A bookplate is a small-sized, decorative label that is adhered to the inside front cover of a book. They are used to identify the owner of a book for personal use or for use in a library. Bookplates are designed to reflect a person’s interests or to represent one’s family history. Bookplates may be found as inscriptions in early manuscript. The first printed book plates were produced in the 15th Century.
The bookplate seen here is a restrike from the original copper plate used by George Washington. The Washington family coat of arms can be traced back to Sir William de Hertburn who was lord of small and rural estate in northeast England. Historical records show that the basic design of the family coat of arms was present as early as 1203. Over the course of the next three centuries, the coat of arms was altered to reflect alliances, additions of land, and changes to the family lineage. In 1592, Lawrence Washington of Sulgrave Manor was conferred with the Clarenceux King of Arms which consisted of a silver background with two red bars and three red five pointed starts or mullets, as they were known. The Latin inscription “Exitus acta probat” transates to "the outcome proves."
The coat of arms was likely brought to the Virginia colony with one of Lawrence’s grandsons in the 1600’s. One of those grandsons, Colonel John Washington, was George Washington’s great-grandfather. George Washington used the family coat of arms in many applications throughout his lifetime. He used it as his personal bookplate, on silverware, wax seals, walking sticks, and in the interior of his Mount Vernon estate. There are several myths about the Washington coat of arms being the basis for the “stars and stripes” and the Great Seal of the United States. However, there is no direct documentation of this connection.
There are documented tributes to Washington using his coat of arms, most notably the flag of the District of Columbia. Churches and academic institutions, like George Washington University, feature versions of the coat of arms. It can also be found in military items such as the Purple Heart Medal, which contains shield with the Washington coat of arms at the top of the pendant.
Citation: George Washington Bookplate, Prints and Photographs, Special Collections, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia
Preview Activities
Look at It: Look at the image. What do you notice about it? List three items or words which stand out.
Post Activities
Artistic Exploration: Create a new bookplate for George Washington using events from his life. Explain why you chose those events in a paragraph.
Current Connection: Why do you think the Washington coat of arms appears on the Purple Heart Medal and in institutions bearing his name?
A bookplate is a small-sized, decorative label that is adhered to the inside front cover of a book. They are used to identify the owner of a book for personal use or for use in a library. Bookplates are designed to reflect a person’s interests or to represent one’s family history. Bookplates may be found as inscriptions in early manuscript. The first printed bookplates were produced in the 15th century
Robert Dinwiddie (1692–1770) was born near Glasgow, Scotland. He came from a prosperous Scottish family of ancient lineage dating to the 13th century. The family coat of arms developed as the family's circumstances, lands, and titles changed throughout the centuries. Early versions included a hunter with a bow, a stag, and a ship which also appear in the version used by the Dinwiddie family in the 18th century.
The son of a successful merchant, Robert Dinwiddie graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1710 or 1711, and later left Scotland for Bermuda, where he established a bustling merchant trade business. He obtained a position as a local customs official, was appointed to the governor's council in 1730, and was made surveyor general for the southern part of America, which allowed him to serve on the council of any of the colonies. He chose Virginia, moving there in 1741.
In 1751, the king appointed Dinwiddie lieutenant governor of Virginia. Since the royal governor was absent from the colony, Dinwiddie became the de facto governor. He pursued a policy of British expansion into the Ohio River Valley and was a stockholder in the Ohio Company, which sought to acquire land in the west. His military actions to expel the French from the western frontier led to the Seven Years' War (1756–1763), also known as the French and Indian War.
The family coat of arms used by Dinwiddie during his time as governor of Virginia is believed to have been designed while he was in the colony. It retains the earlier imagery, but represents a departure from the style typical of the age. At the top is an eagle ready to take flight, but the images inside the coat of arms are split in the middle forming two separate scenes: an American Indian with a bow targeting a stag and a ship under sail making its way to the colonies. Dinwiddie left Virginia in 1758, settling in Clifton, England, where he would die in 1770.
Citation: Robert Dinwiddie Bookplate, Prints and Photographs, Special Collections, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia
Learn more about Robert Dinwiddie in the Dictionary of Virginia Biography here.
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Preview Activities
Look at It: Look at the image. What do you notice about it? List three items or words which stand out.
