Rev250-084 Virginia Calls for Independence May 15, 1776

Summary

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Episode Overview

Episode Title: Rev250-084 Virginia Calls for Independence May 15, 1776
Host: Michael Troy
Podcast: American Revolution Podcast – Revolution 250 Bonus Episode
Release Date: May 15, 2026

This special “Revolution 250” short episode revisits the events of May 15, 1776, focusing on Virginia’s pivotal vote to instruct its Continental Congress delegates to support declaring independence from Britain. Host Michael Troy explores Virginia’s internal debates, the resulting resolutions, and the symbolic acts that followed, offering both historical context and direct quotations from this momentous event 250 years ago.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Lead-up: Congressional Context (01:36)

• Aftermath of Congress's May 10 Vote:
  Michael recounts Congress’s significant May 10 decision calling for states to establish new independent governments, emphasizing that the subsequent preamble, led by John Adams and others, pushed the colonies closer to open declaration of independence.

• Preamble Moves Toward Independence:
  The May 15 adoption of the preamble marked a shift:

  "The preamble made it sound much closer to an actual declaration of independence against Britain than simply a matter of we need to have governments in place..."
  (Host—01:36)

Virginia’s Fifth Convention and the Push for Independence (03:15)

• Political Backdrop:
  After Lord Dunmore, the Royal Governor, dissolved the House of Burgesses, Virginia’s elected leaders met in “conventions” rather than as a formal legislature to avoid overt treason.

• Convention Timeline:

  • Virginia's Fifth Convention commenced May 5, 1776, with Edmund Pendleton as the presiding officer.
  • Delegates reflected a spectrum of views, from hesitancy to advocate outright independence to staunch support for breaking from Britain.

• Shift in Attitude:
  Although earlier conventions had sidestepped the independence question, by May 1776 the mood had shifted:

  "They seemed ready to pull the trigger."
  (Host—03:40)

Patrick Henry’s Resolution & Its Rationale (04:13)

• Patrick Henry Takes the Lead:
  Long an advocate for American liberty, Henry introduced a resolution for independence.

• Full Text and Justifications:
  Michael reads the resolution nearly in full. Key assertions included:

  • Britain’s refusal to redress colonial grievances and escalating oppression.
  • Declaration that "All these colonies are declared to be in rebellion and out of the protection of the British Crown..."
  • Virginia’s governor conducting “a piratical and savage war against us, tempting our slaves by every artifice to resort to him and training and employing them against their masters.”

• Resolution’s Conclusion:

  • Instructs Virginia’s delegates to "propose to that respectable body to declare the United Colonies free and independent States," and to support such declaration, foreign alliances, and confederation.
  • Affirms colonial autonomy: “...provided that the power of forming government for and regulations of the internal concerns of each colony be left to the respective Colonial legislatures...”

  (Full extended quote read approximately 04:30—07:12)

Immediate Aftermath and Public Reaction (08:20)

• Community Celebration:
  Residents of Williamsburg celebrated the vote:

  “The people of Williamsburg celebrated that evening taking down the Union Jack and raising a new flag containing the 13 red and white stripes that represented the Colonies.”
  (Host—08:20)

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Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On the radical transformation:

  "They just kept holding conventions to pass resolutions and appoint delegates to the continental congress. Virginia’s fifth convention convened on May 5, 1776... The elected officials at the convention reflected a diverse view that Virginia voters held about independence."
  (Host—03:20)

• On the need for independence:

  “…we have no alternative left but an abject submission to the will of those overbearing tyrants or a total separation from the crown and the government of Great Britain…”
  (Resolution text, read by Host—06:20)

• On the unanimous nature of the vote:

  “Resolved unanimously that the delegates appointed to represent this colony in the general congress be instructed to propose to that respectable body to declare the united colonies free and independent states, absolved of all allegiance to or dependence on the crown or parliament of Great Britain…”
  (Resolution text, 06:55)

• On symbolic celebration:

  “Taking down the Union Jack and raising a new flag containing the 13 red and white stripes that represented the Colonies.”
  (Host—08:20)

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Important Segment Timestamps

• 01:36: Congressional context and lead-up to Virginia’s action
• 03:15: Background on Virginia’s revolutionary conventions
• 04:13: Patrick Henry introduces the independence resolution
• 04:30 to 07:12: Full recitation and explanation of the resolution
• 08:20: Williamsburg celebrates with flag-raising

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Additional Resources

• For deeper detail, listeners are encouraged to check out Episode 98 on the blog.
• The episode and full series are available for free on all major podcast platforms.

