For the anniversary of the first House of Burgesses, we drove to Historic Jamestowne where we participated in a reenactment near its anniversary date.
We assembled in the recreated church, rebuilt on the same foundation, that the first House of Burgesses met on July 30, 1619.
For reference, the pilgrims of Massachusetts fame did not arrive in the New World until 1620.
Previous governors instilled martial law to maintain order for a community that was on the precipice of survival.
With Governor Yeardly’s arrival, came a new charter called the First Charter, allowing for representative government.
A representative from each of the eleven outlying areas, as far away as today’s Richmond, arrived to meet in assembly at Jamestown.
This first-person interpreter brought us (the guests) into his world, inviting us to become the first House of Burgesses!
Three pages of actual laws that had been debated by the 1619 burgesses for a week were distributed among us.
The first set of laws, which the lady behind me brought to the floor for discussion, were made by the previous governors who instilled martial law.
Were these laws still necessary? We debated them and voted aye or nay.
Various burgesses (aka guests from the audience) brought up two or three of the laws on their sheet of paper that intrigued them the most, which became topics of debate.
After evaluating the newest laws, my son had a chance to play burgess, which he portrayed in full force.
He spoke as if he WAS a burgess, which caused the moderating interpreter to grin.
“Sir, here is a law which my fellow burgesses and I had some debate about…”
Whereas the first two guests were appointed to their tasks, my son practically leapt at the opportunity to do this interactive activity.
This was a great program that cemented for us the events of the first representative assembly in America.