Post Activities
Form an Opinion: Given Dinwiddie’s policies that led to the French and Indian War, why would an image of an American Indian be used in his coat of arms? Is it appropriate? Explain.
Artistic Exploration: Create a new bookplate for Dinwiddie using events from his life. Explain why you chose those events in a paragraph.
In January 1754, Virginia's lieutenant governor (acting in place of the absent royal governor), Robert Dinwiddie, sent a small force of Virginia soldiers to build a fort at the forks of the Ohio River, where present-day Pittsburgh now stands. In April, Lieutenant Colonel George Washington led a detachment of Virginia militia to the Ohio River. He learned that French forces had already driven off a small English garrison and built a stockade, known as Fort Duquesne. After engaging with a French detachment that later described itself as an embassy delivering a message, Washington's men erected Fort Necessity at nearby Great Meadows.
A French military detachment left Fort Duquesne and attacked Washington’s militia on July 3rd. At midnight the French commander, Captain Louis Coulon de Villiers, requested a truce to discuss surrender terms for Fort Necessity. After some negotiations, Washington agreed to the terms and retreated to Virginia with his militia, surrendering Fort Necessity to the French. They were allowed to withdraw with the honors of war, retaining their baggage and weapons, but they had to allow the French to keep their swivel guns.
There was one point of contention which would have some lasting impact on Washington. A clause in French version of the surrender agreement stated that Washington was guilty of assassinating the French officer leading the embassy mission. Washington denied this, describing the officer as a spy who was using the excuse of an ambassadorial mission to cover his activities. The French used their version as propaganda to discredit the British.
On July 4, 1754, the British troops left Fort Necessity and the French burned Fort Necessity before returning to Fort Duquesne. The battle helped to spark the French and Indian War, which was part of the imperial conflict between Great Britain and France known as the Seven Years’ War.
Preview Activity
Scan It: Scan the transcription of the document. What phrases or words stand out?
Post Activity
Up for Debate: Write a statement discussing whether you think the terms of surrender were fair to the British. Include relevant information to support your statement.
Social Media Spin: Create two social media posts or tweets describing the events at Fort Necessity from perspective of the French and the British.
Preview Activity
Scan It. Scan the document. What kind of information can you learn about Will from this advertisement?
Post Activities
Think About It: Why would someone place a runaway ad?
Another Perspective: What would you do if you saw the runaway ad and thought you knew where Will was located? Consider potential ramifications for your action or inaction.
This portrait of Mary Willing Byrd (1740–1814) was painted early in the 1770s by artist Matthew Pratt. Born in Philadelphia, she was the daughter of a wealthy merchant and a god-daughter of Benjamin Franklin. In 1761 she married William Byrd (1728–1777) while he was serving in the French and Indian War (also known as the Seven Years' War). They settled at his Westover plantation on the James River in Charles City County, where his enslaved laborers raised tobacco and grains. William Byrd was heavily in debt before the American Revolution and he took his own life in January 1777.
The death of her husband left Mary Byrd debt-ridden and faced with the difficult task of satisfying creditors while preserving an inheritance for their ten children. Mary Byrd attempted to remain neutral during the American Revolution and thereby retain control of her property and wealth. Loyalist forces under Benedict Arnold raided Westover in 1781. After trying to negotiate with the British for the return of her property, including 49 enslaved laborers, Mary Byrd was accused by the Americans of trading with the enemy. Mary Byrd eloquently defended herself and a trial was never held. When she wrote her will in 1813, she was still in possession of Westover and was able to provide for all of her children and grandchildren.
Today two portraits of Mary Willing Byrd survive, one located at the Library of Virginia and the other located at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture, in Richmond.
Citation: Mary Willing Byrd, oil painting. Pratt, Matthew, Mary Willing Byrd (Mrs. William Byrd III) Oil painting on canvas, Original. Virginia State Artwork Collection: acquired 1920, Library of Virginia.
Preview Activity
Take a Look: The portrait of Mary Byrd provides many clues to her status and wealth. Write a few sentences about what you believe to be her social status. Use examples from the portrait as part of your explanation.
Post Activity
Artistic Exploration: Produce a portrait of Mary Willing Byrd that you think represents her story. You may create the portrait using any artistic means you wish. Feel free to use symbols in your portrait to represent her status and struggle.
