William Byrd’s Virginia

William Byrd’s Virginia Centralization of Authority: Public and Private

Lord Thomas Culpeper • Appointed to replace Berkeley as Gov • Hates being in Virginia • Forced to depart by King Feb 1680 • Accepted by Virginians • Cousin of Lady Berkeley • Powerful Peer in England • Gains support by allowing Beverly to return to post as Clerk

Major Events 1662 Race of mother determines status of child 1660-70 Shift from servants to slaves accelerates 1677 Bacon’s rebellion ends 1677-80 Loyalist reprisals 1678 Culpeper succeeds Jeffries as Governor 1683 Effingham appointed Governor 1688 “Glorious Revolution” 1691 Interracial marriage prohibited 1700 60% of land belongs to families of former office-holders

Lord Thomas Culpeper • Goals in Virginia • Reform Assembly to support King • Assembly can only meet if called by King • Burgesses lose right to initiate legislation • Gov & councilors send to Crown before VA can debate • Gov repeals by proclamation statutes 1677 & 1679

Lord Thomas Culpeper • Legislative Successes • Gains bill for erecting towns • Local interests • Passes Crown’s law on encouraging naturalization • Crown Revenue law • Makes Governor independent of Assembly • Not duplicated in any other colony • Legislative Failures • Unable to end Bacon’s rebellion legislation • Does not publish King’s proclamation, including removing power to appeal from court to legislature • Escape to England

Sir Henry Chichley • Culpeper’s acting governor • Indian invasion • Byrd’s plan • Faced with economic disaster • Declining tobacco prices from overproduction 1680 14,000,000 lbs. 1700 Over 30,000,000 lbs. • Culpeper’s parting words • Calls Assembly in April • Culpeper’s letter • Nov 10

Tobacco Riots • Disgruntled Assembly leaves • Tobacco cutting riots begin Spring 1682 • Starts Gloucester County • Then New Kent & Middlesex • Resuming in the fall • Blamed on “too much syder”

Tobacco Riots • Chichely does not take military action • Avoid a recurrence of Bacon’s rebellion • Catch and require a peace bond • Captures Robert Beverley • Considered mastermind behind riots • Forces Culpeper to return

Lord Thomas Culpeper • Ordered by King to leave by 1 Aug • “Don’t return unless I call you” • Delays return until mid-October • Arrives after Assembly begins • Recesses Assembly • Alters all laws • “rejects all things intended for their favorite, Beverley” • Dissolves Assembly after a speech against the riots • Determines tobacco cutting was treason • Executes two – but not Beverley • Hops on a boat and returns to England • Did not work for a cession of tobacco production

Lord Howard Francis of Effingham • Appointed Governor • Poor but loyal to the King • Starts on right foot with wary Virginians • Social whirlwind • Finds insufficient evidence, and reinstates Beverley to office

Lord Howard Francis of Effingham • Actions • Dedimus postestatem • Proclamation after closure of Assembly • Changes use of colony’s seal • Assembly Nov 1685 • Governor not recovered from nearly fatal illness • Rowdiest of 17th century • Nominate Beverley clerk and William Kendall as speaker • Town act • Amendment issue • Neither side budges • “No law without ye writ of Parliament” • Offer to sign all laws except town law if pass revenue law • Dissolves Assembly

Lord Howard Francis of Effingham • Increasing Tensions • Proclamations overturning Assembly laws • Writes to King • Second Assembly • Presents petition against legality of Governor’s proclamations • Passes revenue bill • Present’s King’s letter • Total support and ability to dismiss Beverley and Ludwell • Beverley dies 1687; Ludwell dismissed • Removes other outspoken critics of government

Lord Howard Francis of Effingham • Containing Dissent • Attack only laws differing from English law • Promoting supporters of the crown/governor • Supporting race not class identity • Impact • Centralizing authority of governor • Issue of the seal for land transactions • Reinforces connection of Virginia to England • Shows failure of English absolutism

Glorious Revolution • James II ascends throne 1685 • Converted to Catholicism • Two grown daughters - Protestant • Remarried – baby boy causes crisis • Lord Effingham (Gov of VA) departs Feb 1688/89 • Parliament offers throne to James’ daughter from first marriage • “Glorious Revolution” 1688 • Overthrow changes politics in Virginia • Virginia locals must operate within English system to survive William & Mary

Rise of Race Slavery • 1662 legislation determining status of child • 1675 Bacon’s rebellion increases fears of slaves • 1660s Declining indentured servants • 1670s laws depriving slaves of rights to arms, public meetings • 1680+ Increasing slave importation

Rise of Race Slavery • Virginia needs new Immigrants • Declining English population boom • Improving English economic and religious outlook • Other locations to settle • Carolinas, Middle Colonies • Avoid unhealthy Virginia • Servant population declines after 1680

Slavery • 1660-70s Most come from W. Indes • 1680+ Most arrive directly from Africa • 1690 Whites outnumbered in 4 counties

Slavery • Royal African Company - 1672 • Focused on more lucrative W. Indes trade • Black market thrives • Monopoly ends 1698 • 1700 – Virginia’s population ~75,000 Africans supply ~8-10,000

Economics of Slavery • Cost of servant vs. slave • Slaves x2 or x3 cost of servant • Favors those already rich • Increases gap between the rich and poor • Limits access to upper class

Disciplining slaves An act about the casual killing of slaves. 1669 Whereas the only law in force for the punishment of refractory servants resisting their master, mistris or overseer cannot be inflicted upon negroes [because punishment was an extension of time], nor the obstinacy of many of them by other than violent means supprest, Be it enacted and declared by this grand assembly, if any slave resist his master (or other by his masters order correcting him) and by the extremity of the correction should chance to die, that his death shall not be accompted Felony, but the master (or that other person by the master to punish him) be acquit from molestation, since it cannot be presumed that prepensed malice (which alone mackes murther Felony) should induce any mand to destroy his own estate.

Sex and Race • Rise of regulatory laws • Shift from moral to legal enforcement • Focus on out of wedlock births • Cost to parish • Issue of loss time to master of pregnant servant • Children of interracial unions threaten social order

Sex and Race • Rise of regulatory laws • Punishment • Male immunity to charges • Female avenues to avoid • Running • Avoid court dates • Abortion/Infanticide • Presumption against women • 1710 infanticide law

Sex and Race • Targets women • Example of rape cases • Impossibility of proof • “female sexuality” • Protection for men

Economic Development • Economic troubles • Declining tobacco prices • Vary from ½ d. to 1 ½ d. per pound • Cost to produce 1 d. per pound • How do they make a profit? • Increased efficiencies • Laborers tend more plants x6 or x10 of 1630s • Better quality leaf • “prizing” or compressing to work on shipping by volume, not weight • Merchant commissions drop 75% by 1700 • English banking increases capital development in England • Cheaper goods for the colonies

Economic Development • Economies of Scale • Larger planters purchase from smaller • Get better prices • Faster packing/stowing • Merchants in addition to tobacco • Indian traders (the Byrds) • Land agents • Settle French Huguenots • Byrd settles 500 at Manakin town, Henrico Co. in 1701

Social Order • Advancement • Education • Few can read = government job • Government jobs considered best road to economic success

Social Order Land ownership • 1675-1700 by county 1/3 to ¾ new land: office holders purchase • 1700 60% land belongs to families of current/former office holders • 1700 in all 20 counties • ¼ landholders own ½ or MORE of land • 5 best tobacco counties (James City, Henrico, Charles City, Middlesex, King & Queen) • Top 25% own 70% of land • King & Queen: Top 10% own over 50%

William Byrd’s Virginia