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The state of Virginia is very significant in the history of the United States due to its
longtime history in political development. Virginia is often referred to as the birthplace of the
United States because it is where many founding documents were written, freedoms were fought
for, and the establishment for a foundation of economic growth transpired. Although some
people may think that Virginia's contribution to the United States was insignificant, it has proved
that its traditional approaches to government during the times of the Colonial, Antebellum, and
Reconstruction era have helped fabricate the United States into the strong democracy it is today.
The three eras were essential in establishing the House of Burgesses, economic growth, and
amending the constitution. Eventually the political changes in the 20th century led to even more
development that altered the state's participation in politics, allowing women to vote, abolishing
poll tax, and establishing the Voting Rights Act in 1965. Virginia's once traditional politics
during Colonial Virginia were ratified by the changing and growing population of the 1900s.
Between the years 1607-1775 are known as the Colonial Era in Virginia. This was a time
when colonies were being established and developed, hence why it is known as the Colonial era.
Additionally the established colonies in Northern America were wanting to declare themselves
separate from Great Britain due to the King of Great Britain's tyrannical ruling. During this era
the House of Burgesses was created and they were the initial foundation for Virginia's
government. The House of Burgesses was the first democratically elected legislation to be
established within the British American colonies. A significant meeting took place in 1774 with
the House of Burgesses and the merchants when they discussed a ban needed to be established
on the importation and exportation of British goods. This meeting was important because it
showed that the House of Burgesses congressmen were serious about protecting their colony
from the controlling leadership of Great Britain. The dynamic of the meeting established this
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precedent for the colonies: “Whether or not we should consider it a convention, the November
meeting was as significant as one. It asserted power. It implemented the Association, an act of
Revolutionary governance. It secured merchant signatures, sending merchants home with
permission to export tobacco because they had signed and published merchants’ claims in the
Virginia Gazette.”1Virginia's government during the Colonial era represented the beginning of
what future government structure would be built upon in the United States. Shortly after this
meeting in 1774, the Declaration of Independence was written in 1776 and the Bill of rights was
ratified in 1791. The Declaration of Independence is the document that helped the United States
become its own country. On the other hand the Bill of Rights, which are the first ten amendments
of the Constitution, were written and signed by the founding fathers to provide the newly
founded nation with guarantees to protect people with certain freedoms. Eventually in the 20th
century amendments were added to the Constitution in order to ensure that the government was
acting in accordance with protecting people's rights in the United States.
Furthermore during the Antebellum era, from around 1815-1861, the establishment of
governmental order in Virginia eventually led to economic growth. This era is oftentimes
referred to as the plantation era because of the development of farming from slave labor. In a
dissertation about Antebellum Virginia the author describes that “Western Virginians displayed
their loyalty to the state and to slavery through public processions, meetings, and editorials.”2As
time went on and the debate with slavery began to separate some within the state, many still
endorsed pro slavery politicians. Not only that, but “By 1861, the disagreement between
northwesterners and their eastern brethren centered not on slavery’s propriety or its presence in
2Adam Zucconi, “Bound Together: Slavery and Democracy in Antebellum Northwestern Virginia, 1815--1865.”
Research Repository (Doctor of Philosophy in history diss., West Virginia University, 2016), iii
1James R. Fichter, "Collecting Debts: Virginia Merchants, the Continental Association, and the Meetings of
November 1774." The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography 130, no. 3 (2022): 173
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the Old Dominion but rather how best to protect the institution. Though a majority of residents
insisted that remaining under the power of the federal government and U.S. Constitution would
achieve that end, others endorsed the Confederate States of America to protect slavery from
encroaching Republicans and their abolitionist allies.”3The concern was over how abolishing
slavery would affect the government and everyone it benefits, rather than being concerned over
the welfare of enslaved people. Slave owners felt strongly that the benefits from slavery were too
good to overlook. Here are some of the reasons slave owners benefited from slavery: “The
majority of enslaved men, women, and children provided agricultural labor for their enslavers.
Trained craftspeople worked in skilled trades such as coopering, blacksmithing, and carpentry. A
smaller group of men and women cooked, cleaned, served meals, and raised the children of the
enslaver’s family.”4Although it is true that there were many benefits for slave owners, slaves
themselves were stripped of their own rights. It wasn’t until the 20th century that slaves were
given the utmost protection and freedom. When the Civil Rights Act of 1964 passed many
viewed it as an end to segregation. Though what people often forget is that former slaves
struggled for years to have a chance at a better life because segregation still existed. The Civil
Rights act extended due freedom and rights to women, African Americans, and former slaves.
