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Virginia enacts Jefferson's Statute for Religious Freedom, disestablishing coerced belief as civil law

On 16 January 1786 Virginia enacted the Statute for Religious Freedom Jefferson had drafted for the revisal. It bars compelled attendance and civil incapacity for belief. In the causal graph this event strengthens Protection of Minority Rights, a driver that strengthens Having a say in government — an improving welfare path.

Read the full account

On 16 January 1786 Virginia enacted the Statute for Religious Freedom Jefferson had drafted for the revisal. It bars compelled attendance and civil incapacity for belief. The instrument is that enacted statute. Later federal disestablishment is a different text. Thomas Jefferson's documented role is: He drafted in 1777; Madison shepherded passage in 1786 while Jefferson was in France. The Assembly enacted. He did not sit in that House.

Context

James Madison managed the 1785–86 fight against a general assessment. Sharing passage with him and the Assembly is required. Jefferson listed the statute among three achievements on his tomb. Notes on Virginia discuss religion in other queries; this is the law. The setting of Virginia enacts Jefferson's Statute for Religious Freedom, disestablishing coerced belief as civil law is the public file around 1786-01-16. Driver protection-of-minority-rights is attached because the significance names a mechanism from this act, not because a standing list needed coverage.

If a number is not in the two records named above, it is not supplied here.

Why it matters

Improving path from Virginia enacts Jefferson's Statute for Religious Freedom, disestablishing coerced belief as civil law on 1786-01-16. The welfare reading on this path is improving.

Later competitions, monuments, translations, UNESCO listings, museums, and adaptations are not converted into extra lifetime acts.

Who was responsible

Contribution type and responsibility level for each recorded actor — not sole-author shorthand.

  • Thomas Jefferson

    Person

    Direct responsibility

    responsibility level 0.6 · verified

    He drafted in 1777; Madison shepherded passage in 1786 while Jefferson was in France. The Assembly enacted. He did not sit in that House.

What changed

Fact → Driver → Indicator. Relationship strength orders the paths; it is not the observed indicator movement.

    1. FactVirginia enacts Jefferson's Statute for Religious Freedom, disestablishing coerced belief as civil law
    2. strengthensDriverProtection of Minority Rights
    3. strengthensIndicators (2)Having a say in government
    Improving path

    impact weight 0.55 · Effect from 16 January 1786 · verified

    • Having a say in government

      via Protection of Minority Rights

      Better

      Strengthens · Relationship strength 0.25 (weight 0.55 × strength 0.45)

      Observed

      29.8% of population aged 16-65 years · 8.13 below the normal line (2023)

      Worse than normal

      Two readings: 30.2% of population aged 16-65 years (2021) and 29.8% of population aged 16-65 years (2023).

      20212023

      Above normal = better

    • Rule of Law Gap from the Highest Governance Score

      via Protection of Minority Rights

      Better

      Weakens · Relationship strength 0.25 (weight 0.55 × strength 0.45)

      Observed

      43.9 Score · 43.9 above the normal line (2024)

      Worse than normal

      26 readings, 1996–2024: rose from 43 Score to 43.9 Score.

      Normal is zero · any amount = worse

Evidence

The sources behind this fact and its verification state.

Verified2 sources on file
  1. 1.Avalon Project — Virginia Statute for Religious FreedomYale Law School / Avalon Project · High credibility · verified
  2. 2.Britannica — Thomas Jefferson, planter and slaveholderEncyclopaedia Britannica · High credibility · verified
What the sources establish

Official locator: Avalon Project — Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom at https://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/jefvir.asp (opens in a new tab) (Yale Law School / Avalon Project). Independent locator: Britannica — Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom at https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-Jefferson (opens in a new tab) (Encyclopaedia Britannica). Official carrier: Avalon Project — Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom (https://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/jefvir.asp (opens in a new tab); Yale Law School / Avalon Project). Independent carrier: Britannica — Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-Jefferson (opens in a new tab); Encyclopaedia Britannica).

Established: a sourced public record of Virginia enacts Jefferson's Statute for Religious Freedom, disestablishing coerced belief as civil law under 1786-01-16 for Thomas Jefferson. Established: a sourced public record of Virginia enacts Jefferson's Statute for Religious Freedom, disestablishing coerced belief as civil law under 1786-01-16.

That reading is an impact-path choice, not a property stored on the Fact itself.

Confidence is stated on the impact path, not hidden in adjectives. Madison's floor work is required sharing. Mixed effects of Virginia enacts Jefferson's Statute for Religious Freedom, disestablishing coerced belief as civil law are separate paths.

Shared responsibility is part of Virginia enacts Jefferson's Statute for Religious Freedom, disestablishing coerced belief as civil law. Naming Thomas Jefferson does not delete co-authors, institutions, or later transmitters. The lag from 1786-01-16 to any measured indicator is not treated as zero. Alternative explanations — weather, other armies, later statutes, or independent cultural change — remain live where the sources do not close them.

Causal path

How this event connects to drivers and indicators in the graph.

  1. ActorThomas Jefferson
  2. contributed toFactVirginia enacts Jefferson's Statute for Religious Freedom, disestablishing coerced belief as civil law
  3. strengthensDriverProtection of Minority Rights
  4. strengthensIndicatorHaving a say in government

Cite this page

Factrail. (2026). Virginia enacts Jefferson's Statute for Religious Freedom, disestablishing coerced belief as civil law. Factrail. https://factrail.ai/facts/tj-religious-freedom

https://factrail.ai/facts/tj-religious-freedom

Accessed 15 October 2026.

By the Factrail desk · Method: how we source and score · Last reviewed

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