Virginia State History – Capital, Population, Facts & Geography of Virginia State

Native Americans

Before Europeans arrived in Virginia, the land was inhabited by Native American tribes such as the Catawba in the south, the Powhatan in the east, the Cherokee in the west, and the Tutero in the central part of the state.

The Powhatans of the East Coast spoke the Algonquian language and lived in longhouses made of tree saplings covered with mats of grass and bark. Several tribes united to form the Powhatan Confederacy, led by a Powhatan chief. Chief Powhatan was also the father of Pocahontas and later married English settler John Rolfe.

Information about Virginia State:

Flag of Virginia State:

Jamestown

In 1606, the Virginia Company of London was granted permission to establish a colony in Virginia. They gathered a group of settlers and sailed in three ships named Susan Constant, Discovery and Godspeed. On May 13, 1607, they arrived in Virginia and founded the settlement of Jamestown.

These first settlers had a difficult time. Most of the original settlers starved to death within a few years. They also fought the local Powhatan Indians and managed to secure a truce until one of the settlers kidnapped the local chief’s daughter, Pocahontas.

A Growing Colony

Despite the initial fighting, more and more settlers came to Virginia. Tobacco became an important crop, and large tobacco plantations sprang up throughout Virginia. Slaves were imported from Africa to cultivate the land. In 1624 Virginia was declared a Crown Colony of England. In 1698 the capital was moved from Jamestown to Williamsburg.

Virginia State Symbols

• Virginia State Nickname: Old Dominion
  
• Virginia State Slogan: Virginia is for Lovers
  
• Virginia State Motto: Sic semper tyrannis (Thus always to tyrants)
  
• Virginia State flower: American Dogwood
  
• Virginia State bird: Cardinal
  
• Virginia State fish: Brook trout
• Virginia State tree: American Dogwood
• Virginia State mammal: American Foxhound
• Virginia State foods: Ham

Revolutionary War

After Britain won the French and Indian War, it began collecting taxes for the American colonies, including the Stamp Act of 1765. Many colonial leaders opposed the tax and began discussing revolution. “Give me liberty, or give me death!” said Patrick Henry of Virginia.

When the Revolutionary War broke out in 1775, Virginia quickly sent troops and organized militias to fight the British. Some of the major leaders of the Revolution were from Virginia, including General George Washington, who led the Continental Army, and Thomas Jefferson, who drafted the Declaration of Independence.

Major battles that took place in Virginia included the Battle of the Great Bridge, the Siege of Petersburg, and the Battle of Yorktown. The British finally surrendered at the Battle of Yorktown and the Americans won. After the war, Virginia voted to ratify the United States Constitution, becoming her tenth state on June 25, 1788.

Civil War

After Abraham Lincoln was elected president, several southern states seceded from the Union and formed the Confederate States of America. Virginia initially wanted to remain loyal to the Union, but did not want to fight other states in the South. When fighting broke out at Fort Sumter in 1861, Virginia seceded from the Union and joined the Confederacy.

The Confederate capital was moved to Richmond, Virginia. As a result, most of the fighting during the Civil War took place in Virginia. Major Civil War battles that took place in Virginia include the Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse, the Battle of Chancellorsville, the Second Battle of Bull Run, and the Battle of Appomattox Courthouse. On April 9, 1865, Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Lee. Grant and the Civil War are over.

The Geography of Virginia State:

• Total Size of Virginia: 39,594 sq. miles (source: 2003 Census)
  
• Geographical Low Point of Virginia: Atlantic Ocean at Sea Level (source: U.S. Geological Survey)
  
• Geographical High Point of Virginia: Mt. Rogers at 5,729 feet, located in the county/subdivision of Grayson-Smyth (source: U.S. Geological Survey)
  
• Central Point of Virginia: Located in Buckingham County approx. 5 miles southwest of Buckingham (source: U.S. Geological Survey)
  
• Counties of Virginia: 95 (source: National Association of Counties)
  
• Bodies of Water of Virginia: Atlantic Ocean, Chesapeake Bay, Potomac River, James River, Rappahannock River, Buggs Island Lake, Philphott Lake, Lake Anna, Smith Mountain Lake

Reconstruction

Virginia has seen many battles and was devastated by war. Much of the state’s infrastructure, including railroads, cities, roads, and industry, had to be rebuilt. Virginia was finally granted her return to the Union in 1870, but a full recovery took time.

Famous People of Virginia State:

Interesting Facts of Virginia State:

Virginia is named after Queen Elizabeth I of England, nicknamed “The Virgin Queen”.

This state is home to her eight U.S. presidents, more than any other. They are George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, William Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor and Woodrow Wilson. Among them were 7 of the 12 first presidents.

It is often referred to as the “mother of states” because parts of the original colony are now part of six different states. Virginia Beach is the most populous city.

Jamestown was the first British settlement in the United States.

Richmond was the Confederate capital during the Civil War.

Virginia became a battlefield during the Civil War. More than half of the fighting took place on Virginia soil. You can visit both George Washington’s House (Mount Vernon) and Thomas Jefferson’s House (Monticello) in Virginia.

The state song is “Carry Me Back to Old Virginia”.

The state fossil, Chesapechten Jeffersonius, is named after the Chesapeake Bay and Thomas Jefferson.

Timeline Overview:

1607 – The Jamestown Colony is founded by the Virginia Company.
1613 – Pocahontas is captured and held for ransom. She later married Thomas Rolfe, an Englishman.
1624 – Virginia becomes a royal colony.
1676 – Bacon’s Rebellion burns down the town of Jamestown.
1698 – Williamsburg becomes the capital.
1765 – Patrick Henry speaks out against the Stamp Act.
1776 – Thomas Jefferson of Virginia writes the Declaration of Independence.
1781 – British defeat at Yorktown, ending the Revolutionary War.
1788 – Virginia becomes the tenth state.
1789 – Virginian George Washington is elected the first President of the United States.
1801 – Thomas Jefferson is elected as the third President of the United States.
1859 – Abolitionist John Brown raids the Federal Armory at Harpers Ferry, hoping to arm slaves for a rebellion.
1861 – Virginia secedes from the Union and joins the Confederacy, beginning the Civil War.
1863 – West Virginia separates from Virginia and forms its own state.
1865—Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union forces at Appomattox, signaling the end of the Civil War.
1870 – Virginia is admitted back into the Union.
1943 – The Pentagon Building, home of the United States Department of Defense, opens in Arlington.
2001 – A hijacked airliner crashes into the Pentagon as part of the September 11 terrorist attacks.