Nothing Says "Democracy" Like a Visit from the Queen: Reflections on Empire and Nation in Early American Histories

Abstract

Early plans for commemorating the four hundredth anniversary of the English founding of Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607 involved much discussion of the effort to brand Jamestown as “the birthplace of American democracy.” As it turned out, the slogan printed on souvenir T-shirts, caps, mugs, and tote bags was “America's 400th Anniversary,” though the theme of democracy remained central and was emphasized by a yearlong series of conferences titled “The Future of Democracy.”1 The official Web site explained the connection: “Representative government in America began at Jamestown, and many of our nation's democratic ideals and institutions—including the rule of law, free enterprise, and cultural diversity—trace their roots to that remarkable beginning.” Kicking off the “anniversary week” was a visit from Queen Elizabeth II on May 4, 2007. Crowds flocked to applaud and photograph the monarch as she toured the Jamestown fort, was saluted by cannon fired from the replica of the Susan Constant, one of the ships that brought English settlers to Jamestown, and then dined with four hundred on rockfish and Virginia ham at the Governor's Palace in Williamsburg. A sarcastic local teen was heard to remark, “Yeah, nothing says ‘democracy’ like a visit from the Queen.”2