Governor William Barkley

Program Information
Transcript
Virginia Standards

Program Information

Program: Judicial Independence in the New World
Segment Number: 5 (Watch entire program)
Duration: 00:01:49
Year Produced: 2009
Description:

With the growing popularity of tobacco, Virginia’s population swelled to 10 counties by the beginning of the 1640s. Soon after, Sir William Berkeley became the Colony's 4th governor.

The court system is an ever-changing and evolving entity, and there are key moments of history when Virginia's people and its judicial system made everlasting impressions on the country. JUDICIAL INDEPENDENCE IN THE NEW WORLD tells the story of the development of the court system in the early years of our nation's history. Historians take us back to the Court Days and Pre-Revolution and Post-Revolution periods to explain the rule of law and the basics of the court system we know today.

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Transcript

Narration:
With the growing popularity of tobacco, Virginia’s population swelled to 10 counties by the beginning of the 1640s. Soon after, Sir William Berkeley became the Colony's 4th governor.

Billings:
What I always try to imagine is when Berkeley landed at Jamestown Dock in early 1642. He arrived sometime in January and, you know, it was probably a day and a half’s trip up the river in the dead of winter. Leaves are off the trees and spiky hardwood trees and just a few evergreens. When you finally get to Jamestown, which is, in its biggest place it probably had no more than about 300 people.

Being a colonial governor under any circumstances was always trying because you had two sets of interests to satisfy. One was the crown, your master, your royal master, and those you governed. And those two sets of interests didn’t always coincide. More often than not, they diverged. And they certainly diverged when he became governor in 1641.

One of the things I wish I knew more about, specifically, was his role on shaping the general court. Whenever the court met he was the presiding judge.

Narration:
Governor Berkeley served until 1652 and again from 1660 to 1677. During that time more people settled in Virginia and it grew to hold 20 counties by the end of his term. As governor, Berkeley decided where the counties would hold court. He also made governmental appointments and continually dealt with the growing tension between colonial planters and Native Americans.

Virginia Standards