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Articles of Colonization: Difference between revisions

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Signed 52 years before the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies|events that ultimately destroy almost all humanity]], the '''Articles of Colonization'''<ref>The Articles of Colonization are the Colonial equivalent to the American [[Wikipedia: Articles of Confederation|Articles of Confederation]] (the predecessor to the [[Wikipedia: US Constitution|US Constitution]]), [[Wikipedia: U.N. Charter| U.N. Charter]] and [[Wikipedia: Universal Declaration of Human Rights|Universal Declaration of Human Rights]].</ref> formed the united government of the [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)|Twelve Colonies of Kobol]].
Signed 52 years before the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies|events that ultimately destroy almost all humanity]], the '''Articles of Colonization'''<ref>The Articles of Colonization are the Colonial equivalent to the American [[Wikipedia: Articles of Confederation|Articles of Confederation]] (the predecessor to the [[Wikipedia: US Constitution|US Constitution]]), [[Wikipedia: U.N. Charter| U.N. Charter]] and [[Wikipedia: Universal Declaration of Human Rights|Universal Declaration of Human Rights]].</ref> formed the united government of the [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)|Twelve Colonies of Kobol]].


This event was apparently in response to the [[Cylon War]] to unite against a common enemy.<ref>Source: [[Ron D. Moore|Ron D. Moore's]] official blog, [http://blog.scifi.com/battlestar/archives/2005/04/index.html#a000025 April 11, 2005.]</ref> Before the Articles, each colony appeared to behave more as a sovereign nation, and fought between each other.
This event was apparently in response to the [[Cylon War]] to unite against a common enemy <ref>Source: [[Ron D. Moore|Ron D. Moore's]] official blog, [http://blog.scifi.com/battlestar/archives/2005/04/index.html#a000025 April 11, 2005.]</ref>. Before the Articles, each colony appeared to behave more as a sovereign nation, and there was open fighting between the colonies.


The anniversary of the signing of the Articles is the [[Colonial Day (holiday)|Colonial Day holiday]] ([[Colonial Day]]).
The anniversary of the signing of the Articles is the [[Colonial Day (holiday)|Colonial Day holiday]] ([[Colonial Day]]).


==Article 21==
==Article 21==
Chief [[Galen Tyrol]] invokes the 21st Article of Colonization while being interrogated by Colonel [[Tigh|Saul Tigh]] after being rescued from [[Kobol (RDM)|Kobol]] ([[Resistance (episode)|Resistance]]).
Chief [[Galen Tyrol|Tyrol]] invokes the 21st Article of Colonization while being interrogated by Colonel [[Saul Tigh|Tigh]] after being rescued from [[Kobol (RDM)|Kobol]] ([[Resistance (episode)|Resistance]]).


:''Under the [[Wikipedia: U.S. Constitution|U.S. Constitution]], a number of Tyrol's constitutionally protected civil liberties were being violated, among them''
:''Under the [[Wikipedia: U.S. Constitution|U.S. Constitution]], a number of Tyrol's constitutionally protected civil liberties were being violated, among them''

Revision as of 17:45, 22 July 2007

Signed 52 years before the events that ultimately destroy almost all humanity, the Articles of Colonization[1] formed the united government of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol.

This event was apparently in response to the Cylon War to unite against a common enemy [2]. Before the Articles, each colony appeared to behave more as a sovereign nation, and there was open fighting between the colonies.

The anniversary of the signing of the Articles is the Colonial Day holiday (Colonial Day).

Article 21

Chief Tyrol invokes the 21st Article of Colonization while being interrogated by Colonel Tigh after being rescued from Kobol (Resistance).

Under the U.S. Constitution, a number of Tyrol's constitutionally protected civil liberties were being violated, among them
Article 21 could conceivably provide protection to any number of these.

Article 23

Chief Tyrol invokes the 23rd Article to avoid testifying against himself during the investigation into how Aaron Doral got aboard Galactica and accessed the munitions stores (Litmus).

This is similar to the rights protected by the self-incrimination clause of the 5th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Other Articles

Although the above details the only named articles mentioned in the Re-imagined Series, there are further hints as to protected rights included.

The right to a trial with representation before a jury seems to be guaranteed. When disapproving of the decision of then-President Tom Zarek to form the Circle, a form of war crimes tribunal, Laura Roslin states that everyone has the right to a trial before a jury of one's peers. In a separate statement Roslin refers to the right to representation at a trial (Collaborators). Whether these are two separate rights quoted from the Articles or just natural extensions of a more general right to a fair trial as in the sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is unknown.

President Laura Roslin states that abortion was legal under the Articles of Colonization (The Captain's Hand).

The trial of Gaius Baltar shows other levels of jurisprudence. In Baltar's trial, a five-member tribunal is used as judge and jury. Numerous legal maneuvers are parallels to modern American practices (Crossroads, Part I & II).

References

  1. The Articles of Colonization are the Colonial equivalent to the American Articles of Confederation (the predecessor to the US Constitution), U.N. Charter and Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
  2. Source: Ron D. Moore's official blog, April 11, 2005.