Another Perspective: If you were Mary Byrd, how might you try to preserve your property? Would you choose a side in the war? Would you stay neutral? What would influence your decision.
In May 1773 the British Parliament passed the Tea Act granting the British East India Company a monopoly on importing tea. Intended in part to discourage colonists from buying smuggled tea on which they paid no taxes, the act implicitly acknowledged Parliament's right to tax the colonies. Although the Tea Act actually reduced the tax American colonists had to pay on tea, many were angered that Britain was imposing taxes without colonial representation. In December 1773, a group of men disguised as Mohawk Indians boarded ships in Boston Harbor and destroyed 342 chests of Company tea.
While not as well-known as the Boston Tea Party, another tea party protest took place in Yorktown, Virginia. On November 7, 1774, local residents boarded the British ship Virginia and dumped two half-chests of tea into the York River. The tea had been imported despite the boycott on English goods that the first Virginia Revolutionary Convention had authorized in August 1774. The boycott was an effort to pressure the British Parliament to repeal tax laws and regulations that some Virginia leaders believed were unconstitutional.
The goal of this smaller tea party event in the York River was to send a message of support to Revolutionary cause and to demonstrate that the importation of tea during the boycott would not be tolerated. The merchant who had imported the tea wrote an apology in the newspaper and asked the public for forgiveness. The ship captain was also punished for his participation in bringing the tea into port in violation of the boycott. He was ordered to return to England with an empty ship.
Citation: Yorktown Tea Party, November 7, 1774. Notices pertaining to the Yorktown Tea Party, November 24, 1774, Purdie and Dixon, Virginia Gazette, page 2, Special Collections, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.
Preview Activity
Scan It: Scan the transcribed version of the article and identify 3 or 4 phrases to describe the event that took place on November 7, 1774.
Post Activities
Analyze: The American colonists used events like the Yorktown Tea Party to rally people to support the revolution. Was it effective? Why or why not?
Food for Thought: Why would American colonists want to participate in this type of protest? What were the potential risks for supporting these types of events?
Another Perspective: Imagine you are a merchant during the Revolution; what are some incentives to obey the non-importation agreement? What are some incentives to disobey the agreement?
Lord Dunmore’s Proclamation, 1775
John Murray, fourth earl of Dunmore, was the last royal governor of Virginia. Assuming office in September 1771, he won support during what became known as Lord Dunmore’s War in 1774. Ostensibly to protect white settlers in the Ohio Valley region, claimed by Virginia, militia forces defeated a Shawnee and Wingo force at the Battle of Point Pleasant (in present-day West Virginia) in October 1774. Dunmore negotiated a treaty prohibiting the tribes from settling or hunting south of the Ohio River, thus clearing the path for expanded white colonial settlement.
The impulsive Dunmore’s popularity began to wane in 1775, as he alienated key politicians. As tensions between the colony and Great Britain increased, Dunmore, citing rumors of an impending rebellion by enslaved persons, removed gunpowder from the public magazine in Williamsburg in April. Facing withering criticism from the colonie's political leaders, he sent his family back to Britain, fled Williamsburg early in June, and tried to gather Loyalist supporters in Hampton Roads.
On November 7, 1775, Dunmore proclaimed martial law and offered freedom to enslaved people and indentured servants who agreed to fight for the king. His offer of freedom to slaves to fight against white Virginians and his recruitment of a regiment of Black soldiers alienated the remaining influential planters and political leaders who until then had stayed loyal to the Crown. Thomas Jefferson included "prompting our negroes to rise in arms against us" among the grievances against the king in his draft of the constitution adopted by Virginia in June 1776.
Dunmore’s proclamation sparked a flood of enslaved persons to escape (as many as 2,000 reached the governor) and raised widespread fear of a slave rebellion. Dunmore took the offensive at the Battle of Great Bridge in December 1775, but was so soundly defeated that he ordered his ships to fire on Norfolk and his troops to burn warehouses on the wharves. In 1787 Dunmore became governor of the Bahamas, during which time he fell from royal favor. He died at his home in England in 1809.
Citation: By his Excellency the Right Honorable John Earl of Dunmore . . . A Proclamation, 1775, Broadside 1775 .V852 FF, Special Collections, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.
