The Governor Who Wouldn't Leave | America Before the Revolution

Step inside the hidden battle for power in colonial Virginia.

This week’s episode picks up with Governor Berkeley openly defying the king’s orders to return to England. Instead, he manipulates royal pardons and tightens his grip on the rebels who dared to rise against him. But when illness forces him aside, Herbert Jeffreys takes over as temporary governor—only to face fierce resistance from the Assembly.

The Assembly refuses to obey the crown, keeps punishing rebels, and secretly clings to the hope of Berkeley’s return. Even when the king reissues his pardon, Virginia’s leaders double down, risking everything in a fight that pushed the colony closer to independence.

This is an immersive story of power, betrayal, and defiance that shaped America’s path to revolution.

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💬 Comment below: Would you have sided with Berkeley, the Assembly, or the King?

🕰️ Timestamps

00:00 – The King’s Orders and Berkeley’s Defiance

01:42 – Herbert Jeffreys Takes Power

03:52 – The Assembly Fights Back

07:22 – Berkeley’s Final Days

09:34 – Jeffreys’ Illness and the Assembly’s Resistance

12:07 – The King’s Pardon Reissued

14:32 – Seeds of Revolution

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