Against the Grain: Principle over Popularity, A Case for George Mason

The first ten amendments to the United States Constitution make up the Bill of Rights. James Madison is often credited with writing these first ten amendments. Although technically true, it is not the whole story. These essential amendments lay the foundation for what it means to be a United States citizen as well as define the overarching American ideals of liberty and freedom. There have been many great thinkers dubbed 'founding fathers' that have contributed to the great American experiment. George Mason, the eccentric Virginia statesman and planter, undoubtedly deserves this title. Unfortunately, George Mason has too often been forgotten. This injustice on behalf of the mainstream history curriculum has left out the actual Father of the Bill of Rights. The failure at any reference of Mason can partially be attributed to Mason's later decision to refuse ratifying the Constitution at the Constitutional Convention-even after he had contributed immensely to the document. Mason's decision to not ratify the Constitution unless it contained a Bill of Rights was crucial to the anti-Federalist movement as well as resulted in social and political backlash. It was not a cowardly decision for Mason to make. It would have been much easier for Mason to just sign and go along with the majority. This thesis acts as a case study examining Mason's life in the context of the American Revolution and the later formation of our nation's modern government system. It is intended to once again inject Mason into the mainstream story of American history while dispelling many of the attacks that Mason receives in regard to his character. The paper explores Mason's contributions to the American war effort as well as highlights his role in the creation of the foundation for the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and their state counterparts. Most importantly, it examines Mason's crucial decision to not sign the Constitution and the effects of this decision.