{"exhibit":{"id":165,"title":"George Mason and Mercy Otis Warren: Perspectives on the Constitution","description":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Two American patriots that heavily influenced the Revolutionary era were George Mason and Mercy Otis Warren.&nbsp; While committed to the principles of liberty and independence, they were vocal opponents of the Constitution, the government\u2019s first written charter.&nbsp; George Mason and Mercy Otis Warren both feared that the Constitution gave too much power to the new national government and that it would threaten individual liberties if a bill of rights were not added.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, George Mason refused to sign the Constitution due to these reasons and advocated against its ratification in his home state of Virginia.&nbsp; Mercy Otis Warren, a political activist and historian, brought a female perspective and wrote several documents outlining her concerns over the Constitution.&nbsp; As Anti-Federalists, both George Mason and Mercy Otis Warren strongly objected to the Constitution\u2019s emphasis on a strong national government, preferring a weaker central government due to fears of the government being too powerful like the British empire.&nbsp; They also believed that the Constitution would not adequately preserve and protect the rights of individuals and the states.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Though their arguments were not initially integrated into the Constitution, their concerns over the protection of individual liberties were eventually addressed years later with the implementation of the Bill of Rights.&nbsp; This site will compare their specific positions on the Constitution, outlining the challenges and risks they felt were harmful to the new country and American people. <\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><br style=\"font-weight: 400;\" \/><br style=\"font-weight: 400;\" \/><br \/><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br style=\"font-weight: 400;\" \/><br style=\"font-weight: 400;\" \/><br style=\"font-weight: 400;\" \/><\/span><\/p>","credits":"Brandon David, Spring 2022, Professor Oberle","featured":0,"public":1,"theme":"","theme_options":null,"slug":"george-mason-and-mercy-otis-wa","added":"2022-04-23 14:10:32","modified":"2022-05-14 21:02:49","owner_id":143,"use_summary_page":1,"cover_image_file_id":1412},"item":{"id":1135,"item_type_id":6,"collection_id":null,"featured":0,"public":1,"added":"2022-05-03 01:15:29","modified":"2022-05-03 12:47:59","owner_id":143}}