Influences of the Constitution
Feat. Virginia Bill of Rights, George Mason, & John Locke
Virginia Bill of Rights
The Virginia Bill of RIghts had many specific influences on the constution such as
- No excessive bail or fines
- No unreasonable searches or seizures
-Freedom of Speech
-Freedom of the press
-Freedom of religion
George Mason
George Mason influenced the Constitution by writing the Virginia Bill of Rights. Many of the rights in the Bill he wrote later went to into the Constution continuing to be laws in affect today.
John Locke
- The four basic rights: life, liberty, equality, and pursuit of happiness.
- The responsibility of government: government must protect those rights; if the government infringes those rights, it needs to be changed.
-The representatives: The government arises from the consent of the governed; the power of government should be distributed among different institution.
-Seperation of powers
-Checks and Balances
Natural Law
Anti-federalist George Mason took part in 1776 in writing an 18 page declaration of independence for Virginia and in it they were clear as to the role of natural rights. A Mason led committee wrote that "all men are born equally free and independent, and have certain inherit natural rights, of which they cannot, by any compact , deprive or divest their prosperity.
-The first principle of our Constution is Natural Law.
" The Concept of inalienable rights...limited government... seperation of powers... checks and balances ..sold preservation is based on Natural Law.
The Constution was an expression of the belifs of most Americans wheter Federalist or Anti- Federalists. Its major influence can be traced through many veins but all lead at same point to Natural Law.