Like the Constitution of the United States, the Virginia Constitution is divided into major areas called articles and into subdivisions called sections. There are seventeen articles and two hundred and one sections. The following topics found in the articles indicate the broad range of subjects included: the Bill of Rights, Elective Franchise and Qualifications for Office, Division of Powers, Legislative Department, Executive Department, Judiciary Department, Organization and Government of Counties, Organization and Government of Cities and Towns, Education and Public Instruction, Agriculture and Immigration, Public Welfare and Penal Institutions, Corporations, Taxation and Finance, Miscellaneous Provisions--Homestead and Other Exemptions, Future Changes in the Constitution, Rules of Construction, and Voting Qualification of Armed Forces. _The Virginia Bill of Rights_ Article I is the Bill of Rights. Such rights are prefaced by an introductory paragraph in the article which states that this series of rights form the backbone of the governmental structure in Virginia: "A declaration of rights made by the good people of Virginia in the exercise of their sovereign powers, which rights do pertain to them and to their posterity, as the basis and foundation of government." The famous Declaration of Rights which follows the introductory paragraph was written by George Mason and introduced at the Williamsburg Convention by Archibald Cary. It was unanimously adopted by the convention members on June 12, 1776, and its principles were considered so significant that they were later used as the basis for the Bill of Rights in the Constitution of the United States as well as for many other state bills of rights. The importance attached to these provisions has resulted in the Virginia Bill of Rights often being called the "Magna Charta of Virginia." In seventeen different sections, the Virginia Bill of Rights guarantees various underlying principles of government: (1) "That all men are by nature equally free and independent and have certain inherent rights, of which, when they enter into a state of society, they cannot, by any compact, deprive or divest their posterity, namely, the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety"--Thus, freedom and equality of every individual is recognized, and one's rights of life, of liberty, of owning property and of achieving happiness and safety are guaranteed. (2) "That all power is vested in, and consequently derived from, the people; that magistrates are their trustees and servants, and at all times amenable to them"--Thus, a principle of democracy is expressed that the right to rule comes from the people themselves and that office-holders are representatives of the people and are responsible to the people.