1. State Constitutions
Unit 1 Lesson 7

2. Lesson objectives
Explain the basic ideas about government and rights that are included in state constitutions.
Explain how the experiences of the states in developing their constitutions and bills of rights influenced the framing of the US Constitution and Bill of Rights
Evaluate, take and defend positions on the theory of legislative supremacy, the importance of the Virginia Declaration of Rights and the role of declarations of rights in early state constitutions.

3. Allegiance was always to the state.
States were united only by their common commitment to fight the British
May 1776 Second Continental Congress adopted a resolution
calling on each state to draw up a new constitution
all states adopted new constitutions
Kept the formulate of their colony charters
Incorporated natural rights, republicanism, rule of law and
constitutional government.

4. Main Ideas contained in the State Const.
Natural Rights / Higher Law
Social Contract
Popular Sovereignty
Representation and the Right to vote
Legislative Supremacy
Supports the will of the people through elections
Executive branch is less accountable to the people and should not be trusted with power
Judges should not be trusted with too much power

5. Massachusetts Consitution
John Adams future president, was a major contributor
Contained two main ideas:
Strong executive, but also provided a strong system of checks and balances. Executive was only elected for 1 year, so there was a check on the executives power, as well.
Representative of various economic classes:
Based upon property, a voter could place their vote in various elections by the volume of land they owned.

6. Virginia Declaration and Constitution
* All men are created by nature equally free and independent
* All power is from the people and kept by the people
* Government is and ought to be developed for the common good
* All men have the ability and are entitled to free exercise of religion

7. What rights did other states protect
The right to vote
Free and frequent elections
Freedom of speech and press
Freedom to petition the government
Right of redress of grievances
No taxation without representation
Right to counsel and trial by jury
No illegal searches and seizures
No self in crimination