Lunch & Learn: “The General Fundamentals”: The First Bill of Rights in the English-Speaking World
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Between 1620 and 1627, many adult men in Plymouth (who were not indentured servants) were stockholders in the colony’s joint-stock assets, speculative economic ventures, and liabilities.
They also participated in its governance. The colonists began using the term "freemen" early on — indicating a citizen of the colony who possessed the right to vote for the Governor and Assistants and the right to hold office. Women and servants were not eligible for freeman status. n the constitutional realm, between 1636 and 1671, Plymouth colonists crafted a declaration called The General Fundamentals which stressed their desire for self-governance as freemen.
This has been viewed by legal historians as one of the earliest forms of a demand for representative government and individual rights in the American colonies. Their opening statement follows:
We, the Associates of New Plymouth, coming hither as freeborn subjects of the State of England, endowed with all and singular; the privileges belonging to such being; Assembled, Do enact, ordain and constitute; that no act, imposition, law or ordinance, be made or imposed upon us, at present or to come, but such as shall be made or imposed by consent of the Body of Freemen or Associates, or their representatives legally assembled, which is according to the free liberties of the State of England.
Speaker Bio
Richard Pickering is the Deputy Executive Director and Senior Historian at Plimoth Patuxet Museums. He has been with the Museum for more than 30 years and has served as a historical role player, research associate, Director of Education and Director of Special Projects. He is currently a PhD candidate in English at the University of Connecticut. He also studied English and American Studies in graduate programs at the College of William and Mary.
Richard oversees the Museum’s ongoing research as well as educational and theatrical programs. He has spoken at the United Nations and Smithsonian National Museum of American History and has appeared on NPR, PBS, History Channel, NECN, NBC News, ABC's The Chew, and Martha Stewart Living Radio. He also worked on Ric Burns' film The Pilgrims for American Experience.