What was the benefit of the House of Burgesses?
|
Alfred Wordsworth Thompson. “Old Bruton Church, Williamsburg, Virginia, in the Time of Lord Dunmore.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Show The Colony of Virginia was established at Jamestown by the Virginia Company in 1607 as a for-profit venture by its investors. To bring order to the province, Governor George Yeardley created a one-house or unicameral General Assembly on July 30, 1619. This body of men was comprised of an appointed Governor and six Councilors, as well as 22 men called burgesses (a burgess was a freeman of a borough in England). Most importantly, the burgesses were elected by the eligible voters (free white males) in the colony, thus making this General Assembly the first elected representative legislature in British America. In 1642, Governor William Berkley split the legislature into two houses initiating a bicameral assembly, with the elected representatives in the newly created House of Burgesses and the appointed Councilors of State meeting separately. It was here, the leading men of Virginia met and debated the great issues of the day. Until the 1760s, this legislative body largely determined how the colony would be governed, including how its citizens would be taxed. This began to change in 1765 when Parliament passed the Stamp Act which imposed a tax on paper products such as newspapers, pamphlets, and legal documents. Importantly, it represented the first time Parliament placed a direct tax on the colonies in North America. This revenue grab did not go over well with the colonists who were used to controlling their own internal affairs. The debates and the documents that flowed from the House of Burgesses after that act spearheaded our nation’s drive for independence from England.  James Barton Longacre. “Patrick Henry.” National Portrait Gallery. On May 29, 1765, Patrick Henry introduced a series of resolutions known as the Virginia Resolves. These declarations essentially denied Parliament’s right to tax the colonies since the citizens in America did not have representation in England. By late June, many newspapers throughout the colonies had printed these resolutions which inflamed the passions of people. The “no taxation without representation” sentiments led to the Stamp Act Congress of 1765, marking the first time the colonies joined forces. The years passed and the relationship with England continued to deteriorate as the Mother Country introduced more burdensome legislation. In 1774, after Parliament passed the Boston Port Act which closed the port of Boston, the House of Burgesses again voiced their opposition in a series of resolves. The result was that Governor Lord Dunmore dissolved the assembly. However, the Burgesses would not be denied their right to assemble and immediately convened in a public house called the Raleigh Tavern. Here, they called for a series of five Virginia Conventions to meet in defiance of the governor. It was at the Second Virginia Convention on March 23, 1775, that Patrick Henry gave his most famous speech by concluding, “Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, God Almighty! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death.” In addition to Patrick Henry (Burgess from 1765-1776), the men who passed through the House of Burgesses was a group that had an outsized influence in the founding of our great nation. Its alumni list is a “Who’s Who” of Founding Fathers:
With the advent of the new Virginia Constitution in 1776, the House of Burgesses was finally dissolved. In its place, the new state government created an elected Senate and House of Delegates, which continues to govern the Old Dominion today. In 1780, Virginia moved its capital to Richmond, ending Williamsburg’s long run as the center of politics in America. WHY IT MATTERS So why should the history of the House of Burgesses matter to us today? In its day, many of the men who assembled there later assembled on the national stage to lead our country. Throughout the crisis with England, it was an eloquent and vocal proponent for American liberty and many of the ideas found in our Declaration of Independence and Constitution were first debated and refined in their meetings. SUGGESTED READING Lion of Liberty: Patrick Henry and the Call to a New Nation, written by Harlow Unger is an excellent account of this often-overlooked Founding Father. The book is easy to read, told like a story, and describes Henry’s life in detail. PLACES TO VISIT Arguably the greatest living history museum in America is Colonial Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Virginia. It includes hundreds of restored or reconstructed buildings from the 1700’s, and tradesmen making their goods just as their predecessors did centuries ago. Until next time, may your motto be “Ducit Amor Patriae”, Love of country leads me. RELATED POSTS