Final answer:
The significant precedent set in the Virginia colony was the implementation of a representative assembly.
Step-by-step explanation:
Based on the excerpt, the significant precedent set by the government in the Virginia colony was the implementation of a representative assembly. Virginia was instrumental in adopting the idea that power should come from the people, through the principle of elected representation, which is an essential component of republicanism. This was evidenced by the establishment of the House of Burgesses in 1619, which was America's first representative assembly, setting a model for self-government and representation, which later influenced the formation of other colonial governments and ultimately the United States government.