When the stress of the Revolution came, these two leading
colonies cordially supported each other, and their political
characteristics were reflected in the kind of achievements for which
each was especially distinguished. The Virginia system, concentrating
the administration of local affairs in the hands of a few county
families, was eminently favourable for developing skilful and vigorous
leadership. And while in the history of Massachusetts during the
Revolution we are chiefly impressed with the wonderful degree in which
the mass of the people exhibited the kind of political training that
nothing in the world except the habit of parliamentary discussion can
impart; on the other hand, Virginia at that time gave us--in Washington,
Jefferson, Henry, Madison, and Marshall, to mention no others--such a
group of consummate leaders as the world has seldom seen equalled.
[Footnote 15: Ingle, _loc. cit._]
QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT.
1. Why was Virginia more sparsely settled than Massachusetts?
2. Why was it that towns were built up more slowly in Virginia than in
Massachusetts?
3. How was the great demand for labour in Virginia met?
4.
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