The Road to Independence: Virginia 1763-1783

He has obstructed the administration of justice, by refusing his assent to laws for establishing judiciary powers.

He has made judges dependent on his will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, standing armies without the consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the military independent of, and superior to, the civil power.

He has combined, with others, to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his assent to their acts of pretended legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them by a mock trial from punishment, for any murders which they should commit on the inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing taxes on us without our consent:

For depriving us, in many cases, of the benefit of trial by jury:

For transporting us beyond seas to be tried for pretended offenses.

For abolishing the free system of English laws in a neighboring province, establishing therein an arbitrary government, and enlarging its boundaries, so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these colonies:

For taking away our charters, abolishing our most valuable laws and altering fundamentally, the powers of our governments:

For suspending our own legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated government here, by declaring us out of his protection, and waging war against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is, at this time, transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to complete the work of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun, with circumstances of cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow-citizens, taken captive on the high seas, to bear arms against their country, to become the executioners of their friends and brethren, or to fall themselves by their hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian savages, whose known rule of warfare is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes, and conditions.

In every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms; our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have we been wanting in attention to our British brethren. We have warned them, from time to time, of attempts made by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them, by the ties of our common kindred, to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They, too, have been deaf to the voice of justice and consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity which denounces our separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies in war—in peace, friends.

We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the World for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name and by authority of the good people of these colonies solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, Free and Independent States; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved; and that as free and independent States, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce and to do all other acts and things which independent States may of right do. And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.

Suggested Questions for Exploring Virginia's

Role in the Winning of Independence

Questions may serve to identify a problem or topic, and also serve as a means to dissect and analyze the topic. The narrative section of this publication entitled, THE ROAD TO INDEPENDENCE: VIRGINIA, 1763-1783, deals with selected aspects of questions contained in this section. However, in order to expand the scope and understanding of Virginia's role in the winning of independence, as well as to provide an improved perspective for students to see new meaning in familiar events, the following questions have been prepared for the classroom teacher.

  1. How did the "Intellectual Awakening" in Europe reflect the changing image of man in relation to economic organization, religious reforms, political activities, and social changes? How did this intellectual ferment influence the American Revolution and the "American Experience"?

  2. How will a study of the following topics establish a framework for an inquiry into the Colonial Period?

(a) Historical forces which gave rise to exploration and which were influencing European civilization centuries before Columbus' journey.

(b) Various reasons for colonization and objectives and methods of colonization for different nations.

3. What contributions will an analysis of the emergence of capitalism (with its wage system, market economy, banking structure, and corporate organization) and the impetus which capitalism provided for colonization make to the development of insights into the nature of European society and the Colonial Period?

  4. How did capitalism influence the American Revolution and how was capitalism influenced and/or changed by the American Revolution?

  5. Was there a discrepancy between the objectives of the European colonizers and the growth and development of the Virginia colony? In what ways can a study of Virginia illustrate the beginnings of the "American Experience"?

  6. How will a study of the acceptance, rejection, or modification of European ideas and institutions by the colonies establish a framework for analyzing the unique nature of the "American Experience"? How "American" were the colonies? How "American" was the Revolution?

  7. What environmental factors influenced colonial settlements? How will a study of these factors help to explain the differences which developed in the thirteen colonies? (Example: economic differences) What was the influence of environment in the colony of Virginia? How would these differences influence the nature of the participation of the thirteen colonies in the Revolution?

  8. How did the Colonial Period provide a foundation for the "American Experience" by the development of a system of free enterprise and a constitutional democracy?

  9. From an analysis of the "Colonial Mind", how can insights be gained and relationships established for patterns of national character, cultural institutions, religious thought, and educational practices?

10. How did the first representative assembly at Jamestown reflect the needs of a group of people for government? What factors were involved in the formation of this representative assembly? In what ways will a study of the formation of this government serve as a basis for comparing and contrasting other efforts at establishing governments at a later date?

11. What distinctive political, intellectual, and economic modes of life began to develop in the different colonies? How will a study of the similarities and differences help to explain the character of the American Revolution and the "American Experience"? What was the nature of these developments in Virginia and why?

