Principles and Concepts
Codified in State Constitutions
(1777-1781)
California Content Standard 8.3.1
By the end of the lesson, I will be able to…
Analyze the principles and concepts codified in state
constitutions between 1777 and 1781 that created the context
out of which American political institutions and ideas developed
As evidenced by…
Taking notes and a quiz.
Essential Question
• What were the principles and concepts codified in state
constitutions between 1777 and 1781?
What is a Republic?
• During the American Revolution nearly every colony wrote a
new state constitution.
• These constitutions supported republicanism.
• In a republic, citizens elect representatives who are
responsible to the people.
Limited Governments
• To keep individual leaders from gaining too much power, state
constitutions also created limited governments.
• Limited governments are governments in which
• all leaders have to obey the laws
• no one has total power
Protecting Rights of Citizens
• Most state constitutions had rules to protect the rights of
citizens.
• Some banned slavery.
• Some protected individual rights.
Virginia Declaration of Rights
• The Virginia Declaration of Rights defended the rights of
• Trial by jury
• Freedom of the press
• Ownership of Property
Virginia Statute for Religious
Freedom
• The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom declared that no
person could
• be forced to attend a particular church
• be required to pay for a church with tax money
Suffrage (Voting Rights)
• Many states’ constitutions expanded voting rights by allowing
any white man who paid taxes to vote.
• In most states only property owners could hold elected office.
• Some states granted suffrage only to white men who owned
property.
Suffrage Rights of American Women
and African Americans
• New Jersey was the only state to allow American women to
vote
• This right was revoked in 1807.
• Seven state constitutions gave suffrage to free African
American men.
• However, by the 1860s these rights were taken away or greatly
limited.