Colonial Williamsburg

After checking out the Visitor's Center and catching the bus into the Colonial Williamsburg township, the first structure that we come to is the Capitol Building.  It has been reconstructed in painstaking detail precisely on the foundation of the original building.  John D. Rockefeller, Jr. established the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation because:  "The restoration of Williamsburg . . . offered an opportunity to restore a complete area and free it entirely from alien and inharmonious surroundings, as well as to preserve the beauty and charm of the old buildings and gardens of the city and its historical significance.  Perhaps an even greater value is the lessons that it teaches of the patriotism, high purpose, and unselfish devotion of our forefathers to the common good.  May this restored city ever stand as a beacon light of freedom to the world."  (Thank you, "Rocky."  This is one of many excellent things you have done for America.)

All Colonial Assemblies grew from the example set by Virginians after they created their House of Burgesses.  The King's governor, George Yeardley, convened the first colonist's representative form of governing in 1619.  It began as a unicameral gathering which included the King's men and colonists in a single meeting.  But toward the end of the 1600's, the colonists separated themselves from the King's men creating a bicameral form of governing.  The people's representatives took on all law making, but the King's governor retained the power of taxation.  In the above photo, the "people" met on the right and the King's men on the left.  Contrast the People's chamber:

with the King's representatives chamber:

When Nathaniel Bacon created a militia and responded to Indian attacks against the wishes of the King's governor, William Berkley, Berkley called the representatives into his side of this building and basically said, "You are no more; go home."  (Not cool.)  For the rest of the story I think you need to plan a trip to Colonial Williamsburg yourself!

So we complete our tour of the Capitol Building and overhear interesting chit-chat about some rather famous "guests" at the jail close by.  We mosey down the hill with the rest of the folks.

The jailer and his family would actually live here.

Most of the prisoners were debtors. (Yes, it used to be against the law to be in debt and unable to pay.
But occasionally there would be serious prisoners - like PIRATES!! 

Behind these doors the crew of the infamous Blackbeard! were imprisoned in November, 1718, and remained confined until the day of their hanging (or so the sign posted out front says.)







Blackbeard himself was killed by the King's Governor's men during battle.

We seem to always have surprise things turn up!  Who knew? Pirates!!  Aargh!

.