Who was George Yeardley? How did Sir George Yeardley help the Jamestown settlers? English governor of Virginia George Yeardley biography, life story, political career and works.
George Yeardley; English governor of Virginia: b. London, England, c. 1587; d. Jamestown, Va., buried Nov. 13, 1627. He was trained as an officer with the English Army in the Netherlands and in 1609 sailed for Virginia as captain of the guard for Sir Thomas Gates. He was appointed to the council in 1611 and served as acting lieutenant governor from April 1616 to 1617, when he returned to England. On Nov. 18, 1618, he was commissioned governor and captain general of Virginia, succeeding Lord De La Warr, and on November 24 was knighted by James I.
The Virginia Company instructed him to divide the land by a set formula and to set up a civilian government. Yeardley reached Jamestown in April 1619 and on July 30 organized the General Assembly of Virginia, the first representative assembly in the New World. Before his term expired, he asked for a successor so that he could devote his time to private business. He became a member of the council under Sir Francis Wyatt in November 1621 and marshal in 1622. In 1625, the year after the charter of the Virginia Company was annulled and Virginia became England’s first crown colony, Yeardley was sent to England to petition the king to let Virginia keep her representative government. He returned to Jamestown in April 1626 with a commission as royal governor to succeed Wyatt and continued in office until his death.
How did Sir George Yeardley help the Jamestown settlers?
Sir George Yeardley was a colonial governor of Virginia who helped the Jamestown settlers by implementing reforms that improved their quality of life. He was appointed governor in 1619 and was instrumental in establishing the first representative assembly in the American colonies, known as the House of Burgesses. This assembly gave settlers a voice in the governance of the colony and helped to create a more stable and democratic society.
In addition to establishing the House of Burgesses, Yeardley also implemented other reforms that helped the Jamestown settlers, such as creating a legal code that provided a framework for resolving disputes and protecting individual rights. He also encouraged the growth of the tobacco industry, which became a major source of income for the colony.
Overall, Sir George Yeardley played a significant role in the early development of the Virginia colony and helped to lay the foundations for a more stable and prosperous society in Jamestown.
What did George Yeardley do?
Sir George Yeardley was a colonial governor of Virginia in the early 17th century. He was appointed governor in 1619 and played a significant role in the development of the Virginia colony and the city of Jamestown. Some of his accomplishments include:
- Establishing the first representative assembly in the American colonies, known as the House of Burgesses, which gave settlers a voice in the governance of the colony.
- Implementing a legal code that provided a framework for resolving disputes and protecting individual rights.
- Encouraging the growth of the tobacco industry, which became a major source of income for the colony.
- Promoting religious tolerance and freedom by allowing settlers to freely practice their own religion.
- Helping to establish a more stable and democratic society in Jamestown by promoting reforms that improved the quality of life for settlers.
Overall, Sir George Yeardley played an important role in the early development of the Virginia colony and helped to lay the foundations for a more stable and prosperous society in Jamestown.