Following the Antebellum era is the Reconstruction era from 1865-1885. The
Reconstruction era was a pivotal time because three important Amendments were added to the
Constitution, the 13th, 14th, and 15th. These amendments, passed between 1865-1870, abolished
slavery, gave citizenship to anyone born in the United States, and allowed Black Americans to
4“1825-1860 Slavery,” Virginia Museum of History and Culture, Virginia History,
https://virginiahistory.org/learn/story-of-virginia/chapter/slavery#:~:text=The%20self%2Dcriticism%20and%20effor
ts,Some%20did.
3Adam Zucconi, “Bound Together: Slavery and Democracy in Antebellum Northwestern Virginia, 1815--1865.”
Research Repository (Doctor of Philosophy in history diss., West Virginia University, 2016), 12
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have the right to vote. As the 13th amendment was a huge accomplishment since it abolished
slavery, the 14th amendment is crucial because it allowed former slaves to become citizens in the
United States. “Relying on the new interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment and on the
commerce clause in the U.S. Constitution, the federal government renewed the campaign that
had abandoned in the 1880s to construct new societies and policies in the states of the former
Confederacy-indeed, throughout the country-on the basis of equal civil and political rights for all
the people.”5It was the allowance of citizenship that would help former slaves to create a new
life for themselves. Without citizenship they most likely would have gone back to where they
came from, or it would have been difficult for them to establish a life in the United States. As the
Constitution was written in 1787, the government saw that there was still room for growth and
change as the years went on, hence the implementation of new amendments in the late 1800s.
The Reconstruction era redefined the United States for the betterment of all individuals living in
the country and the growth of amendments to protect individual freedoms did not stop there.
During the 20th century the 24th amendment was implemented: “In 1964 the Twenty-Fourth
Amendment (which the General Assembly of Virginia did not ratify) prohibited imposition of a
poll tax as a prerequisite to vote in elections for presidential elector and members of the two
houses of Congress; and the Supreme Court's decision two years later in Harper v. Virginia State
Board of Elections, which combined two challenges to the constitutionality of the poll tax in
Virginia, declared the poll tax to be an unconstitutional burden on citizens in any election in the
country.”6This was an important step for voting because the poll tax actually prohibited lower
class people from voting since they could not afford to pay the fee to vote. Therefore the removal
6Ibid.,295
5Brent Tarter, "The Virginia Constitution of 1971: The First Half Century." The Virginia Magazine of History and
Biography 129, no. 4 (2021): 295
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of the poll tax gave everyone a chance, even those in poverty, the ability to vote as long as they
were a United States citizen.
To conclude, the once traditional approaches to government in Virginia were some of the
most important pillars that the United States has been built upon because of its establishment of
founding documents and political vigor. Although the political changes of the 20th century did
force some of Virginia's traditional approach to change, it was for the reform and protection of
all individuals living in the United States. Some of these political changes that took place in the
20th century that strayed from traditional ways in Virginia politics include, abolition of slavery,
women's right to vote, abolishing the poll tax, and establishing the Voting Rights Act. These 20th
century changes tested the state of Virginia's slow adjustment to social matters, but ultimately the
way Virginia operated as a colony during its founding was successful for many years and their
zeal for legislation ultimately made a lasting impact on the establishment of our government
today. Not only that, but it will always be known as the birthplace for the beloved country of the
United States, where many people are proud to live because of the freedoms ensured and
protected.
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Bibliography
Fichter, James R. "Collecting Debts: Virginia Merchants, the Continental Association, and the
Meetings of November 1774." The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography 130, no.
3 (2022): 172-217
Tarter, Brent. "The Virginia Constitution of 1971: The First Half Century." The Virginia
Magazine of History and Biography 129, no. 4 (2021): 290-297
Virginia History. “1825-1860 Slavery.” Virginia Museum of History and Culture.
https://virginiahistory.org/learn/story-of-virginia/chapter/slavery#:~:text=The%20self%2
Dcriticism%20and%20efforts,Some%20did.
Zucconi, Adam. “Bound Together: Slavery and Democracy in Antebellum Northwestern
Virginia, 1815--1865.” Doctor of Philosophy in history diss., West Virginia University,
2016. The Research Repository
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