1. How did it influence the Constitution?
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Author
Date
Why Written?
How did it influence the Constitution? VA
Charters
King
James
Rights of Englishmen
Guaranteed to the colonists
Created a group assembly
To make laws
1606
VA Dec.
Of Rights
George
Mason
Granted people of VA
liberties & freedoms
Served as a model for the Bill
of Rights
1776
Stated grievances against
King
- Independence from England
Dec. of
Independence
Thomas
Jefferson
Unalienable Rights (life, liberty &
pursuit of happiness)
- All people equal under the law
1776
The weaknesses of the Articles
Lead to the writing of the
Constitution
Articles of
Confederation
Second
Continental
Congress
1777
(Ratified
1781)
To establish a new gov’t
In the United States
VA Statute
of Religious
Freedom
Natural rights to free
opinion and free practice
of religion in Virginia
Thomas
Jefferson
Freedom of religious beliefs and
opinions (1st amendment)
1786
James
Madison
(main author)
Fixed the Articles of
Confederation and created
a stronger national gov’t
Constitution
1787