George Mason objections: Which concern did he raise about the original Constitution?

• A. The need for a national church
• B. The absence of a Bill of Rights
• C. A strong national government with broad powers
• D. The establishment of a strong presidency

Answer: (D)

George Mason’s objections focused on protecting individual liberties. He argued that the original Constitution lacked a Bill of Rights—explicit, written protections for basic freedoms—so that the new government might overstep and infringe on citizens’ rights. He drew on his Virginia Declaration of Rights as a model and believed these protections should be guaranteed in the document itself. Because of this concern, he did not sign the Constitution at the Philadelphia Convention, and his push helped pave the way for the addition of the first ten amendments. The other options don’t match his main worry; he wasn’t championing a national church, nor was his primary concern a strong national government or a powerful presidency.