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This engaging episode distills Virginia’s decisive move toward American independence, highlighting both the political drama inside the convention and the public celebration that followed—a pivotal “Revolution 250” moment.

Transcript

[A]

You're listening to an Airwave Media podcast. Hello and thanks for joining Revolution 250. This is where we remember events that took place 250 years ago this week. It's a short bonus episode from the American Revolution Podcast to remember these important two 50th anniversaries from the Revolutionary War. This week, we remember Virginia's vote to instruct the Continental Congress to Declare independence on May 15, 1776.

[B]

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[A]

Last week, we covered Congress's May 10 vote to call on the states to establish independent governments. After that vote, John Adams and others added a preamble that essentially said that these independent governments were necessary and because of all the abuse from the king and Parliament. So the preamble made it sound much closer to an actual declaration of independence against Britain than simply a matter of we need to have governments in place and we don't have any right now. The final vote, including that preamble, took place on May 15, and it did actually pass the Continental Congress. On that same day, the fifth Virginia Convention in Williamsburg voted on a resolution proposed by Patrick Henry to declare that state's own independence and to send a similar message to the Continental Congress. After the royal Governor of Virginia, Lord Dunmore, shut down the House of Burgesses, the state representatives formed their own quasi state government, called a convention. The first one met in 1774. The colony of Virginia just kept holding elections and running the colony, but they didn't want to call themselves a new legislature. That sounded a little too treasony. Instead, they just kept holding conventions to pass resolutions and appoint delegates to the continental congress. Virginia's fifth convention convened on May 5, 1776, they elected Edmund Pendleton as the presiding officer. The elected officials at the convention reflected a diverse view that Virginia voters held about independence. This was still a controversial idea, and a faction of the delegates, although they weren't happy with Britain's treatment of the colonies, still seemed reluctant to call for independence from the British empire. The prior four conventions had largely avoided the issue, but by the time of the fifth convention, they seemed ready to pull the trigger. Patrick Henry, who had already been a proponent of independence for some time, called for a vote on a resolution on independence, which the convention passed. This resolution read for as much as all the endeavors of the united colonies, by the most decent representations and petitions to the king and parliament of Great Britain to restore peace and security to America under the British government and a reunion with that people upon just and liberal terms, instead of a redress of grievances have produced from an imperious and vindictive administration, increased insult, oppression and a vigorous attempt to effect our total destruction by a late act. All these colonies are declared to be in rebellion and out of the protection of the British Crown, our property subjected to confiscation. Our people, when captivated, compelled to join in the murder and plunder of their relations and countrymen, and all former raping and oppression of Americans is declared legal and just. Fleets and armies are raised and the aid of foreign troops engaged to assist these destructive purposes. The king's representative in this colony hath not only withheld all the powers of government from operating for our safety, but having retired on board an armed ship is carrying on a piratical and savage war against us, tempting our slaves by every artifice to resort to him and training and employing them against their masters. In this state of extreme danger, we have no alternative left but an abject submission to the will of those overbearing tyrants or a total separation from the crown and the government of Great Britain, uniting and exerting the strength of all America for defense and forming alliances with foreign powers for commerce and aid in war, Wherefore, appealing to the searcher of hearts for the sincerity of former declarations, expressing our desire to preserve the connection with that nation and that we are driven from that inclination by their wicked counsels and the eternal law of self preservation. Resolved unanimously that the delegates appointed to represent this colony in the general congress be instructed to propose to that respectable body to declare the united colonies free and independent states, absolved of all allegiance to or dependence on the crown or parliament of Great Britain, and that they give the assent of this colony to such declaration, and to whatever measures may be thought proper and necessary by the Congress for forming foreign alliances and a confederation of the Colonies at such time, and in the manner as to them shall seem best provided that the power of forming government for and regulations of the internal concerns of each colony be left to the respective Colonial legislatures resolved unanimously that a committee be appointed to prepare a Declaration of rights and such a plan of government as will be most likely to maintain peace and order in this colony, and secure substantial and equal liberty to the people. Following passage of that resolution, the people of Williamsburg celebrated that evening taking down the Union Jack and raising a new flag containing the 13 red and white stripes that represented the Colonies. I hope you've enjoyed this Revolution 250 moment for more details on this topic, check out episode 98 at blog.amrevpodcast.com you can also subscribe for free to the whole podcast on whatever podcast platform you like. Thanks again for listening to this Revolution250 moment on the American Revolution Podcast.