American constitutional government is founded on concepts stated in earlier documents, including:

1. the Charters of the Virginia Company of London
2. the Virginia Declaration of Rights
3. the Declaration of Independence
4. the Articles of Confederation
5. the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom

The Charters of the Virginia Company of London guaranteed colonists:

1.   ?    religious freedom.
2.   ?    the same rights enjoyed by all English citizens.
3.   ?    certain unalienable rights such as life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
4.   ?    economic freedom and prosperity.

The Virginia Declaration of Rights listed individual rights its author, George Mason, wanted protected by law. This document served as the model for:

1.   ?    Article 3 of the Constitution
2.   ?    the Bill of Rights
3.   ?    the Articles of Confederation
4.   ?    the Charters of the Virginia Company of London

The Declaration of Independence:

1. stated grievances against the king of England.
2. declared the colonies’ independence from Great Britain.
3. affirmed “certain unalienable rights” (life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness).
4. established the idea that all people are equal under the law.
5. guaranteed financial equality to all Americans.

The Articles of Confederation:

1. established the first form of national government for the independent states.
2. left most power with the individual states.
3. established a weak national government with no power to tax and enforce laws, and led to the writing of the Constitution.
4. affirmed the authority and power of the federal government.

The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom -

1.   ?    guaranteed freedom of religious beliefs and opinions.
2.   ?    guaranteed freedom from slavery.
3.   ?    guaranteed the individual freedoms of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.