Charters of the Virginia Company of London
Virginia Company
King James wanted to find gold and make money from the land that was discovered in North America. King James created a charter for the business, the Virginia Company of London, to sail across the Atlantic Ocean and start a colony. A charter gives people permission to set up a colony. The Virginia Company of London named the colony Jamestown after King James. A colony is land that is controlled by a king. The charter stated that the men setting up the colony had the same rights as if they still lived in England. However, they were employees of the Virginia Company of London and had to follow directions from the leaders the King chose. The Virginia Company of London provided the supplies and ships for settlement of Jamestown but the money the settlers made was to be given back to the King of England. As Jamestown developed, the settlers formed their own government. When the
Charters of the Virginia Company of London
settlers did not find gold in the colony, different businesses started instead. The settlers began to realize that they were working well as a colony and the King was abusing his power. The settlers were not truly being given the rights they were promised under the charter. The settlers were not being treated as if they were still Englishmen and this
caused a lot of trouble between the colonists and the King.
Founding Documents
Virginia Declaration of Rights Declaration of Rights
U.S. Constitution
Bill of Rights
In the 1700’s the colonists of Virginia began to realize their relationship with the King of England was not a good one. The colonists did not want to be ruled by the King but they realized they needed their own strong government. Many leaders stepped up to help run the colonies and create a strong government. One of the leaders was George Mason. In 1776, George Mason wrote a document called the Virginia Declaration of Rights. This document was important because it was one of the first documents to list the rights that people should be given. Additionally, it stated that if the rights were not given to the people they had the right to rebel against their government. The Virginia Declaration of Rights was the first time colonists like George Mason wrote about all people deserving equal rights and not just members of the government. (Does that remind you of a particular fundamental principle?) The Virginia Declaration of Rights became a model for the Founding Fathers when they wrote the United States Constitution, mostly the Bill of Rights section.
Founding Documents
Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom
Statute for Religious Freedom
One reason why people left England in the 1600’s was for religious freedom. People left England with hopes of following their own religion. When colonies began to form in North America, the colonists often divided themselves based on the religion they followed. Many of the colonists believed that government and religion should not be related or connected. The government should not get in the way of someone’s religious beliefs. Thomas Jefferson was a leader who strongly believed in religious freedom. In 1777, Thomas Jefferson wrote a document called the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom. This document stated that individuals have the right to choose their religion. It also stated that government should not to be involved with religion. The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom became a model for religious freedom in the colonies and later in the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights in the United States Constitution. This amendment states that people are free to choose their own religion and that government and religion should not mix together. Founding Documents