Virginia SOL Virginia and US History test: important concepts: Difference between revisions

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** as part of the treaty, the U.S. took all British lands between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River  
** as part of the treaty, the U.S. took all British lands between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River  
*** this greatly expanded the size of the new country
*** this greatly expanded the size of the new country
=== Founding Documents ===
* during the American Revolution, between 1763 and 1791, a series of important documents were issued
** these documents importantly:
*** stated the rights of the people and the theories behind them
*** stated and justified the causes and reason for American independence and self-government
**** ("self-government" = ruling themselves as opposed to being colonies ruled by the British Parliament and the King of England
*** established the rules and laws of the "'''union'''" of states as the "United States of America"
{| class="wikitable"
|+Founding Documents
!Document & Date
!Purpose
!Impact
|-
|Thomas Paine's "Common Sense", 1775
|
* declared equality of men
* denied the need for a king
|
* convinced the people that the colonies should declare independence from England
* led to the '''Declaration of Independence'''
|-
|'''Virginia Declaration of Rights, 1776'''
|
* issued about 1 month before the '''Declaration of Independence'''
* stated that
** all men (people) are born equal
** citizens have fundamental rights and protections against government abuse
** government must be limited in its powers
** government must have the "consent" (permission) of the people
|
* drafted principally by '''George Mason''' of Virginia
* the Declaration of Rights influenced the text of the '''Declaration of Independence'''
* the Declaration of Rights was adopted as part of the Virginia Constitution in 1830 (Article I)
* The Declaration of Rights influenced:
** the '''Declaration of Independence'''
** the '''U.S. Constitution'''
** the '''Bill of Rights'''
|-
|'''Declaration of Independence, 1776'''
|
* declared "independence" of the American states from England, including from rule by the English King
|
* drafted principally by '''Thomas Jefferson'''
* justified the American Revolution and War
* laid out the reasons for declaring independence, especially the abuses committed by the government of England
* gave philosophical reasons for breaking from rule by the Kind
* declared the "'''all men are created equal'''"
* declared that government must have the consent of the people
|-
|'''Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, 1777'''
|
* guaranteed the freedom of religion in Virginia
|
* draft by '''Thomas Jefferson''' of Virginia
* the Statute for Religious Freedom directly influenced the 1st Amendment of the '''Bill of Rights'''
|-
|'''Articles of Confederation of the United States, 1783'''
|
* created the first, formal national government of the Union of the United States of America
* the Articles of Confederation gave some powers to the new government
* but the states kept most of the powers to themselves
|
* created a union of the 13 new states (former colonies)
* created a weak government that was unable to effectively manage many issues and problems
* therefore, in 1787, the states sent delegates to the '''Constitutional Convention at Philadelphia''' to draft a new "constitution"
|-
|'''United States Constitution, 1789'''
|
* created a new central government for the "United States of America"
** (replacing the Articles of Confederation)
* gave many powers to the "federal" (central) government
|
* the working and ideas in the Constitution were heavily influenced by '''James Madison''' of Virginia
|-
|Federalist Papers, 1788-89
|
|
|-
|'''Bill of Rights, 1791'''
|
* The Bill or Rights are the first ten amendments to the '''US Constitution''' 
* explicitly protected rights of citizens by protecting them from abuse by the new federal government abuse
**
|
* drafted by '''James Madison''' of Virginia
* '''1st Amendment: speech, press, religion, assembly & petition''' (asking the government for something)
* 2nd Amendment: right to bear arms
* 4th-8th Amendments: legal and personal protections against government abuse
|}


=== US Constitution ===
=== US Constitution ===