Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom
The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom was drafted in 1777 by Thomas Jefferson in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and introduced into the Virginia General Assembly in Richmond in 1779. On January 16, 1786, the Assembly enacted the statute into the state's law. The statute disestablished the Church of England in Virginia and guaranteed freedom of religion to people of all religious faiths, including Christians of all denominations, Jews, Muslims, and Hindus. The statute was a notable precursor of the Establishment Clause and Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.

The Statute for Religious Freedom is one of only three accomplishments Jefferson instructed be put in his epitaph.
Q11812
Thomas Jefferson
PER
Q492342
Fredericksburg, Virginia
LOC
Q530970
Virginia General Assembly
MEDIA
Q530970
Assembly
MEDIA
Q82708
Church of England
Concept
Q171899
freedom of religion
Concept
Q3308297
Establishment Clause
ORG
Q5499816
Free Exercise Clause
ORG
Q12616
First Amendment to the United States Constitution
EVE
Q1772
epitaph
Concept
Q4086736
Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom
MEDIA
1777-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1777
DATE
1779-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1779
DATE
1786-01-16T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
January 16, 1786
DATE
author
legislated by
legislated by
inception
part of
part of