamentary procedure is a set of rules used to run meetings. These rules help a group reach a decision efficiently. The goal is to find the "general will" of the group. This means finding the choice that most members want. The system aims to respect every member's opinion. It works even when people have very strong disagreements.

The system operates through a specific mechanism of order. It uses "general parliamentary law" to guide discussions. This is not the same as actual government law. It is a collection of customs and rules for conducting business. The rules allow an assembly to handle many different questions. These questions can range from simple to very complex. By following these steps, a group can avoid chaos. This prevents people from talking all at once. It ensures that the meeting accomplishes its intended work.

There are different types of editions available for users. Some versions are very large and comprehensive. The Twelfth Edition is a major example. It contains 633 pages of text. It includes information that has been raised as questions in the past. Other versions are much shorter and simpler. One example is "Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised In Brief." This is a concise guide for beginners. An average reader can learn the essentials in thirty minutes. They can cover the basics in about ninety minutes.

Henry Martyn Robert was the creator of these rules. He was a U.S. Army officer born in 1837. He lived in San Francisco during the mid-to-late 19th century. During this time, he saw many chaotic meetings. People from many different nationalities and traditions gathered there. They often had conflicting views on how to run meetings. This made it very difficult for organizations to work. Robert's interest began in 1863 at a church meeting. He felt he lacked the knowledge to preside correctly.

Robert published his first edition in February 1876. Its full title was "Pocket Manual of Rules of Order for Deliberative Assemblies." He modeled the rules after the United States House of Representatives. However, he adapted them for ordinary, non-legislative societies. Robert published four editions during his lifetime. He died in 1923 after reaching the rank of brigadier general. His final major work was the Fourth Edition in 1915. This edition was thoroughly revised and expanded. He used feedback from hundreds of letters to improve it.

The significance of these rules is seen in their widespread use. It is the most used manual of its kind in the United States. It is also a major reference in the English-speaking world. Many different types of organizations adopt it as their authority. This includes school boards and county commissions. It is used by church groups and homeowners' associations. Professional societies and trade unions also use it. Even college fraternities and sororities follow these rules.

Over time, the work has grown through many hands. The copyrights for the earliest editions have expired. This allowed many other authors to publish their own manuals. Some are based on the original 1876 edition. Others are updated versions for modern needs. A group called the Robert's Rules Association maintains the official versions. They are made up of descendants of Henry M. Robert. Since the beginning, more than six million copies have been printed. This shows how much people rely on these organized procedures.