Articles of Colonization

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.

Signed 52 years before the miniseries, the Articles formed the Twelve Colonies, apparently in response to the Cylon War. The anniversary of their signature is the Colonial Day holiday. (Colonial Day)

Article 21

Galen Tyrol invokes the 21st Article of Colonization while being interrogated by Saul Tigh in "Resistance". Under the U.S. Constitution, a number of Tyrol's constitutionally protected civil liberties were being violated, among them

• Article One, section nine, garunteeing the writ of habeus corpus.
• The due process clause of the 5th Amendment.
• The various provisions of the 6th Amendment guaranteeing a speedy, public trial by jury.

Article 21 could conceivably provide protection to any number of these.

Article 23

Tyrol invokes the 23rd Article to avoid testifying against himself in "Litmus". This is similar to the rights protected by the self-incrimination clause of the 5th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.