12. What early experiences did the colonies have which led them to formulate the type of state constitutions which they adopted? What foundations were being established which would be reflected in the years ahead? What was the nature of Virginia's first state constitution?

13. In an analysis of the art, music, architecture, literary works, and other means of expression in the Colonial Period, how can an awareness and perspective be developed which will allow for an involvement with a "people and their times"? How do man's varied forms of expression reflect "the spirit of an era"? What is the role of primary sources in developing empathy for a period?

14. In what ways did the "European Enlightenment" influence American thought after 1700? What were the significant contributions of American writers to colonial thought and political maturity?

15. What impact did writers have on the American Revolution?

16. How will an analysis of the factors which produced the movement for the American Revolution illustrate the idea that historical causation is complex and multiple? What was the nature of the movement in Virginia?

17. What was significant about colonial cooperation in resisting British measures? In what areas was there cohesiveness and what were the factors which contributed to the development of this situation? What was the nature of the movement in Virginia?

18. By what means can the concept of liberty be studied so as to develop an understanding of the "seeds of revolution which were inherent in the Colonial Period" and to develop an insight into liberty as a force which would permeate all periods of United States history? How can this theme of liberty be integrated so as to serve to link all facets of the "American Experience" to a common chain? What role do ideas play in a study of history?

19. How will a study of the ideas and institutions of the Colonial Period, the Declaration of Independence, and the American Revolution establish a framework for inquiring into the natural rights philosophy, the justification of the Revolution, and the principal components of our modern day social, political, and economic system? How can Virginia serve as one illustrative study of these factors?

20. In what ways did the colonial rebellion become an avenue for nationalism?

21. How will a study of the American Revolution illustrate self-interest versus concern for principle?

22. Can the American Revolution be termed a social movement? What were the effects on the institutions of society?

23. How did the Founding Fathers exemplify the young nation's aspiration?

24. In what ways can one account for the impact of the Declaration of Independence on modern day political thought?

25. Why is it that the state constitutions are often considered one of the most important developments in the aftermath of the Revolution? How did these constitutions reflect the "spirit of the American Revolution" and the foundations of the Colonial Period? How could a case study of Virginia during this period illustrate these developments?

26. How can the Colonial Period serve as a foundation for developing those threads which are inherent in a study of Virginia and United States history? How can the following themes be used to coordinate various aspects of the American Revolution and the "American Experience"?

a. Nature and influence of geography

b. Economic themes

c. Intellectual themes

d. Nature and composition of society

e. Manifestation of political ideas

Suggested Student Activities

Student activities and other learning experiences are dependent upon the objectives selected by the teacher, the abilities and needs of the students, materials and resources available, and the organizational pattern of the course. The suggested student activities in this publication have been prepared to serve as a catalyst for developing appropriate programs and learning experiences in exploring Virginia's role in the winning of independence. Suggested activities include:

… Select one word concepts, such as liberty, freedom, power, justice, that may be derived from great documents of the period and write an essay on what the term meant when the document was written and what it means today.

… Through research have students write an essay describing the personalities of great Virginians such as Washington, Jefferson, and others, and compare them with their contemporaries.

… Role-play Virginians who made outstanding contributions to the development of America.

… Compare the American Revolution with other revolutions in the world so as to ascertain similarities and differences.

… Given the Proclamation of 1763, students could draw the western boundary of Virginia on a current topographic map. What have been the different boundaries of Virginia? Why?

… From copies of selected estate assessments and wills from local courthouses, a number of activities could be developed.

A confirmation or refuting of hypotheses of what artifacts or personal property would be found in homes and on farms during this historical period may be suggested. Occupations can be suggested by the list of personal property. e.g. What percent of the people were self-sufficient on the frontier?

Early industries and occupations can be compared with current industries and occupations for the same area. e.g. What public demands are reflected in continuing industries?

Students may draw interior scenes of homes showing artifacts listed in the inventories. e.g. Do articles listed together say something about the use of a room?

Scenes may be painted of homesteads, depicting personal property listed in estate assessments and the inventory may be listed beside the painting. e.g. What do "Folk Art" paintings and other art forms tell us about the period?

Religious commitment can be inferred from wills. e.g. What role did religion play in the life of a person during this time?

