AS VIRGINIANS, we are so proud of our heritage that we have become outright braggarts. In 1776, 250 years ago, Virginia was the largest and most economically powerful of the thirteen original colonies. Her geography reached from the Atlantic coast to the Mississippi River. In the original land grants, Virginia included parts of what has since become West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Over a period of time, after many meetings and much work done by committees that were often plagued by disagreements, the new independent country was born. However, those early years were not easy.
Four of the first five presidents of this new country were Virginians, later known as the “Virginia Dynasty”. These individuals piloted the new country for 32 of those first 34 tough years of its infancy.
Although there were other contributors, Virginian Thomas Jefferson is credited with authorship of the Declaration of Independence. That single document is considered the defining moment of his life’s work.
He was an author or contributor for several of our young country’s most important foundational documents, but the words, “We know these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness” have had, and continue to have, global impact.
But just as the birthing of our nation was not an easy delivery, our country has faced and survived significant hardships over these last 250 years. A Civil War came close to tearing it into pieces. At another time, financial crisis started here and spread throughout the entire world. Shortly thereafter, two world wars ensued. After a date that will live in infamy, this country was called upon as never before and became a true world power in responding to that. The worst terrorist attack inflicted anywhere was visited upon us only twenty-five years ago.
Many other crises have been met – and handled. Some were handled better than others. Even now, our precious United States of America has problems yet to be solved, but our abiding faith leads us to believe that they will be dealt with and we will survive.
Although not a Virginian, another of our Founding Fathers was Benjamin Franklin, a true Renaissance man of many talents. He must have also had the gift of prophecy.
After the Constitution Convention of 1787, Franklin was met with a question from Elizabeth Willing Powel. Her question was, “Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” His response was, “A republic, if you can keep it.” Franklin was wise enough to know that this form of a more perfect union would be challenged along the way.
*********