Learn more about Lord Dunmore in the Dictionary of Virginia Biography.
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Preview Activity
Think About It: During the American Revolution who do you think enslaved Virginians might have sided with: the British or the American colonists? What advantages/disadvantages could each side offer them?
Post Activity
Analyze: Draw a conclusion about the intent behind the language Thomas Jefferson's grievance in Virginia’s 1776 Constitution and its relationship to Dunmore’s Proclamation.
Form An Opinion: Thomas Jefferson included this grievance in his original draft of the Declaration of Independence, but it was struck out of the final, approved copy. Develop a hypothesis explaining the reasoning of removing this charge from the final Declaration.
Virginia's Fifth Revolutionary Convention met at the Capitol in Williamsburg from May 6 to July 5, 1776, and declared independence from Great Britain. The delegates also voted to prepare a constitution for Virginia as well as a statement of rights. Fairfax County delegate George Mason led the effort and drafted a document that outlined such rights as the ability to confront one's accusers in court, to present evidence in court, protection from self-incrimination, the right to a speedy trial, the right to a trial by jury, and the extension of religious tolerance. Other delegates suggested additional individual rights and the draft was debated for several weeks. The final version of the Virginia Declaration of Rights was adopted unanimously on June 12, 1776. It consisted of sixteen sections with additional rights including protections for the press, striking down of ex post facto laws (retroactively criminalizing an action that had previously been legal), banning excessive bail, and disallowing cruel and unusual punishment of the incarcerated.
The language in the Declaration of Rights changed as several drafts were written. For example, one such revision included prohibitions placed on enslaved people. In this draft written by George Mason, he stated “That all Men are created equally free & independent, & have certain inherent natural Rights, of which they cannot by any Compact, deprive or divest their Posterity….” However, the final version was changed to read “That all men are by nature equally free and independent, and have certain inherent natural rights, of which when they enter into a state of society, they cannot, by any compact, deprive or divest their posterity….” This statement by definition excluded enslaved people who were not considered in "a state of society" by most white Virginians.
Virginia’s Declaration of Rights was the first state declaration establishing the fundamental human liberties that government was created to protect, and it had a profound impact on America’s founding documents. Thomas Jefferson drew upon it when writing the Declaration of Independence and James Madison expanded on Mason’s ideas of guaranteed rights when he wrote the amendments to the United States Constitution that became known as the Bill of Rights.
In 1778, George Mason prepared this copy of his first draft of the Declaration of Rights from memory to indicate what he had initially proposed.
Citation: George Mason, Declaration of Rights, 1776, Accession 51818, Personal Papers Collection, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.
Related Document: Bill of Rights to the U.S. Constitution
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Preview Activity
Scan it: Scan the document. What words or phrases stand out to you?
Post Activities
Analyze: Why would George Mason consider these rights vital to free society? Why were these rights considered by some to be revolutionary?
State your Case: You are an attorney representing Black Virginians. Write a brief argument in which you defend your client explaining how the language of the final draft of the document limits the expectation of Black Virginians to protections as written under the Declaration of Rights.
Virginia Validation: The Virginia Declaration of Rights was an influential document. How are the ideas found in the document relevant today?
After the Battle of Great Bridge on December 9, 1775, Lord Dunmore and his fleet abandoned the city of Norfolk. Patriot soldiers from North Carolina and Virginia took control of the city. They refused to provide food and supplies to the British fleet. Patriot sharpshooters were used to prevent British ships from approaching Norfolk. On January 1, 1776, British naval vessels in the Elizabeth River fired shots into the city, which the Americans let burn to prevent the British from retaking Norfolk and possibly reestablishing it as a naval base.
Some residents escaped to safer locations before the attack. The resulting destruction of homes in the region left many families homeless or in need of shelter. At the time, there were no social services programs or organizations to assist families in need. While some families could take refuge in the homes of others and the wealthier families could escape to their plantations or country homes in other areas, others were not as fortunate. Many families had no choice but to remain in Norfolk during and following the siege.
