FAQ ABOUT THE VIRGINIA HOUSE OF BURGESS

1. FAQ ABOUT THE VIRGINIA HOUSE OF BURGESS

2. Click on any question to find the answer What was the first representative government group in the American colonies called? Who was a burgess? Who were the members of the first Virginia House of Burgesses? What was the first order of business of the House of Burgesses? Where and when was the first Virginia House of Burgesses?

3. Additional Questions What responsibilities did the first Virginia House of Burgesses have? Who were some of the well-known members of the burgesses? What were some of the items covered at the first Virginia House of Burgesses’ meeting? Why was it important that a small legislative body be formed? Why was the first meeting of the Burgesses cut short?

4. More Questions Were all laws made by the House of Burgesses passed? Could anyone in the colonies be eligible for election of the members of the burgesses? When did the House of Burgesses dissolve?

5. The first representative government group in the American colonies was called the House of Burgesses. Famous representatives included Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington. The House met for the first time in Jamestown, Virginia. It was July 30, 1619.

6. A burgess was a representative who speaks for other people.

7. Members of the first council were:  For James citty: Captaine William Powell and Ensigne William Spense; For Charles citty: Samuel Sharpe and Samual Jordan; For Citty of Henricus; Thomas Dowse and John Polentine; For Kiccowtan: Captaine William Tucker and William Capp; For Martin Brandon-Capt. John Martin's Plantation: Mr. Thomas Davis and Mr. Robert Stacy; For Smythe's Hundred: Captaine Thomas Graves and Mr. Walter Shelley; For Martin's Hundred: Mr. John Boys and John Jackson; For Argall's guiffe: Mr. (Captaine Thomas) Pawlett and Mr. (Edward) Gourgaing; For Flowerdieu Hundred: Ensigne (Edmund)Roffingham and Mr. (John)Jefferson; For Captaine Lawne's Plantation: Captaine Christopher Lawne and Ensigne Washer; For Captaine Warde's Plantation: Captaine Warde and Lieutenant Gibbes. http://www.nps.gov/colo/Jthanout/1stASSLY.html

8. The 22 members included the governor, who was appointed by officials of the Virginia Company in London. The governor in turn appointed six important members of the colony to be his council. The other 15 members were elected by the colony as a whole, or actually men over 17 who also owned land.

9. The first order of business of the House of Burgesses was to set a minimum price for the sale of tobacco.

10. The House of Burgesses first met on July 30, 1619, at a church in Jamestown. In 1619, the governor of Virginia called a meeting of the Virginia Assembly.  The Assembly included two citizen representatives (called “burgesses”) from each of the divisions of Virginia, the governor’s council, and the governor. (At that time, only adult men were considered citizens.)  By the 1640s, the burgesses became a separate legislative body, called the Virginia House of Burgesses.

11. The House of Burgesses, responsibilities included making laws, which could be vetoed by the governor or the directors of the Virginia Company. This continued to be the norm until 1624, when Virginia became a royal colony. At this time, England took much more control of things in Virginia, restricting the powers of the House of Burgesses.

12. Members would meet at least once a year with their royal governor to decide local laws and determine local taxation.

13. Famous Members of the Virginia House of Burgesses George Washington, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, Peyton Randolph, William Byrd, and John Pendleton

14. One of the first items covered was the assembly petitioned for some minor changes in the settlement of land tenure. The assembly also approved the "great Charter" of 1618, which had allowed for its creation. Next, the assembly adopted measures against drunkenness, idleness, and gambling. Monday, August 2, included protection against the Indians, baptizing the Indians, and planting trees and crops. Tuesday, August 3, the assembly discussed "a third sort of laws such as might proceed out of every man's private concept." Here lies the power of the individual burgess to initiate legislation, and not simply to pass those laws proposed from above. The burgesses initiated and passed more legislation regulating relations with the Indians and the personal affairs of the colonists. The assembly even passed a law requiring compulsory church attendance. (http://www.nps.gov/colo/Jthanout/1stASSLY.html)

15. Wednesday, August 3, the assembly’s structure began to resemble our current day court system. The assembly tried one of the servants of a landowner for improper conduct. Thursday, August 4, the assembly approved its first tax law. This was a poll tax requiring that every man and servant in the colony pay the officers of the assembly "one pound of the best Tobacco" for their services during this hot, midsummer season. (http://www.nps.gov/colo/Jthanout/1stASSLY.html)

16. The forming of the small legislative body enabled colonial development. Each new English colony demanded its own legislature in turn. Starting with the Virginia House of Burgesses, Americans had 157 years to practice democracy. By the time of the Declaration of Independence, they were quite good at it.

17. “Thus in April 1619 Governor George Yeardley arrived, announcing that the Company, in an effort to improve the social conditions of the colony, had voted for the abolition of martial law and the creation of a legislative assembly. This assembly would be held no more than once a year, "wherat were to be present the Governor and Counsell with two Burgesses from each Plantation freely to be elected by the inhabitants thereof." The mandatory presence of the Governor and the appointed Council somewhat restricted freedom of debate.” (http://www.nps.gov/colo/Jthanout/1stASSLY.html)

18. It was cut short because of an outbreak of malaria.

19. All actions were subject to veto by the governor, council and ultimately by the directors in London.

20. No. Voting for the burgesses was limited to landowning males over 17 years of age. Women and slaves were also unable to vote for the members of the burgesses.

21. The Virginia House of Burgesses was dissolved in 1769 after protesting against England's plan to transport colonists accused of treason to England for trial.

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23. Bibliography Social Studies for Kids, “Virginia House of Burgesses,” [Online] < http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/ushistory/houseofburgesses.htm> Colonial National Historical Park, “The First Legislative Assembly,” [Online], Wednesday, 22-Dec-04 08:16:05. http://www.nps.gov/colo/Jthanout/1stASSLY.html SOLpass-Virginia SOL Test Practice and Review, “Study SOL VS3: Jamestown,” [Online], < http://www.solpass.org/4ss/standards/StudyVS.3Jamestown.htm> BeyondBooks.Com. “2f. House of Burgesses,” [Online], http://www.beyondbooks.com/ush72/2f.asp USHistory.com, “Colonial Virginia: House of Burgesses,” [Online], < http://isg15.casalemedia.com/V2/43288/48068/index.html?www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1151.html> Colonial Williamsburg, “Virginia Timeline, 1760-1776,” [Online] < http://www.colonialwilliamsburg.com/History/teaching/tchcrtme.cfm> The Learning Page, “The American Revolution, 1763-1783: Virginia House of Burgesses, November 14, 1766,” [Online], <http://memory.loc.gov/learn/features/timeline/amrev/britref/vahouse.html>

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