Virginia’s Government, from the Charter of 1606 - The Constitution of 1971A History of Expanding Democracy in Virginia

King James IIt was King James I of England, not LeBron, who issued the first Charter for The Virginia Company of London to establish Jamestown in 1606. The company town was to be governed by a council; however, the council proved weak and ineffectual. John Smith took the lead despite the objections of many who considered him a common rogue.

A Military Governor for VirginiaIn the second Charter of Jamestown, a military governor was placed in charge of the colony. This less democratic structure allowed for more regiment and discipline in the colony – which was desperately needed at the time. In the new charter, Virginia did not even have a Western border! It extended to the Mississippi, or perhaps the Pacific Ocean!

Virginia Becomes a Royal ColonyIn 1624, the Virginia Company of London’s charter was taken away by the King of England. Virginia, therefore, became a royal colony. This meant that the King had absolute power to appoint the governor and apply law to Virginia’s citizens.

Virginia’s First Constitutional Convention, 1776Even before the United States had officially declared independence, the state of Virginia began to compose a new constitution for the state. It’s first step, though, was to pass George Mason’s famous “Virginia Declaration of Rights.” This became the cornerstone of the government.

The Declaration of IndependenceThomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence was heavily influenced by a number of well-respected political philosophers, including John Locke and Montesquieu; however, George Mason’s Declaration of Rights was also consulted. Much of the language in the two documents is similar – suggesting that Virginians held the same values when it come to governments.

The Declaration of Rights and the Bill of Rights – Protecting LibertiesThe Right to a

Speedy Trial (6th Amendment) Freedom of Religion

(1st Amendment) Freedom of the

Press (1st Amendment)

The Right to a Trial by Jury

(7th Amendment)

Commonwealth - (n.) A commonwealth is a republic in which the people join together in government for the common good. In a commonwealth, all just powers are derived from the consent of the people.

The General Assembly

The Virginia Statute of Religious FreedomThomas Jefferson proposed the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, because he believed in the principle of free religious conscience. Jefferson, a deist, was not a practicing Christian, and believed it was a violation of civil liberties to force Virginians to pay a tax to the Anglican – or any other state church. The Statute was passed in 1786, and later incorporated into the Bill of Rights in the First Amendment to the Constitution.

Virginia’s 1830 ConstitutionThe Virginia Declaration of Rights

was made a permanent part of the Constitution of the State of Virginia.

Voting rights were extended to all white, male taxpayers in Virginia; previously, one had been required to own property in order to vote.

Virginia’s 1851 ConstitutionAll white males were allowed to

vote, and greater representation was granted to the Western portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Voters were granted the power to elect the Governor by direct election; previously the General Assembly had selected the Governor.

Virginia During the Civil WarEleven states seceded from the

Union during the Civil War: VA, NC, SC, GA, FL, AL, MS, LA, AR, TN, and TX.

The capital city in the Confederacy was Richmond, VA.

Virginians suffered terribly as a result of their choice to fight a war against the Union in order to preserve slavery.

The Virginia Constitution of 1902In order to be readmitted to the Union, all

Confederate states were required to pass the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution – ending slavery, granting citizenship rights to African-Americans, and giving voting rights to African-American men.

The Constitution of 1902, shamefully, required all schools to be segregated.

Moreover, it required a “poll tax” – which made it very difficult for poor people, including most African-Americans then – to vote.

The Virginia Constitution of 1971The Virginia Constitution of 1971

was rewritten in order to insure that all federal civil rights laws were upheld by the state, too.

Additions were made to the Constitution guaranteeing that discrimination would not be allowed – on the basis of age, race, skin color, sex, religion, or national origin.