Mass death, starvation, and bad rulers forces Virginia’s government to collapse. Democracy saves The Virginia Company from Virginia’s terrible reputation. King James is forced to allow democracy, despite his distaste for it. In this episode of 'Why Wars Happened,' host Emily Ross takes us on a wild ride through Virginia in the early 1600s. We get into the juicy details of how Virginia's colonists went from just trying to make a buck with tobacco, to setting up their own government with elected reps—much to King James' dismay. It's all about the push for democracy, some old-school power struggles, and how these early moves set the stage for the American Revolution. Tune in for all the drama, from canceled charters to nose-thumbing at royal rules.

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00:00 Introduction to the American Revolution

00:15 Virginia's Early Economy and Tobacco Trade

01:02 The Third Charter and Virginia's Governance

01:49 Establishing Democracy in Virginia

02:58 The Role of the Assembly and Governance Challenges

03:55 The Impact of the Virginia Company

07:37 The Assembly's Authority and Early Laws

12:39 The Struggle for Power and Taxation

15:39 Conclusion and Next Episode Preview

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