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 * George Mason **
 * Position: Anti-Federalist **

** Virginia Representative  **
 * In the late 18th century, Virginia is the most populated state with slaves and lawyers and farmers and people of many occupations. It led in agriculture because of the tobacco crop. Virginia is grouped with the southern states as it is below Maryland, but above North Carolina. Virginia had rivers pouring in and a Tidewater area to which the farming flourished from fertile soil. From the plantations came the slaves. **

** Occupation and Background  **
 * George Mason was born December 11, 1725 in Fairfax County, Virginia. His father died while he was young and George Mason was raised by his uncle, John Mercer. He was privately educated and in his 20’s started to get political. He became a member of the House of Burgess when he was 39. He wrote against the British taxes throughout the years. His biggest contribution would be drafting the Virginia Declaration of Rights which would influence Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. He died in 1792. **

** Constitutional Convention  **
 * He was part of the Constitutional Convention and was one of the five most frequent speakers. He did not sign the document along with two other men. He thought that the constitution had too strong a government and was moving towards monarchy. He made no fewer than 136 speeches on the floor. He was most revered and influential. He knew that the Articles of Confederation were not functionally working well, but still just wanted to revise them. **

** States Ratifying Constitution  **
 * He lobbied against the ratifying of the constitution and it cost him his friendship with Washington. He had too many problems with the constitution. He also thought that the public should vote for the new document instead of the government. He was part of the Virginia Ratifying Convention arguing for the constitution and against it ultimately saying that they should revise it. He failed. **

** Constitution Arguments  **
 * He did not sign it, because of three important criticisms; a lack of bill of rights, too much power by federal government, and he wanted the slaves to be freed even though he was a slave owner. He also felt that the judiciary branch was too powerful. He wanted the executive branch to be a committee of three people instead of a one man president. He said it would obtain peace of mind from the people in the fact that three a three person executive from the north, middle, and south would be able to balance out concerns unbiased in decision. He thought that the House of Representative should control the taxes and not the Senate because they were not elected by the people. Congress should appoint the federal judges since they had the power to impeach the president. He thought that two-thirds of the states should regulate the navigation laws; not a simple majority vote. He was friends with Washington, but their views differed too much and they drifted apart. He was friends with Patrick Henry, and Thomas Jefferson was obviously inspired by him and even James Madison was friends with him. Even though they were on opposite sides, they still had common goals for a new government concerning a Bill of Rights. **

** Bibliography  **
 * "Colonial Life in Virginia." Geocities. Yahoo, n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2013. **


 * Convention:George Mason. Teaching American History, n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013. **
 * "GEORGE MASON: LIFE & TIMES ESSAYS." GEORGE MASON: LIFE & TIMES ESSAYS. Gunston Hall, n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013. . **
 * "George Mason." George Mason. United States History, n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013. **


 * "Delegates to the Constitutional Convention:George Mason." Delegates to the Constitutional **
 * The Papers of George Mason edited by Robert A. Rutland. Copyright 1970 by the University of North Carolina Press. **
 * Schwartz, Stephan A. "Smithsonian.com." Smithsonian Magazine. Smithsonian, May 2000. Web. 13 Feb. 2013. . **