Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 1.djvu/16

 the settlers at New Plymouth, when, in 1622, they were at the point of starvation, she can claim especially to be the mother of New England. She had the first English institutions—trial by jury. law courts, representative lawmaking body, and free school. She was the first to announce the principle of the indissolubility of taxation and representation. She led in all the events resulting in the American Revolution—that is to say—struck the first blow in the French and Indian war. out of which war sprung the idea of taxing America; rallied the other colonies against the Stamp Act; and under the Revenue Act solved the four different crises which arose—proposing as a remedy for the first the policy of non-importation; for the second a system of intercolonial committees; for the third a general congress; and for the fourth Independence!

The life of a State is seen best in the lives of the citizens. The aim of this l)ook will be to give the biographies of all those who had any important connection with the founding of the colony down to the American Revolution. Thus the book will be divided into four parts, under the following headings:

I. The Founders; II. The Presidents and Governors; III. The Council of State; IV. The Burgesses and Other Prominent Citizens. .