How do wills reflect the status of humans in a household. e.g. How were males, females, indentured servants, and slaves treated in wills?

Photos and slides of restored rooms can be compared with selected inventories. e.g. Are restorations in agreement with the written records?

… Students could assume a role and write a seven-day diary describing a week in each season.

… Write lyrics portraying the spirit and events of the times and put the lyrics to music using a melody of the period.

… Using primary sources, have students research information on various accounts of what happened at Lexington. The research may include:

An account of a member of the British force

Report of the captain of the Lexington Minutemen

Letter(s) of the British expedition leaders

… Have student research information on Indian tribes, their location, and their impact of life in Virginia.

… Select a date between the period 1763-1783, and have students find out the following about their town, city, or county.

What was the town, city, or county like then?

Where did the first settlers of your town come from?

What are the most famous streets in town? Who are those named for?

What, if any, battles were fought in or near your town?

What is the town's most famous landmark?

… Prepare a cross word puzzle using such words as:

liberty

justice

freedom

equality

democracy

representative

independence

unalienable

… Research styles of dress worn during the period 1763-1783. Contrast functions of dress, costumes, and the like with today's living and style of dress.

… Have the students prepare a research paper of changes in the culture of the country then and now and their impact on families and individuals.

… Have students develop a colonial Almanac to include such items as information about the tides, the weather, changes of the moon, anniversaries of historical events, recipes, folk tales, jokes, health hints, and advice in the form of proverbs. (A review of the most popular Almanac of this time, Poor Richard's Almanac, may assist students with this project.)

… Students may prepare a film depicting an historical event which occurred in or near the town, city, or county in which they live.

… Have students construct a painting depicting a famous scene or event of the Revolutionary period.

… Students may collect artifacts of the period for display and discussion of colonial life styles.

… Have students develop an architectural blueprint for restoring an 18th Century home, including grounds of the gentry, planter, or frontiersman.

… Research the role of black churches in Virginia between 1763-1783. This should be followed by classroom discussion.

… Research the role of contributions of the "common" man in the making of Colonial America.

Students may choose to review the roles and contributions of such groups as the farmer, shopkeeper, cabinet maker, and others.

Have students identify the contributions of other social groups in the making of Colonial America.

… Compare the customs and mores of blacks in Virginia from 1763 through 1783 and 1953 through 1973.

… Construct a bulletin board listing the colonies vertically and significant events under specific years horizontally.

1

An excellent summary of the ways in which the Virginia burgesses and their counterparts in North and South Carolina and Georgia quietly gained the upper hand by mid-century, see Jack P. Greene, Quest for Power (University of North Carolina Press, 1963).

2

For differing views of the debt situation see Lawrence H. Gipson, The Coming of the Revolution (Harper and Row: New York, 1954), 40-54, and Emory G. Evans, Planter Indebtedness and the Coming of the Revolution in Virginia," William and Mary Quarterly, 3rd. series, XIX (1962), 511-33. Evans holds an anti-debt position.

3

Journal of House of Burgesses, 5 August 1736.

4

See D. Alan Williams, "The Virginia Gentry and the Democratic Myth", Main Problems in American History, 3rd. ed. (Dorsey Press, Homewood, Illinois, 1971), 22-36.

5

Journal of House of Burgesses, 5 August 1736.

6

For a short well-written discussion of the election process see Charles S. Sydnor, Gentlemen Freeholders: Political Practices in Washington's Virginia (University of North Carolina, 1952, reprinted in paperback as Revolutionaries in the Making: Political Practices in Washington's Virginia.

7

Journal of House of Burgesses, 1752-1758, 143, 154-155.

8

: Clinton Rossiter, Six Characters in Search of a Republic (Harcourt, Brace: New York, 1964), chap. 5, "Richard Bland, the Whig in America", 184).

9

Robert D. Meade, Patriot in the Making (Patrick Henry) (Lippincott: Philadelphia, 1957), 132.

10

Ian R. Christie, Crisis of Empire, Great Britain and the American Colonies, 1754-1783 (Norton: New York, 1966), 54. The King's comment on Grenville is cited on p. 39.

