Eleanor Finch
George Mason was an influential figure in early American history, known for his contributions to the founding of the United States and his advocacy for individual rights. Born in Virginia in 1725, Mason became a political leader, serving in the Virginia House of Delegates and later as a delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787. Despite attending the convention, Mason refused to sign the Constitution due to his objection to the lack of a Bill of Rights and the potential for government overreach. Mason's ideas on governmental balance and individual rights influenced the development of American federalism and left a lasting legacy on international human rights documents. He is recognized as the principal author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights and the Constitution of Virginia, which served as a basis for the United States Bill of Rights. Mason's writings and political thought have had a significant impact on American political philosophy and he is considered one of the Founding Fathers of the nation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Advocate for individual rights | Championed the rights of citizens and slaves |
| Fought for the freedom of the individual | |
| Authored the Virginia Declaration of Rights | |
| Authored the Virginia Constitution | |
| Monitored the militia as chairman | |
| Supported the democratic process | |
| Supported the end of the slave trade | |
| Supported a supermajority requirement for navigation acts | |
| Supported the separation of powers | |
| Supported the protection of individual rights | |
| Supported the principle of limited government | |
| Supported the right to pursue private and public happiness | |
| Supported the idea of consent of the governed | |
| Supported the idea of multiple branches and levels of government | |
| Supported the idea of government balance |
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What You'll Learn
George Mason's refusal to sign the Constitution
George Mason was a planter, politician, Founding Father, and delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787. He was a prominent figure in his home state of Virginia and his counsel was greatly valued by others of his generation. He was a close friend and neighbour of George Washington, with whom he worked on land issues. Mason was also among the colonists who protested the Stamp Act in 1765.
Mason was the main author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights and the Constitution of Virginia. He wrote the first draft of the Virginia Declaration of Rights in 1776, and his words formed much of the text adopted by the final Revolutionary Virginia Convention. The Virginia Declaration of Rights served as a basis for the United States Bill of Rights, of which he has been deemed a father.
Despite his involvement in the drafting of the Constitution, Mason was one of three delegates who refused to sign it. He lobbied against its ratification in his home state, believing the document gave too much power to a central government and was incomplete without a bill of guarantee of individual liberty. He also believed that the Convention was reluctant to deal more harshly with the institution of slavery. Mason stated that "he would sooner chop off his right hand than put it to the Constitution as it stands".
Mason's refusal to sign the Constitution cost him greatly, as he lost the friendship of Washington and others. He became known as the "'Forgotten Founder'", uncredited for originating much of the language later incorporated in both the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. However, his efforts to protect individual rights ultimately came to fruition with the passage of the federal Bill of Rights on December 15, 1791, providing the first ten amendments to the Constitution.
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The Virginia Declaration of Rights
George Mason was a planter, politician, Founding Father, and delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787. He was one of three delegates who refused to sign the Constitution, citing the lack of a bill of rights as one of his most prominent objections.
Mason is best known for drafting the Virginia Declaration of Rights in 1776, which served as a precursor to the Bill of Rights in the U.S. Constitution. The Virginia Declaration of Rights affirmed that "all men are born equally free and independent" and included other influential ideas such as the consent of the governed. This meant that people must agree to their government and its laws for that government to have any authority.
Mason's emphasis on democratic ideals is also reflected in his later work on the Declaration of Rights and his participation in the Federal Convention of 1787. Leading up to the American Revolution, many colonists were unhappy with British rule and felt their rights were being ignored. In July 1774, Mason met with George Washington to discuss their rising concerns with the British government. Mason's later years were marked by a preference for private life, but his intellectual contributions solidified his role as a key figure among the Founding Fathers.
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The Virginia Constitution
George Mason was an influential figure in early American history, known for his contributions to the founding of the United States and his advocacy for individual rights. Born in Fairfax County, Virginia, in 1725, Mason became a prominent figure in his home state and his counsel was highly valued by his contemporaries.
Mason is best recognised for his role in shaping the Virginia Constitution and the Virginia Declaration of Rights in 1776. He was the primary author of the Virginia Constitution, in which he called the British style of government unsatisfactory and described a new governmental structure. Mason envisioned a system with multiple branches and levels, and he explained the powers of each part of the government. His ideas on governmental balance and the rights of individuals influenced the development of American federalism and left a lasting legacy on international human rights documents.
