How did the colonists’ ideas about government differ from those of the British Parliament?

  • Parliament believed it had legal authority in the colonies, while the Colonists believed their local assemblies had legal authority.
  • Parliament believed it had the right to tax the colonies, while the Colonists believed they should not be taxed because they had no representation in Parliament.
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Why is the Declaration of Independence an important document?

 

The Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson, states that:

  • Authority to govern belongs to the people rather than to kings
  • All people are created equal and have rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
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What role did Virginia Patriots serve during the Revolutionary War?
Virginia patriots served in the Continental Army and fought for independence, leading to the British surrender at Yorktown.
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What did neutral Virginians do during the revolutionary war? 

 
Some Virginians were neutral and did not take sides.
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Did some of the colonists stay loyal to England?

Yes.

Some Virginians remained loyal to Great Britain.
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What was the role of women in the revolutionary war?
Women took on more responsibilities to support the war effort.
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What were some of the different roles of African Americans during the Revolutionary War?

  • Some enslaved African Americans fought for a better chance of freedom.
  • Some free African Americans fought for independence from Great Britain.
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What were the different roles of the American Indians during the Revolutionary War?
Many American Indians fought alongside the Virginia patriots, while others fought with the British.
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Contributions of Virginians during the Revolutionary War era:

What role did George Washington play in the Revoluionary War?
George Washington provided military leadership by serving as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army.
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Contributions of Virginians during the Revolutionary War era:

What role did Thomas Jefferson play in Revolutionary War?
Thomas Jefferson provided political leadership by expressing the reasons for colonial independence from Great Britain in the Declaration of Independence.
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Contributions of Virginians during the Revolutionary War era:

What role did Patrick Henry play in the Revolutionary War?
Patrick Henry inspired patriots from other colonies when he spoke out against taxation without representation by saying, "…give me liberty or give me death."
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Contributions of Virginians during the Revolutionary War era:

What role did James LaFayette play in the Revolutionary War?
James Lafayette, an enslaved African American from Virginia, served in the Continental Army and successfully requested his freedom after the war.
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What was the importance of the Battle of Great Bridge?
The Battle of Great Bridge was the first land battle of the American Revolution fought in Virginia. The American victory forced the British colonial governor to flee the City of Norfolk.
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Who was Jack Jouett?
Jack Jouett rode on horseback through the backwoods of Virginia to Charlottesville to warn Thomas Jefferson, then the governor of Virginia, that the British were coming to arrest him and members of the General Assembly.
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What was the importance of the American victory at Yorktown?
The American victory at Yorktown resulted in the surrender of the British army, which led to the end of the war.
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