The State of Virginia

1st Governor of Virginia

Patrick Henry

Called the firebrand of the American Revolution, is still remembered for his words, “Give me liberty or give me death.”

This is exactly what he said, “An appeal to arms and the God of hosts is all that is left us. But we shall not fight our battle alone. There is a just God that presides over the destinies of nations. The battle sir, is not to the strong alone. Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death.”

Patrick Henry

 

In 1776, he wrote the following:

“It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For that reason alone, people of other faiths have been afforded freedom to worship here.”

What was the intended purpose of the College of William & Mary?

THE ROYAL CHARTER

WILLIAM AND MARY, by the grace of God, of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, King and Queen, defenders of the faith, &c. To all to whom these our present letters shall come, greeting.

Forasmuch as our well-beloved and faithful subjects, constituting the General Assembly of our Colony of Virginia, have had it in their minds, and have proposed to themselves, to the end that the Church of Virginia may be furnished with a seminary of ministers of the gospel, and that the youth may be piously educated in good letters and manners, and that the Christian faith may be propagated amongst the Western Indians, to the glory of Almighty God; to make, found and establish a certain place of universal study, or perpetual College of Divinity, Philosophy, Languages, and other good Arts and Sciences

 

FACT: Original 1619 plans for W&M called for a campus at Henrico.

If it were not for an Indian uprising in the early 1600s, William & Mary would have been the first college in what would become the United States of America (even before Harvard University).