This volume treats of the struggle for self-government in Virginia from the founding of Jamestown in 1607 to the Declaration of Independence. The story of the gradual lessening of the King's prerogative, of the weakening of the power of the Governor, of the emergence of the Assembly as the ruling body could be paralleled in other colonies. But it is of especial importance in Virginia, where was held the first representative Assembly in the New World, and which gave so many leaders to the American Revolution. I wish to express my appreciation to my Alma Mater, the University of Virginia, for its award of a Thomas Jefferson Research Fellowship, without which this volume would not have been written. THOMAS J. WERTENBAKER. Princeton, N. J. April 1, 1957. _Contents_ PAGE I. The Cornerstone of Liberty 1 II. Self-government 17 III. We Prefer Another Governor 36 IV. Royalty Overthrown 54 V. A Bacon! A Bacon! 76 VI. Reconstruction and Despotism 97 VII. The Glorious Revolution 122 VIII. The Virginia Hitler 133 IX. The Virginia House of Lords 151 X. Spotswood 160 XI. Peace and Prosperity 177 XII. At Stake--Liberty and a Continent 194 XIII. The Widening Rift 209 XIV. Independence 232 Essay on Sources 258 Index 265 Illustrations Thomas Jefferson. Portrait by Thomas Sully in the Hall of the American Philosophical Society _frontispiece_ The Old Capitol at Williamsburg, showing the north elevation which is a duplicate of the historic Virginia Capitol originally completed in 1705. Courtesy of Colonial Williamsburg, Inc. _facing page_ 134 The House of Burgesses in the Old Capitol at Williamsburg. Courtesy of Colonial Williamsburg, Inc. 134 Governor Dinwiddie. Portrait in the National Portrait Gallery of London 196 The General Court in the Old Capitol at Williamsburg. Courtesy of Colonial Williamsburg, Inc. 196 Lord Dunmore. From the copy in the possession of the Virginia Historical Society of the original portrait by Sir Joshua Reynolds 238 The Governor's Palace, Williamsburg. Courtesy of Colonial Williamsburg, Inc. 238 CHAPTER I THE CORNERSTONE OF LIBERTY