Sep 13, 2022 The Early Life of Daniel Boone Sep 13, 2022 One of the greatest American explorers from our founding era was Daniel Boone. A legendary woodsman, Boone helped to make America’s dream of westward expansion in the late 1700s a reality. Sep 13, 2022 Jul 19, 2022 Virginia’s House of Burgesses, British America’s First Elected Legislature Jul 19, 2022 The Colony of Virginia was established at Jamestown by the Virginia Company in 1607 as a for-profit venture by its investors. To bring order to the province, Governor George Yeardley created a one-house or unicameral General Assembly on July 30, 1619. Jul 19, 2022 Jul 12, 2022 How Colonial America Was Governed Jul 12, 2022 When the English began to settle North America in the 1600's, the leaders of the various colonies had different motives. While all colonies exercised their authority in the King’s name, they were not created in the same mold, and some had more autonomy than others. In fact, there were three different types of colonies: royal, self-governing, and proprietary. Jul 12, 2022 Mar 22, 2022 America’s “Era of Good Feelings” Comes to an End Mar 22, 2022 When President George Washington retired in 1796, he devoted much of his Farewell Address to warning his fellow citizens about the danger of forming political parties. Unfortunately, the politicians did not listen. Mar 22, 2022 Mar 15, 2022 America’s Founding Era, A Time of Political Unity Mar 15, 2022 During America’s founding era, our country was more politically unified than at any other time in our nation’s history. That is not to say politicians did not squabble because they did. The unity was reflected in the lack of political parties at first and then essentially having only one party for a quarter of a century. Mar 15, 2022 Oct 19, 2021 Forefathers Gather at Historic First Continental Congress Oct 19, 2021 The First Continental Congress was a key link in the chain of events that led to our nation gaining its independence from England. This brief convention brought together most of the influential leaders from colonial America to determine an answer to Parliament’s recently enacted Coercive Acts. Oct 19, 2021 Sep 21, 2021 Americans with a Shared Future Meet at the Stamp Act Congress Sep 21, 2021 The Stamp Act Congress was held in New York in 1765 in response to the Stamp Act, a piece of legislation passed by Parliament. The Act itself and the events that transpired because of it would prove to be hugely impactful on the destiny of America. Sep 21, 2021 Sep 7, 2021 British Colonies Work Together During the Albany Congress of 1754 Sep 7, 2021 The Albany Congress was held in the summer of 1754 and represents the first time the British colonies in North America ever attempted joint action. Unlike the conventions held in later decades, which focused on pushing back against England, the goal of this conference was to help the British in their fight against the French and their Indian allies. Sep 7, 2021 Aug 3, 2021 Pinckney’s Treaty Opens Up the Mississippi, Encouraging Westward Expansion Aug 3, 2021 The Treaty of San Lorenzo, also known as Pinckney’s Treaty, was an agreement signed on October 27, 1795 between the United States and Spain. It settled a dispute between the two nations over the boundary of Spanish Florida and granted navigation rights on the Mississippi River to Americans. Aug 3, 2021 Jul 27, 2021 The Jay Treaty Averts War with England Jul 27, 2021 The Jay Treaty, officially known as the Treaty of Amity, Commerce, and Navigation, Between His Britannic Majesty and the United States of America, was signed on November 19, 1794. Its primary goal was to cool rising tensions between England and America. What is the importance of the House of Burgesses?The House of Burgesses was important because it was the first legislative body in British North America and because it became a representation of the struggle between the crown and the colonists' desire for self-governance.
What powers did the House of Burgesses have?Like the British House of Commons, the House of Burgesses granted supplies and originated laws, and the governor and council enjoyed the right of revision and veto as did the king and the House of Lords in England. The council also sat as a supreme court to review the county courts.
What are 3 facts about the House of Burgesses?The Virginia House of Burgesses was the first elected legislative body of colonial Virginia. Members of the House, known as burgesses, were the early politicians of America. The Houses' stand against the Stamp Act was one of the first events that eventually lead to the Revolutionary War.
How did the House of Burgesses change Jamestown?The major goal of the House of Burgesses was to change the law as imposed by Thomas Dale. Yeardley signed off on the changes which effectively ended martial law in Jamestown and resulted in new found freedoms among the settlers.
|
