Virginia was the largest and most populous of the thirteen colonies—with a population exceeding 450,000, nearly double its nearest rivals, and an enslaved population near 40 percent. Predominantly rural despite its distinctive wealth, its main centers were Williamsburg (roughly 2,000 permanent residents) and Norfolk (about 6,000). Virginia’s size and wealth gave it a natural leadership role among the colonies but also made its elites more cautious about revolution. The political crisis of 1775 brought Patrick Henry’s “Liberty or Death” speech at St. John’s Episcopal Church, then in Henrico County and known as Henrico Parish Church; Lord Dunmore’s April 1775 seizure of the Williamsburg powder magazine; and Dunmore’s 1775 Proclamation offering freedom to enslaved people belonging to rebels who fought for Britain. The Proclamation proved the single most radicalizing event in Virginia, convincing many moderates that independence was unavoidable.
Interviewees
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Maggie Creech
- Director of Education, Virginia Museum of History and Culture
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James Herrera-Brookes
- Melanie Trent De Schutter Senior Director of Research & Publications, Virginia Museum of History and Culture
