Image from the Library of Congress
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image below shows the bill that, when adopted by the Virginia General
Assembly in
1786, became the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom. (In the
law making process, a bill is a proposed law. "Statute" is a
common term for a law passed by an elected legislature. Notice
that the small letter "s" at
that time was often printed with a shape that resembles the small
letter "f.") Thomas Jefferson was the author of this Virginia law. It says that all people have a right to worship as they choose, that there will be no "established" or official church in Virginia, and that there will be no religious requirement for holding public office. (See the second to last paragraph.) The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom had an impact on ideas about religious liberty throughout the new nation, and influenced the writing of the First Amendment, which is part of the U.S. Bill of Rights. This image is from the Library of Congress online collection. |
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Copyright
Notice
Text, arrangement, and background
Copyright 2007 by David
Burns. The image shown above is from the Library of Congress
online collection, and is believed to be in the public domain.
Images in the public domain may normally be used by teachers and
students freely for instructional use. Please credit the Library
of Congress if you use this image.
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