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In partnership with the Chesterfield County 250th Revolutionary War Committee and the Chesterfield Historical Society of Virginia, the event will detail the 1774 Chesterfield Resolves, which were adopted on July 14, 1774. Led by burgesses Archibald Cary and Daniel Watkins, the citizens met at the courthouse and approved supporting Massachusetts in their struggle against British rule. The resolutions that made up the Chesterfield Resolves expressed solidarity with the people of Massachusetts and laid the groundwork for further actions during the American Revolution, rejecting the British parliament’s claim of supreme authority over the American colonies.

Liberty Poles served as a symbol of defiance against England’s treatment of the colonies and represented a community’s statement of independence opposing overreaching legislation. The outcry of opposition stemmed from passage of Britain’s Stamp Act, which required that American colonists pay a tax on every document created from mortgages, deeds, contracts, shipping papers, and newspapers. These Liberty Poles served as a central fixture of debate during the American Revolution.

Attendees at the performance will be able to experience in real time if they are for or against the Resolves and if they would join the rebels in dressing the Liberty Pole.

As the Historic 1917 Courthouse is an active court, registration is required for this historically accurate portrayal.