Give Me Liberty: The Struggle for Self-Government in Virginia

Name: Give Me Liberty: The Struggle for Self-Government in Virginia
Author: Thomas Jefferson Wertenbaker

By Thomas Jefferson Wertenbaker

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About This Book

The narrative traces Virginia's political evolution from the early colonial settlement through the Revolutionary era, showing how local assemblies gradually asserted authority, curtailed royal prerogative, and transformed governors' roles. It examines critical crises and reforms—rebellion, the effects of imperial upheavals, institutional experiments, and debates over rights—that shaped legislative bodies, courts, and social order, and it follows how economic growth and political conflict widened the divide with Britain. The book combines chronological chapters with source commentary to explain how decades of local self-government prepared the colony for independence.

About the Author

Thomas Jefferson Wertenbaker

Thomas Jefferson Wertenbaker was an American historian and author known for his in-depth studies of colonial Virginia and its social structures. His notable works include "Bacon's Rebellion, 1676," which examines the causes and consequences of this pivotal uprising, and "Give Me Liberty: The Struggle for Self-Government in Virginia," where he explores the evolution of governance in the colony. Wertenbaker's scholarship provides valuable insights into the complexities of early American society, particularly the dynamics between different social classes, as seen in his work "Patrician and Plebeian." His contributions have significantly enriched the understanding of Virginia's historical landscape during the colonial period.