Virginia's Independence: Part of the 13 Colonies' 1776 Declaration

Virginia did not gain independence through a separate process. It was one of the Thirteen Colonies that collectively declared independence from Great Britain on July 4, 1776 (adopted by Continental Congress in Philadelphia).

Virginia's Distinct Role

• First permanent English settlement: Jamestown (1607).
• Key revolutionary leaders: Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Henry, Mason.
• Virginia Declaration of Rights (June 1776): George Mason's draft → model for U.S. Bill of Rights.
• Yorktown (1781): Cornwallis's surrender on Virginia soil effectively ended the war.
• 10th State: Ratified Constitution June 25, 1788.

Virginia's independence was inseparable from the United States' founding.