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Overview
The Virginia Declaration of Rights is a document drafted in 1776 to proclaim the inherent rights of men, including the right to rebel against “inadequate” government. It was adopted unanimously by the Fifth Virginia Convention in Williamsburg, Virginia on June 12, 1776 as a separate document from the Constitution of Virginia which was later adopted on June 29, 1776.
Significance
The Virginia Declaration of Rights is significant because it was the first constitutional protection of individual rights, rather than protecting only members of Parliament or consisting of simple laws that can be changed as easily as passed.
As a result, it influenced a number of later documents, including the United States Declaration of Independence (1776), the United States Bill of Rights (1789), and the French Revolution’s Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (1789)
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That no man, or set of men, is entitled to exclusive or separate emoluments or privileges from the community, but in consideration of public services; which, nor being descendible, neither ought the offices of magistrate, legislator, or judge to be hereditary. The Fifth Virginia Convention – Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776)
What is this?
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What is this?
The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.
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Overview
The Mayflower Compact was the first governing document of Plymouth Colony. It was written by the Separatists, also known as the “Saints,” fleeing religious persecution from James VI and I. They traveled aboard the Mayflower in 1620 along with adventurers, tradesmen, and servants, most of whom were referred to as “Strangers.”
The Mayflower Compact was signed on November 11, 1620 by 41 of the ship’s 101 passengers, while the Mayflower was anchored in what is now Provincetown Harbor within the hook at the northern tip of Cape Cod.
Significance
The fact that the Mayflower Compact was a covenant whereby the settlers would subordinate their rights to follow laws passed by the government to ensure protection and survival made it a unique document. What’s more, it is often cited as one of the most influential documents referenced by the Founding Fathers of the United States while they drafted the United States Constitution.
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(Pictured above: Pilgrims signing the Mayflower Compact, reproduction of an oil painting, 1932.)
The Pilgrims believed that the Mayflower Compact was an agreement, much like a covenant, that was to be honored between God and man, and also among all men. As such, it was grounded in faith.
These lines define the primary purpose of the compact: To combine themselves into a “civil Body Politick” “for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the Honour of [their] King and Country … in the presence of God, and one another.”
Basically, they all agreed to comply with their government’s laws, and in return, they would all protect one another, making it, in essence, a social contract. This social contract was the foundation of their government.
What is this?
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What is this?
The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.
To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.
What is this?
The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.
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Myles Standish (1584 – 1656) was an English soldier hired by the Pilgrims to assist with military affairs in the New World. He was responsible for negotiations with the Native Americans and appointed military captain of the settlement at Plymouth.
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John Carver (1576 – 1621) played a pivotal role in the arrangement of the Pilgrims' emigration to America and served as Plymouth’s first governor. He remained governor until his untimely death from apparent sunstroke in April of 1621.
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These lines simply state that the Pilgrims whose signatures appear on the Mayflower Compact signed their names in Cape Cod on November 11 during the reign of James VI and I
These lines are saying that the Pilgrims (whose signatures appear on the Mayflower Compact) signed their names in Cape Cod. They signed on the 11th of November on the old-style calendar (21st of November using our present-day calendar system). They then put the year 1620 in terms of the length that King James VI and I had been on the thrones of England/France/Ireland (17 years, they were in the 18th year) and Scotland (53 years, they were in the 54th year).