Jonah Patel
The Constitution of Virginia, adopted on June 29, 1776, was the first state constitution in the United States. It established the powers of a governor, Council of State, and General Assembly independent of Great Britain, formally dissolving Virginia's allegiance to the British crown. The Constitution created a bicameral legislature, the General Assembly, and a weak executive branch, with the governor elected annually by the legislature. The accompanying Virginia Declaration of Rights, drafted by Mason, outlined core political principles, including the inherent rights of individuals and the fundamental purpose of government. Suffrage was limited to white male property owners, and while the Declaration advocated religious freedom, it did not address slavery. The 1776 Constitution has been revised several times, with six major subsequent revisions in 1830, 1851, 1864, 1870, 1902, and 1971, reflecting periods of social and political upheaval in the state.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of adoption | June 29, 1776 |
| Drafted by | George Mason, James Madison, and Thomas Jefferson |
| Powers established | Governor, Council of State, and General Assembly |
| Legislative body | Bicameral legislature |
| Executive branch | Weak |
| Suffrage | Limited to white male property owners |
| Religion | Established Anglican Church as Virginia's official religion |
| Slavery | Silent on the issue, effectively allowing it to continue |
| Influence | Influenced other revolutionary governments and served as a model for the U.S. Bill of Rights |
| Subsequent revisions | Six major revisions in 1830, 1851, 1864, 1870, 1902, and 1971 |
| Purpose of 1902 revision | Disenfranchise African Americans |
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What You'll Learn
A declaration of rights
The Virginia Constitution of 1776 was enacted at the time of the Declaration of Independence by the first thirteen states of the United States of America. It was the first state constitution, and it described how a new form of government would replace colonial authority and eliminate the role of a monarch.
The accompanying Virginia Declaration of Rights, drafted by George Mason, outlined core political principles, including the inherent rights of individuals and the fundamental purpose of government. The Declaration of Rights was adopted on June 12, 1776, and the Constitution was adopted on June 29, 1776, by the Virginia Convention.
The Declaration of Rights was framed by a Convention composed of forty-five members of the colonial house of burgesses. The Declaration advocated for religious freedom, but the Anglican Church remained Virginia's established religion, and the Constitution did not offer protection to dissenters. The Declaration also did not mention slavery, which allowed the institution to continue legally.
The Virginia Declaration of Rights was influential both within the United States and abroad. Its language influenced the U.S. Declaration of Independence and served as a model for the U.S. Bill of Rights and France's Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen. The Declaration emphasized legislative supremacy and the separation of powers, drawing on Enlightenment philosophy, especially John Locke's theories of natural rights.
The Virginia Constitution of 1776 has been revised several times, but the Bill of Rights has been incorporated into each subsequent version. The Constitution was replaced in 1830, and there have been six major subsequent revisions (in 1830, 1851, 1864, 1870, 1902, and 1971).
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A bill of rights
The Constitution of Virginia, adopted on June 29, 1776, was enacted at the time of the Declaration of Independence by the first thirteen states of the United States of America. It established the powers of a governor, Council of State, and General Assembly, independent of Great Britain. The constitution was drafted by a convention of 100 white male delegates, including George Mason and James Madison, and was assembled in full and free convention. It was not submitted to the people for ratification.
The Virginia Constitution of 1776 was accompanied by a Declaration of Rights, which outlined core political principles, including the inherent rights of individuals and the fundamental purpose of government. This Declaration of Rights was drafted by Mason, and its language influenced the U.S. Declaration of Independence and later served as a model for the U.S. Bill of Rights. The Declaration of Rights also advocated religious freedom, although it did not offer protection to dissenters from the Anglican Church, which remained Virginia's established religion.
The 1776 Constitution continued the colonial practice of allotting each county two members in the House of Delegates, regardless of size or population, and it created a new twenty-four-member Senate of Virginia. It established a bicameral legislature, with a weak executive branch, and a governor elected annually by the legislature. Suffrage was limited to white male property owners, reflecting elite fears of popular democracy and protecting the political order from what they saw as "mob rule."
The 1776 Constitution has been revised several times, but the Bill of Rights has been incorporated into each subsequent version. For example, in 1971, the phrase "therefore, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed" was added to Section 13. The 1971 Constitution also included provisions to protect the state's natural resources, public lands, and historical sites and buildings.
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A bicameral legislature
The Constitution of Virginia, adopted on June 29, 1776, by the Virginia Convention, established the powers of a governor, Council of State, and General Assembly independent of Great Britain. It created a bicameral legislature, the General Assembly, with a weak executive branch. The governor was elected annually by the legislature and was dependent on the assembly, with the document's authors limiting the executive branch due to their wariness of executive power. The constitution continued the colonial practice of allotting each county, regardless of size or population, two members in the House of Delegates, and it created the new twenty-four-member Senate of Virginia.
