Hello and welcome to a history of the United States. Episode 80, Spotwood. Today we return to Virginia.

We spent the past three episodes going through what had been happening in England, or as I should now

call it in the narrative, since it has been unified with Scotland, Britain.

This was crucial.

Before we could get into the 18th century, it was necessary to make sure that everybody was aware

of how we get to the point of George I being on the throne instead of the stewards.

The constantly changing views on religious toleration,

and just what I mean when I use political terms such as Whig and Tory. This brings us to

where we are now. I spent episode 76 beginning this process in Virginia itself,

plodding through bits of the narrative after Bacon's Rebellion, and covering the capital moving

to Williamsburg. I think the best place to properly plunge into the Virginia narrative is, however, a couple of years later.

1710.

The reason?

Alexander Spotswood.

Alexander Spotswood was one of the most influential figures in 18th century Virginia, and left a huge

impression on the colony and really set the stage for the move towards the revolution.

He was an able administrator, but was also rather conservative.

These features would characterize his spell as governor of the colony, which would last 12 years.

He was born in 1676 to an army physician in the English outpost at Tangier, which was then ruled by the English with the sports of the Portuguese, but which became part of Morocco in 1684.

His family was very loyal to the crown. In fact, his grandfather was executed by Parliament

for loyalty to Charles I. Spotswood was a military man, as you might expect being born in a military outpost.

At the age of 17, he joined a regiment in Flanders, and would fight there for nine years during the War of the Spanish Succession, eventually becoming a lieutenant colonel.

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