Government

Question 1

13. What was the very first legislative, or law making, body in America?

Answer 1

-House of Burgesses

Question 2

14. What is the House of Burgesses known as today?

Answer 2

-General Assembly

Question 3

15. In 1619, the governor called a meeting of the General Assembly. Who was included in this assembly?

Answer 3

• two citizen representatives (called “burgesses”) from each division of Virginia
• the governor (chosen by the king to rule the colony and carry out the king’s wishes )
• the governor’s council (group rich men, chosen by the Company of London, to give the governor advice)

Question 4

16. When did the governor call a meeting of the General Assembly?

Answer 4

-1619

Question 5

17. When did the legislative body split into two parts?

Answer 5

-1640s

Question 6

18. In 1619, the governor of Virginia called a meeting of the __________ __________.

Answer 6

-General Assembly

Question 7

19. In 1619, the General Assembly met as _______ legislative, or law making body/bodies.

Answer 7

-ONE

Question 8

20. By the 1640s, the burgesses became a separate legislative body, What were they called?

Answer 8

-House of Burgesses

Question 9

21. In the 1640s, the General Assembly met as ______ legislative, or law making body/bodies.

Answer 9

-TWO

Question 10

22. Why was the House of Burgesses so important to Virginia’s history? (two reasons)

Answer 10

It was the first time the settlers had the chance to control their own government
It was the first elected legislative body (first time they got to choose the people making the laws)

Question 11

23. The current General Assembly dates back to the establishment of what? (Where did the idea originally come from?)

Answer 11

-House of Burgesses

Question 12

24. When the General Assembly split in the 1640s, what were the two parts called?

Answer 12

House of Burgesses – where all the burgesses met together

Governor’s Council – where the governor and his council met