Virginia Declaration of Rights
| Virginia Declaration of Rights | |
|---|---|
| Created | May 1776 |
| Ratified | June 12, 1776 |
| Location | Library of Congress (first draft) |
| Author(s) | George Mason (primary), Thomas Ludwell Lee, Robert Carter Nicholas, James Madison |
| Purpose | Declare the inherent rights of Virginians (and mankind in general). |
| Full text | |
| Virginia Declaration of Rights at Wikisource | |
The Virginia Declaration of Rights was drafted in 1776 to proclaim the inherent rights of men, including the right to reform or abolish "inadequate" government. It influenced a number of later documents, including the United States Declaration of Independence (1776) and the United States Bill of Rights (1789).