Virginia Association facts for kids

The Virginia Association was an important agreement made by people in Virginia in 1769. It was a way for them to stop buying goods from Britain. They did this to help their own economy and to protest against new British taxes called the Townshend Acts.

George Mason helped write this agreement. It was passed by the Virginia House of Burgesses in May 1769. The Virginia Association showed that Virginians wanted to stand together against British taxes and control over trade. This agreement also helped set the stage for a bigger, more powerful group called the Continental Association in 1774.

Why the Virginia Association Started

Before the Virginia Association, many people in northern Virginia wanted their state to make more of its own goods. In the mid-1760s, Virginia was going through a tough time with its economy. This was because of the high costs of the French and Indian War. Also, bad weather had caused poor harvests for several years.

The economy got even worse when Britain passed the Stamp Act. Because of these problems, Virginians started to focus on making more things themselves. After the Townshend Acts were passed in 1767, many people in Virginia felt strongly that they needed to act.

Important Leaders Take Action

George Washington, who owned a large farm in northern Virginia, thought it was a good idea to stop buying British goods. He talked about his ideas with his neighbor, George Mason. Washington believed that if many people stopped buying British goods, the benefits for Virginia would be greater than any problems from not having British products.

Mason, Washington, and Richard Henry Lee worked together for several weeks. They wrote down the rules for this agreement to stop importing goods. They hoped it would make Virginia's economy stronger.

The Meeting at Raleigh Tavern

The House of Burgesses met at the Raleigh Tavern in Williamsburg, Virginia. On May 17, they started talking about the agreement George Mason had written. The House of Burgesses had two representatives from each county. After making some changes to the agreement, they voted to pass the Virginia Association.

What the Agreement Said and What Happened

The Virginia Association agreement started by saying that the "Townshend Acts were unfair." It also said these acts were "bad for freedom." The agreement also talked about the hard times that Virginia farm owners were facing.

Rules for Buying Goods

As part of the agreement, people in Virginia were not allowed to buy many British goods after September 1, 1769. There was a long list of items they could not buy. However, some goods could not be made in Virginia. So, the people who signed the agreement made exceptions for simple and cheap items.

Future Meetings and Changes

The Virginia Association also had the power to call future meetings. If 100 people who signed the agreement met, they could change the rules. This would happen unless the British Parliament met the specific demands listed in the agreement.

How Successful Was It?

The Virginia Association did not work as well as people first hoped. Many merchants did not follow the boycott. British goods sent to the colonies dropped by 38% in 1769. But British businesses still made money because some merchants did not stick to the rules.

Later, Britain removed the Townshend taxes from all items except tea. After this, the Virginia Association slowly became weaker. It finally ended in 1771.