On this day 250 years ago, Royal Governor Dunmore of Virginia summoned the Burgesses, numbering nearly one hundred, to the Council chamber in the Capitol in Williamsburg. Dunmore informed the Burgesses:
I have in my hand a Paper published by Order of your House, conceived in such Terms as reflect highly upon his Majesty and the Parliament of Great Britain; which makes it necessary for me to dissolve you; and you are dissolved accordingly.
The document in Dunmore’s hand was the broadside of the House’s Order for a Day of Fasting and Prayer. The phrase “reflect highly upon” in Dunsmore’s statement sounds to modern Americans like praise, but in the 18th Century it meant “reproach”. The response of the members of the House of Burgesses to Dunmore’s dissolution of the House would be another dramatic step towards Independence.
Source: https://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org/learn/deep-dives/dissolution-of-the-house-of-burgesses/
On This Day In The Revolution 
One response to “On this day 250 years ago in the Revolution — May 26, 1774”
In following this history, I expected the Burgesses would be dissolved, however it still came as a shock. I am not familiar with this part of Virginia’s history. Since I’ve focused more on Virginia’s earlier history, I know the long-standing history of the House up until this time. I can see the crown’s reasoning for dissolving the House but it’s still shocking in light of the fact that it had been in operation for so long.
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