Show middle plantation once name of va it has been said that the history of the chief city of a country is in great measure the history of that country itself if this philosophy be true one can easily judge the significant part williamsburg va has played in shaping the events which led to the struggle by which the thirteen english colonies in america separated from great brit am and became the united states of america first known as middle plantation says a writer in the cleveland plain dealer williamsburg renamed in honor of king william III was set tied in 1632 it was the car capital of virginia from 1698 until 1799 and and became the political educational economic and social center of the largest wealthiest and most lous colony in america it was here that the first seeds of thought were planted by the devotees of liberty and here that the first steps were taken looking toward the union of the colonies williamsburg is the seat of william and mary college opened in 1693 the second oldest college in tile united states it be came the alma mater of three pres identa jefferson monroe and TY ler and of many other distin patriots and statesmen |