Experience America’s 250th
Anniversary in Virginia, the Birthplace of America
America was made in Virginia. From its founding ideals to its leading
figures, more of what made America happen happened in Virginia. While Lexington
and Concord, Massachusetts, saw the start of the physical war, in the end it
was Virginia - the richest and largest of the 13 colonies - that played the
pivotal role, producing important figures like George Washington and Thomas
Jefferson, and being home to some of the most important events in the period.
That
makes Virginia the ideal place to learn about and experience the nation’s very
beginnings – from the first permanent English colony in the New World at
Jamestown, to the movement for independence in Williamsburg, and all the way to
the final battle of the Revolutionary War at Yorktown. You can walk down a
colonial street almost unchanged from the 1770s; visit the homes of the most
critical leaders; sit in a church pew and watch costumed actors re-enact a
dramatic moment of the conflict; tour Revolutionary War farms and military
encampments; and stroll the battleground of the last and most crucial
engagement. Along the way you’ll be introduced to the stories of soldiers,
women, enslaved people, Native Americans, Loyalists, British subjects, and
German mercenaries, exploring what America’s fight for liberty meant to each of
them.
George Washington’s Mount Vernon is a must
visit to discover America’s history and Washington’s major role in the
Revolutionary War and the nations’ founding. A complete almost year-long renovation of
Washington’s mansion has just been completed, revealing his home in a way as realistic
to Washington’s day as possible, giving everyone a new reason to visit.
Virginia’s Historic Triangle, composed of
Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown, provides perspective and hands-on
learning for all ages. Colonial Williamsburg is the world’s largest living
history museum. With 88 original colonial buildings and hundreds of
reconstructed ones, visitors can see and experience through its reenactments
what it was like in the ‘Revolutionary City’ during colonial times. Visit
nearby Jamestown Settlement and Historic Jamestowne for an in-depth look at the
history of the very first British colonists in the New World, then head to Yorktown
to learn why America would not have beaten the British and earned their
independence without the help of the French. In addition to Yorktown
Battlefield, the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown shares history in an
exciting, interactive way through 4-D films interactive displays, games,
videos, a soldier’s camp, cannon firings, and a working farm.
From access to special 250th
anniversary exhibits at The Virginia Museum of History and Culture in the
capital city of Richmond, to Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, the Virginia 250
Passport serves up a first-of-its-kind statewide tourism journey in celebration
of America’s 250th. The
Passport provides discounts to 70 premier historic destinations in Virginia,
including those mentioned above, encouraging visitors from all around the globe
to explore and experience America’s history together. Passports are available free of charge at
signature sites including Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown Settlement, the
American Revolution Museum, Mount Vernon, and Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello.
Discover more and plan your trip at virginia.org.