Several merchants pressed him for a charter—a document that granted the right to form a colony.
The Charter of the VA Company in London was the founding document that guaranteed the rights of Englishmen to the colonists. It also established the House of Burgesses.
The English Bill of Rights
Magna Carta
It was a charter granted by King John in1215 to guarantee human rights against the use of royal power and reaffirm church rights.
Virginia Company of London Charter
declaration of independence
magna carta
bill of rights
The content of the Magna Carta were drawn up by Archbishop Stephen Langton and the most powerful Barons of England. King John signed the document which was originally called the 'Articles of the Barons' on June 10, 1215.
It was not the Englishmen, but the American colonists. The Bill of Rights was amended into the Constitution to give every American basic civil rights.
In 1776, the colonists issued the Declaration of Independence, which formally declared their separation from British rule. This document articulated their grievances against King George III and asserted their rights as individuals, emphasizing the principles of liberty and self-governance. The Declaration was a response to perceived violations of their rights as Englishmen and sought to justify their quest for independence.