In 1624, the Virginia Company's charter is revoked by King James I, and the Virginia colony is transferred to royal authority as a crown colony.

After the English Civil War in the mid-seventeenth century, the Virginia colony is nicknamed "The Old Dominion" by King Charles II for its perceived loyalty to the English monarchy during the era of the Commonwealth of England.

From 1619 to 1776, the legislature of Virginia is the House of Burgesses, which governs in conjunction with a colonial governor.

The colony experiences its first major political turmoil with Bacon's Rebellion of 1676.