The Lasting Influence of the Virginia Declaration of Rights
HIUS 390 B05
September 8, 2025
Written by George Mason, the Virginia Declaration of Rights was an extremely important
and influential document in our nation’s history. It provided a foundation for other documents
such as the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Bill of Rights, and the Constitution. The
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wording of the Virginia Declaration of Rights greatly influenced Thomas Jefferson’s written word
in the U.S. Declaration of Independence.
The Enlightenment helped to shape core values. As we compare the Virginia Declaration
of Rights with other major historical documents, one focus that stands out is natural rights.
John Locke believed that everyone inherently has natural rights when they are born, such as
rights to life, liberty, and even property. He also believed that these rights should be protected
by the government. George Mason included this when he wrote the Virginia Declaration of
Rights by declaring the fundamental rights for those living in Virginia. Section 1 says, “all men
are by nature equally free and independent and have certain inherent rights, of which, when
they enter into a state of society, they cannot, by any compact, deprive or divest their posterity;
namely, the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property,
and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety.”, which is perfectly in line with the words of
John Locke.1 Those words were echoed and mirrored by Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of
Independence, which states “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created
equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among
these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."2 One of the core principles in both
documents is that the government’s main duty is to protect these rights at all costs.3 If the
government is not holding up it's end of the bargain, then these documents state that the
people are in power and have the right to alter, reform, or abolish the failing government.
The Virginia Declaration of Rights was essentially a prototype for the U.S. Bill of Rights.
The former document listed guaranteed rights that must be upheld. These rights included the
right to due process, the right to trial by jury, the right to bear arms, among others. The U.S. Bill
1 National Archives. 1776. “The Virginia Declaration of Rights.” National Archives. June 12, 1776.
https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/virginia-declaration-of-rights.
2 National Archives. 1776. “Declaration of Independence.” National Archives. The U.S. National Archives and
Records Administration. July 4, 1776. https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript.
3 Heinemann, Ronald L., John G. Kolp, Anthony S. Parent, and William G. Shade. 2007. A History of Virginia, 1607–
2007. University of Virginia Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt6wrjzn.
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of Rights4, written by James Madison, included many of these rights, some even verbatim.
Another key point in the Virginia Declaration of Rights that is repeated in the U.S. Bill of Rights is
the separation of church and state and freedom of religion. Many of the Enlightenment
rationalists believed in complete freedom of thought, and therefore believed that religion
should be private and voluntary.4 This gave all religions and religious beliefs equality under the
law.
The established laws that required church attendance and mandatory support of the Anglican
Church were abolished and all were free to attend and support the church of their choosing.
The Virginia Declaration of Rights also helped to influence the separation of powers in
the government. This essentially created the three branches of government (Legislative,
Executive, and Judicial) that is still in effect today. By establishing three separate branches of
government, this prevented any one person or group to hold all of the power. It created checks
and balances within the authority of the government.
In conclusion, the Virginia Declaration of Rights was essential in the creation of the
government as we know it today. The Enlightenment influenced many of the ideas contained
within, and it became the groundwork for our country’s founding documents as well as our
founding fathers. Without the Virginia Declaration of Rights, our Declaration of Independence
and U.S. Bill of Rights would likely read much differently. The influence this state document
provided to our nation’s history is invaluable and unmatched. It acted as a bridge between the
Enlightenment and our democracy today and is still shaping generations today.
4 National Archives. 2025. “The Bill of Rights: A Transcription.” National Archives. The U.S. National Archives and
Records Administration. April 28, 2025. https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/bill-of-rights-transcript.
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Bibliography
Heinemann, Ronald L., John G. Kolp, Anthony S. Parent, and William G. Shade. 2007. A History
of Virginia, 1607–2007. University of Virginia Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt6wrjzn.
National Archives. 1776. “The Virginia Declaration of Rights.” National Archives. June 12,
1776. https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/virginia-declaration-of-rights.
National Archives. 1776. “Declaration of Independence.” National Archives. The U.S. National
Archives and Records Administration. July 4, 1776.
https://www.archives.gov/foundingdocs/declaration-transcript.
National Archives. 2025. “The Bill of Rights: A Transcription.” National Archives. The U.S.
National Archives and Records Administration. April 28, 2025.
https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/bill-of-rights-transcript.
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