The General Assembly was given the authority to elect the governor annually, as well as judges of courts of admiralty, common law, equity, and appeal. Suffrage was limited to white male property owners, excluding most Virginians from political participation. The constitution was drafted by a constitutional convention of 100 white male delegates, and it was instituted without a public referendum. The express purpose was to create rules to prevent Black Virginians from voting and further embed segregation into Virginia institutions.
The Virginia Constitution of 1776 was enacted at the time of the Declaration of Independence by the first thirteen states of the United States of America. It was influential both in the United States and abroad, with Virginia being an early state to adopt its own constitution. The document was replaced in 1830, though the main purpose of the convention was to balance power between the western and eastern parts of the state while protecting the rights of slaveholders. The 1830 constitution was ratified by voters, as was its replacement in 1851.
The 1864 Constitution, drafted during the Civil War, abolished slavery in Virginia, disenfranchised men who served in the Confederate government, and recognised the creation of the State of West Virginia. The 1902 Constitution was designed to disenfranchise African Americans, who made up nearly 36% of the state's population, and it was not until the enactment of federal civil rights legislation in the mid-1960s that they regained suffrage. The 1971 Constitution included provisions to protect the state's natural resources, public lands, and historical sites and buildings.
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A weak executive branch
The Constitution of Virginia, adopted on June 29, 1776, established a weak executive branch with a governor elected annually by the legislature. The constitution was drafted amidst the American colonies' break with Britain and served to formally dissolve Virginia's allegiance to the British crown, accusing King George III of tyranny.
The authors of the document were wary of executive power due to their experiences with colonial governors, and as such, the constitution limited the authority of the executive branch. The governor was prohibited from acting independently and was required to seek the advice of a twelve-member Council of State, which was also elected by the legislature. This structure ensured that the legislature held most of the power, with both the executive and judiciary appointed by the General Assembly, creating little institutional independence.
The Virginia Constitution of 1776 was the first state constitution in what would become the United States, and it significantly influenced other revolutionary governments. It was created by a convention of forty-five members of the colonial house of burgesses, which met in Williamsburg and adopted the Declaration of Rights before drafting the constitution. The Declaration of Rights outlined core political principles, including individual rights and the fundamental purpose of government, and deeply influenced the U.S. Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Bill of Rights.
The 1776 Constitution has been revised several times, but the Bill of Rights, or the Declaration of Rights, has been incorporated into each subsequent version. The revisions have been made in response to periods of major regional or social upheaval in Virginia, with the most recent official revision occurring in 1971. However, there have been amendments since then, such as the "'marriage amendment' approved by Virginia voters in 2006 to prevent the authorization of same-sex marriage.
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A governor elected annually
The Constitution of Virginia, adopted on June 29, 1776, established the powers of the governor, Council of State, and General Assembly, independent of Great Britain. It created a bicameral legislature, the General Assembly, and established a weak executive branch, with a governor elected annually by the legislature.
The constitution was drafted by a convention of 100 white male delegates and was not submitted for ratification by the people of Virginia. It formally dissolved Virginia's allegiance to the British crown and accused King George III of tyranny. The constitution created a weak executive, deliberately making the governor dependent on the assembly and prohibiting him from acting without the advice of a twelve-member Council of State, also elected by the assembly.
The governor was to be elected annually by the General Assembly, along with judges of courts of admiralty, common law, equity, and appeal. Suffrage was limited to white male property owners, a restriction that reflected elite fears of popular democracy and protected the political order from what they saw as "mob rule". The constitution was replaced in 1830, and there have been six major revisions since the original 1776 version.
The 1776 Constitution was enacted at the time of the Declaration of Independence by the first thirteen states of the United States of America. It was widely influential both in the US and abroad, serving as a blueprint for state-building and influencing other revolutionary governments. It emphasised written rights declarations and legislative dominance, though later generations would criticise the imbalance of power it created.
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Frequently asked questions
The Constitution of Virginia, adopted on June 29, 1776, established the powers of a governor, Council of State, and General Assembly independent of Great Britain. It formally dissolved Virginia's allegiance to the British crown and accused King George III of tyranny.
The 1776 Constitution of Virginia emphasised legislative supremacy and separation of powers, with the General Assembly retaining most authority. It created a bicameral legislature, establishing the General Assembly and a weak executive branch, with a governor elected annually by the legislature.
The Constitution of Virginia was enacted at the time of the Declaration of Independence by the first thirteen states of the United States of America. It was drafted by a convention of delegates in Williamsburg, amid the American colonies' break with Britain. The document was widely influential, serving as a blueprint for state-building and influencing other revolutionary governments.