11

There are those who suggest the troops were sent to America on a pretext. The ministry, knowing it could not reduce the army to peacetime size in face of French threats, also knew there was strong English resentment against "a standing army" in England. The colonial condition offered an excuse for retaining the men in arms See Bernhard Knollenberg, Origin of the American Revolution, 1759-1766 (New York, 1960), chapters 5-9).

12

For a favorable and convincing view of Virginia's motives in passing the paper money bills, see Joseph Ernst, "Genesis of the Currency Act of 1764, Virginia Paper Money and the Protection of British Investments", William and Mary Quarterly, 3rd ser., XXII, 3-32, and "The Robinson Scandal Redivius", Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, LXXVII, 146-173. Ernst is critical of Robinson's political use of the funds. For a more charitable view of Robinson's actions, see the outstanding biography by David Mays, Edmund Pendleton 1721-1803 (Harvard Press, 1952), 2 vols. Pendleton was the executor of the Robinson estate.

13

Both quotes cited in Edmund and Helen Morgan, The Stamp Act Crisis paperback edition (Collier Books: New York, 1962), 76. This is the standard work on the Stamp Act.

14

Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, XII, 10, 13. Comprising the committee were Councilors John Blair, William Nelson, Thomas Nelson, Sr., Robert Carter, and Burgesses Peyton Randolph, George Wyth, Robert Carter Nicholas, and Dudley Digges.

15

William Van Schreeven and Robert Scribner, Revolutionary Virginia: The Road to Independence, Vol. I. A. Documentary Record (University Press of Virginia: Charlottesville, 1973), 9-14. This volume contains the main revolutionary statements of the assembly, conventions, and certain county and quasi-legal local gatherings, 1763-1774.

16

Ibid., 15-18; resolves 6 and 7 are cited in Meade, Henry, I, 171.

17

A guinea equalled 21 shillings or £525. Later Jefferson said 100 guineas. Jefferson's comments are found in Stan. V. Henkels, "Jefferson's Recollections of Patrick Henry," Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, XXXIV, 385-418.

18

The record is sparse because no recorded votes were kept; so the only known votes in favor of the Resolves were: Henry of Louisa, Johnston of Fairfax, John Fleming of Cumberland, Henry Blagrave and William Taylor of Lunenburg, Robert Munford and Edmund Taylor of Mecklenburg, and Paul Carrington and Thomas Reade of Charlotte. As the twists of fate would have it, all these counties except Fairfax were named for the Hanoverians. It is almost certain the Lee brothers voted "yes".

19

Hamilton J. Eckenrode, Revolution in Virginia (New York, 1916), 22.

20

The resolution of the Westmoreland and Northumberland courts, and Leadstown Association, and the Norfolk Sons of Liberty are found in Van Schreeven and Scribner, Revolutionary Virginia, I, 19-26, 25-48.

21

Cited in Morgans, Stamp Act, 335. The discussion which follows accepts as convincing the Morgan's contention, pgs. 15-154, that the colonists made no distinction between internal and external taxes in theory, only between taxes in general and navigation acts for regulatory purposes.

22

ibid., 327-352.

23

Robert A. Rutland, ed., Papers of George Mason, 3 vols. (Chapel Hill, N.C., 1970), I, 65-73.

24

For the full text of Bland's Inquiry, see Van Schreeven and Scribner, Revolutionary America, I, 27-44.

25

J. Steven Watson, THE REIGN OF GEORGE III (Oxford, 1960), 4.

26

Ibid. (From 1710 to 1768 the governor for Virginia did not reside in the colony, choosing instead to accept a fixed salary and agreeing to send in his stead a lieutenant-governor who actually exercised all the power. This system ended with Amherst and his lieutenant-governor, Francis Fauquier, who died in March 1768.)

27

For the resolution see, Van Schreeven and Scribner, Revolutionary Virginia, I, 89-92. Also note that this committee consists of men who ware on opposite sides of the fence in the Stamp Act debate in 1765.

28

Copies of the extant county and town resolves with the names of many of the signers can be found in Van Schreeven and Scribner, Revolutionary Virginia, I, 168. There are known, but unrecorded, resolves from at least nine more of the 65 Virginia jurisdictions.