Primary Sources | » Foundations

The Second Charter of Virginia,

The Virginia Company of London

The Second Virginia Charter is one of the founding documents of the United States. Written at the very beginning of the colonial period, the Second Virginia Charter extended the "rights of Englishmen" to colonists.

What were the rights…

The First Charter of Virginia,

The Virginia Company of London

The First Virginia Charter is one of the founding documents of the United States. Written at the very beginning of the colonial period, the First Virginia Charter extended the "rights of Englishmen" to colonists.

What were the rights of…

Amendments to the Constitution (Excerpt from the Constitution of Virginia),

Virginia General Assembly

This one-page excerpt from the Virginia constitution discusses the process of adding amendments to the constitution.

Which branch(es) of government are responsible for amending Virginia's constitution? How do voters participate in the…

Marbury v. Madison (1803),

U.S. Supreme Court

This document provides the text of the landmark Supreme Court case, Marbury v. Madison (1803), the first Supreme Court case which declared an act of Congress illegal. That action created a legal precedent of Judicial Review.

Virginia Constitution, 1971 and Today,

Virginia General Assembly

Virginia signed its first constitution in 1776 upon the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Since that time, there have been frequent amendments and six major revisions to the constitution: 1830, 1851, 1864, 1870, 1902, and 1971. Our current…

Virginia Constitution, 1864,

Virginia General Assembly

Virginia signed its first constitution in 1776 upon the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Since that time, there have been frequent amendments and six major revisions to the constitution: 1830, 1851, 1864, 1870, 1902, and 1971. Our current…

Virginia Constitution, 1851,

Virginia General Assembly

Virginia signed its first constitution in 1776 upon the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Since that time, there have been frequent amendments and six major revisions to the constitution: 1830, 1851, 1864, 1870, 1902, and 1971. Our current…

Virginia Constitution, 1830,

Virginia General Assembly

Virginia signed its first constitution in 1776 upon the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Since that time, there have been frequent amendments and six major revisions to the constitution: 1830, 1851, 1864, 1870, 1902, and 1971. Our current…

Bill of Rights,

First United States Congress

The Bill of Rights consists of the first ten amendments to the U.S. constitution, and is a cornerstone of American democracy. George Mason refused to sign the U.S. constitution because it did not have a section containing rights of the individual.…

Facts and History - Governors,

This simple resource offers the names, dates served, and party affiliations of Virginia's governors from 1776 to 2006. If read carefully, the data reveals clues to Virginia's political leanings.

What are some trends in the party…