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Signed 52 years before [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies|The Fall]], 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 [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies|The Fall]], 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 was a sovereign nation, and there was open fighting between the colonies at times.
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, the colonies were separate nations, and there was open fighting between the colonies at times.


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]]).

Revision as of 05:52, 13 May 2015

Signed 52 years before The Fall, 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, the colonies were separate nations, and there was open fighting between the colonies at times.

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

Article 21[edit]

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[edit]

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. While Sergeant Hadrian attempts to use this as evidence of his guilt, Commander Adama later points out to President Roslin that there is no legal precedent for doing so (Litmus).

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

Other Articles[edit]

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). The right to a jury trial is also claimed by Gaius Baltar (Taking a Break From All Your Worries). 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.

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

See Also[edit]

References[edit]

  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.