Lectures on the Lawn - Jon Kukla: “How Sunk is Britain!”: Virginia’s Turn to Independence, Spring 1776
Mechanicsville, VA 23116
The Rural Plains Foundation and the National Park Service are pleased to an-nounce the 2025 “Lectures on the Lawn” series for 2025. Join us on three consecutive Thursday evenings in June at the Shelton House in Hanover County, part of the Totopoptomy Creek Battlefield unit of Richmond National Battlefield Park.
Jon Kukla: “How Sunk is Britain!”: Virginia’s Turn to Independence, Spring 1776
Virginia’s defiance of Britain had not yet, in late 1775, become commitment to independ-ence. That changed in early 1776, especially after Governor Dunmore’s artillery triggered the New Year’s Day Fire that destroyed Norfolk (reflected in the Declaration of Inde-pendence statement that King George had “ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns…”). “How sunk is Britain!” declared one essay. In his talk, Jon explores how by June 1776 many formerly loyal Virginians, under the leadership of Patrick Henry and others, em-braced separation as members of the “United Colonies”.
Historian Jon Kukla is the widely-acclaimed author of numerous books, including Patrick Henry, Champion of Liberty and Mr. Jefferson’s Women.
The lectures begin at 6:30 on the lawn in front of the Shelton House at Rural Plains, located at 7273 Studley Road. They are free and open to the public - picnic suppers are encouraged! (Rain location: Enon United Methodist Church, 6156 Studley Road.)
Fee Information
Free.
