Abstract
LL America look up to Virginia to take the lead on the present A occasion, the Philadelphia committee of correspondence informed the House of Burgesses in June 1774. You are ancient, you are respected, you are animated in the cause.' The Old Dominion stood in the forefront of the opposition to Britain; other provinces copied its resolutions, and its statesmen numbered among the leaders of the colonial congresses. Any broad interpretation of the American Revolution must consider Virginia as a crucial test case and must explain the nature of that colony's Revolutionary movement. Since i900 two paradigms-the Progressive and Neo-Whig-have shaped studies of the Old Dominion. Shortcomings in both these explanations suggest the need for a new approach to the coming of the Revolution in Virginia, as well as in the other colonies. During the first decades of this century, Progressive historians investigating the Revolution in the southern colonies emphasized one major theme, the economic burdens of links with Great Britain, and one minor theme, the activities of the underrepresented lower classes. (For the northern colonies, these historians stressed the same two elements but reversed their importance.) The Progressives argued that economic grievances propelled Virginians toward Independence. In a discussion of the Chesapeake region, Charles Beard stated that it is generally known the debts due to British merchants and other private citizens constituted one of the powerful causes leading to the Revolution. 2 Scholars such as Ar-
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.