In the Virginia Constitution, Mason established important principles of US government, such as the separation of powers, which became central to American democracy. He also advocated for democratic ideals, believing that militia officers should be elected annually by members of the militia, rather than being selected based on rank and length of service. Mason's work on the Fairfax Resolves, which included revolutionary statements such as the rejection of the British Parliament's supreme authority over the colonies, further advanced the ideas found in important American documents like the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution.
Despite his significant involvement in the Constitutional Convention of 1787, Mason refused to sign the final US Constitution due to several objections. One of his main concerns was the lack of a Bill of Rights, which he believed was necessary to protect the rights of US citizens. He also wanted an immediate end to the slave trade and a supermajority requirement for navigation acts, fearing that restrictions on shipping might harm Virginia. Although Mason did not achieve all of his objectives, his efforts to ensure the protection of individual rights ultimately came to fruition with the passage of the federal Bill of Rights in 1791, providing the first ten amendments to the Constitution.
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The Fairfax Resolves
George Mason was an American planter, politician, Founding Father, and delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787. He was one of three delegates who refused to sign the Constitution, citing the lack of a bill of rights as one of his most prominent objections.
Mason's writings, including substantial portions of the Fairfax Resolves of 1774, the Virginia Declaration of Rights of 1776, and his Objections to this Constitution of Government (1787), have significantly influenced American political thought and events. The Fairfax Resolves were a set of resolutions adopted by a committee in Fairfax County, Virginia, on July 18, 1774, in the early stages of the American Revolution. They were written at the behest of George Washington and others, with Mason as the primary author.
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The Bill of Rights
George Mason was a planter, politician, Founding Father, and delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787. He was born in 1725 in Fairfax County, Virginia, and entered Virginia politics in the 1760s, advocating for the rights of colonists. He authored founding documents that were influential in establishing the state of Virginia, including the Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776) and the Virginia Bill of Rights and Constitution (1776).
Mason is best recognised for drafting the Virginia Declaration of Rights in 1776, which served as a precursor to the Bill of Rights in the U.S. Constitution. He was also the primary author of the Virginia Constitution, which was an important model for many other state constitutions as well as the official U.S. Constitution. Mason established many important principles of U.S. government, such as the separation of powers, which quickly became central to American democracy.
During the Constitutional Convention of 1787, Mason delivered 139 speeches and left his mark on every major issue that came before the convention. However, he ultimately did not sign the final version of the U.S. Constitution, citing the lack of a bill of rights as one of his most prominent objections. He also wanted an immediate end to the slave trade and a supermajority requirement for navigation acts, fearing that restrictions on shipping might harm Virginia.
Mason's protests and political writings inspired James Madison to introduce a bill of rights during the First Congress in 1789. These amendments, which provided the first ten amendments to the Constitution, were ratified in 1791, a year before Mason died. Mason's efforts to ensure the protection of individual rights thus came to fruition in the year before his death.
Mason's legacy extended overseas, even during his lifetime. Lafayette's "Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen", written during the early days of the French Revolution, was influenced by Mason's ideals. Thomas Jefferson, a friend and contemporary of Mason, wrote that "the Bill of Rights, and the Constitution of Virginia, were drawn originally by George Mason, one of our greatest men, and of the first order of greatness."
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Frequently asked questions
George Mason was an American planter, politician, Founding Father, and delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787.
George Mason was a major contributor to the Virginia Plan, whose general principles were adopted by the convention. He also delivered 139 speeches and left his mark on every major issue that came before the convention. He advocated for the rights of individuals, which influenced the development of American federalism and left a lasting legacy on international human rights documents.
George Mason refused to sign the Constitution due to several objections. One of his main concerns was the lack of a Bill of Rights, which he believed was necessary to protect the rights of citizens. He also wanted an immediate end to the slave trade and a supermajority requirement for navigation acts.
George Mason's contributions had a profound impact on American political philosophy and constitutional law. He was recognised as a champion of constitutional order and one of the fathers of the Bill of Rights. His ideas on governmental balance and individual rights influenced the development of American federalism and shaped the U.S. Constitution.