Such was the case of Mary Webley, a Norfolk woman with three young children and a husband who had lost an arm in an accident years before the attack on Norfolk. As her husband could not easily find work, the family struggled financially. Mary was nursing her youngest child during the attack and her leg was broken when a cannon ball was shot into her home. Mary Webley's family lost their home, as many did that day,
In October 1776, under the newly formed state legislature, Mary Webley petitioned for and received the sum of £10 (possibly worth about $2,000 in the 21st century) as a one-time compensation. It was unusual for a woman to make this request, as women were not considered to be the head of the family, but Mary Webley made every effort to ensure that her family had a chance to recover from their losses. There are no known records available that provide information about what happened to the Webley family.
The right to petition the legislature played a vital role in Virginia politics from the American Revolution to the Civil War. It was not restricted by class, race, or sex, which meant that even Virginians who couldn't vote could address the General Assembly on a wide variety of issues such as repairing turnpikes, filing claims for public assistance, asking for a divorce, or requesting freedom for an enslaved person, among many other concerns.
Citation: Petition of Mary Webley, City of Norfolk, 1776, Legislative Petitions Digital Collections, Library of Virginia.
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Preview Activity
Scan it: Scan the document and the transcription. What happened to Mary Webley that led her to petition for support from the state legislature?
Post Activities
Analyze: The events in Norfolk occurred less than a month after the Battle of Great Bridge. How were these two events related? Why might have the decision to let Norfolk burn been considered controversial at the time?
Be the Journalist: You are a reporter working on a historical account of the events of January 1, 1776, in Norfolk with emphasis on telling Mary Webley’s story. Write a short narrative description of the events of the day and how it impacted the lives of those who remined in Norfolk and witnessed the destruction.
Social Media Spin: Create a post for social media commemorating the events in which you provide a brief historical account of the event.
Women served in many capacities during the American Revolution. Thousands of women traveled with their husbands when they served in the Continental Army. Known as "camp followers," they marched with the supply wagons, set up camps nearby, and cooked, did laundry, mended clothing, and assisted with medical treatment when necessary. Some women carried water to troops on the battlefield, both to drink and to cool the cannons.
According to legends popularized during the 19th century, a woman known as Molly Pitcher was bringing water to the troops during the Battle of Monmouth in June 1778. When her husband was killed in the battle she immediately took his place firing the artillery piece or cannon. In one story, a cannon ball from the opposing side landed between her legs, missing her body by mere inches. Undaunted, she reportedly continued firing the cannon for the rest of the battle. A number of 19th century artists illustrated the dramatic story in paintings and engravings, including this one by English engraver James Charles Armytage that was published in Battles of America by Sea and Land (1861), by Robert Tomes.
Over time, several women have become associated with the story, which was not recounted during the war. One is Mary Hays McCauly, whose husband enlisted in the Continental Army in 1776 and died in 1786, not in battle during the war. After his death Mary applied for a pension from the state of Pennsylvania as the widow of a soldier. In 1822, Mary received an annual pension of $40 for “services rendered,” although the services were not specified and the amount was a standard widow's pension. Another woman is Margaret Corbin, who accompanied her husband to war. He was killed during the battle of Fort Washington in November 1776, whereupon she took up his gun and was wounded under fire. In 1779 the Continental Congress awarded her a lifetime pension and a suit of clothes for her actions on the battlefield.
It is unknown if the story of Molly Pitcher refers to one woman or whether Molly Pitcher is a composite figure of various women who served in a variety of roles during the war. The name “Molly" was a nickname for Mary, a common name during the time, and “Pitcher” described the task of fetching water. Whether or not "Molly Pitcher" herself existed, the legend reflects the bravery of the many women who participated in America's Revolutionary War.
Citation: Portrait, Molly Pitcher, engraving by J.C. Armytage. Harry C. Mann Photograph Collection, Visual Studies Collection, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.
Related entry: Anna Maria Lane, Commendation and Pension
Preview Activity
Artistic Exploration: Look the drawing of Molly Pitcher at the cannon. Notice the posture and facial expressions of the soldiers around her. What can you conclude about her actions and role in the battle?
Post Activities
Artistic Exploration: Draw cartoons or images of Molly Pitcher taking on various roles that women might have during the Revolution.
Another Perspective: Write a diary entry for a day in the life of Molly Pitcher or a camp follower. What did you do? What challenges did you face?
Analyze: Look at the image and using your knowledge of the American Revolution, why were camp followers like Mary Hays important? How might have the actions of the women during the American Revolution be reflected in the many roles women play in the modern American military?