Showdown in Virginia
Showdown in Virginia

Author: William W. Freehling

Publisher: University of Virginia Press

Published: 2010-03-29

Total Pages: 242

ISBN-13: 0813929911

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In the spring of 1861, Virginians confronted destiny—their own and their nation’s. Pivotal decisions awaited about secession, the consequences of which would unfold for a hundred years and more. But few Virginians wanted to decide at all. Instead, they talked, almost interminably. The remarkable record of the Virginia State Convention, edited in a fine modern version in 1965, runs to almost 3,000 pages, some 1.3 million words. Through the diligent efforts of William W. Freehling and Craig M. Simpson, this daunting record has now been made accessible to teachers, students, and general readers. With important contextual contributions—an introduction and commentary, chronology, headnotes, and suggestions for further reading—the essential core of the speeches, and what they signified, is now within reach. This is a collection of speeches by men for whom everything was at risk. Some saw independence and even war as glory; others predicted ruin and devastation. They all offered commentary of lasting interest to anyone concerned about the fate of democracy in crisis.

Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death (Annotated)
Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death (Annotated)

Author: Patrick Henry

Publisher:

Published: 2020-12-22

Total Pages: 42

ISBN-13:

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"'Give me Liberty, or give me Death'!" is a famous quotation attributed to Patrick Henry from a speech he made to the Virginia Convention. It was given March 23, 1775, at St. John's Church in Richmond, Virginia, ..

The Five George Masons
The Five George Masons

Author: Pamela C. Copeland

Publisher: University of Virginia Press

Published: 2016-03-08

Total Pages: 325

ISBN-13: 1942695012

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A Founding Father, a patriot in the Revolutionary War, a delegate from Virginia to the Constitutional Convention, and one of the driving forces behind the creation of the U.S. Bill of Rights, George Mason (1725-1792) worked passionately and diligently throughout his life, both as a private citizen and as a public servant, to ensure that government protected the inherent rights of the people. The Five George Masons, first published in 1975, provides a comprehensive overview of five generations of the Mason family, beginning with George Mason I, who fled England following the defeat of the Royalists at the second battle of Worcester in 1651, arriving in the Colony of Virginia in the early 1650s. Central to this volume, of course, is George Mason IV, who, while less celebrated than his fellow Virginians George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, was one of America’s outstanding thinkers, legislators, and writers; his ideals and legacy endure to this day. This second edition includes a new foreword as well as color photos and maps, while faithfully reproducing the original edition’s unique genealogical charts of the Mason family. In tracing the family history of the Masons, the book provides important context for understanding the life and work of George Mason IV, who wrote: "All men are by nature equally free and inde¬pendent, and have certain inherent rights." The Five George Masons serves as a uniquely valuable resource for histo¬rians, educators, genealogists, and all those interested in the history of Virginia and the early United States. Distributed for the George Mason University Press

The Constitutional Convention
The Constitutional Convention

Author: James Madison

Publisher: Modern Library

Published: 2011-04-06

Total Pages: 258

ISBN-13: 0307789209

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In 1787, the American union was in disarray. The incompatible demands of the separate states threatened its existence; some states were even in danger of turning into the kind of tyranny they had so recently deposed. A truly national government was needed, one that could raise money, regulate commerce, and defend the states against foreign threats–without becoming as overbearing as England. So thirty-six-year-old James Madison believed. That summer, the Virginian was instrumental in organizing the Constitutional Convention, in which one of the world’s greatest documents would be debated, created, and signed. Inspired by a sense of history in the making, he kept the most extensive notes of any attendee.Now two esteemed scholars have made these minutes accessible to everyone. Presented with modern punctuation and spelling, judicious cuts, and helpful notes–plus fascinating background information on every delegate and an overview of the tumultuous times–here is the great drama of how the Constitution came to be, from the opening statements to the final votes. This Modern Library Paperback Classic also includes an Introduction and appendices from the authors.

The Fate of the Revolution
The Fate of the Revolution

Author: Lorri Glover

Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press+ORM

Published: 2016-05-13

Total Pages: 323

ISBN-13: 1421420031

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The history of the 1788 Virginia Ratification Convention explores the Constitutional debates that decided the nation’s fate and still resonate today. In May 1788, elected delegates from every county in Virginia gathered in Richmond where they would either accept or reject the highly controversial United States Constitution. The rest of the country kept an anxious vigil, keenly aware that without Virginia—the young Republic’s largest and most populous state—the Constitution was doomed. In The Fate of the Revolution, Lorri Glover explains why Virginia’s wrangling over ratification led to such heated political debate. Virginians were roughly split in their opinions, as were the delegates they elected. Patrick Henry, for example, the greatest orator of the age, opposed James Madison, the intellectual force behind the Constitution. The two sides were so evenly matched that in the last days of the convention, the savviest political observers still couldn’t predict the outcome. Mining an incredible wealth of sources, including letters, pamphlets, newspaper articles, and transcripts, Glover brings these political discussions to life, exploring the constitutional questions that echo across American history.