Skip to Main Content

Lesson

George Mason (1725-1792)

Duration
60 min
Published
Nov 5, 2020
Black and white engraving of a man with curly hair and an 18th-century attire.
What were George Mason's views on rights? Why did he object to the Constitution? And why did he remain devoted to personal liberty and states' rights?

Founding Principles

Freedom of Religion, Liberty

Learning objectives

Students will:

  • understand Mason’s view of the rights of Virginians
  • analyze Mason’s objections to the Constitution
  • evaluate the importance of Mason’s contributions to the Founding
  • appreciate Mason’s devotion to personal liberty and states’ rights

Materials

Student Handouts

Additional Teacher Resource

Lesson Components

ActivityHandout A: George Mason (1725-1792)
ActivityHandout B: Context Questions – George Mason (1725-1792)
ActivityHandout C: George Mason on Liberty
ActivityHandout D: Student Answer Bank
ActivityThematic Essays – George Mason (1725-1792)

Lesson plan

60 minClick a phase to open it

Standards

Advanced Placement

  • CCE

Check whether this resource aligns with your state’s standards →

Related materials

Portrait of a man with dark hair wearing 18th-century clothing against a textured background.
FounderGeorge Mason

Mason’s ideas helped to shape the Founding documents of the United States, but few Americans remember him today. The words he used when writing the Virginia Declaration of Rights and the Virginia Constitution of 1776.