The original Virginia Constitution was adopted on June 29, 1776, during the American Revolution.
Virginia’s constitution formally replaced the colony’s government and established a new state government independent of the British crown. It was enacted by the Fifth Virginia Convention, which met in Williamsburg during the political crisis leading to the Declaration of Independence.
The constitution was accompanied by the Virginia Declaration of Rights, adopted on June 12. These were separate documents: the Declaration of Rights set out principles and protections, while the constitution created the structure of state government.
Virginia’s first constitution created a bicameral General Assembly and a weak executive office. The governor was elected annually by the legislature rather than directly by voters. The document was influential, but its political system preserved substantial power for the legislature and restricted political participation largely to white male property owners.