History of Virginia

Colony of Virginia

The history of Virginia is 12,000 years old. The Algonquin people had founded towns such as Werowocomoco , which was referred to as Tsenacommacah. In 1607, the native Tidewater population was between 13,000 to 14,000. In 1583, a charter was granted to Walter Raleigh by Queen Elizabeth I of England to explore and establish a colony north of Spanish Florida. The London company was granted land rights to this area. The company financed the first permanent English settlement in the "New World", Jamestown, founded in May 1607. In 1619, the first African workers were imported and slavery was codified after the 1654 lawsuit. The settlement was taken into royal authority in 1624 and was known as British crown colony.

Statehood

On May 15,1776 , the Virginia Convention declared Virginia's independence from the British Empire. It adopted George Mason's Virginia Declaration of Rights, which was later included in the constitution. George Mason's Declaration influenced Thomas Jefferson in drafting the national Declaration of Independence. George Washington was selected to head the colonial army. During this time, the capital was shifted to Richmond. In 1781, George Washington's army, along with the French forces, defeated the British General Cornwallis in the decisive Siege of Yorktown. On October 19, 1781, Cornwallis surrendered, thus securing the independence of the colonies.

Virginia is often referred to as "Mother of States" because of its role in being carved into states like Kentucky. It also played a pivotal in the Constitution of United States of America. Virginia ratified the constitution on June 25, 1788, a year after James Madison drafted the Virginia Plan.

American Civil War and Virginia

The discontent about slavery in Virginia led to Nat Turner's slave rebellion in 1831. Virginia seceded from the United States on April 17, 1861 and joined the Confederate States of America on April 24. Many battles were fought in Virginia during the war, including, Bull Run, the Seven Days Battles, Chancellorsville and the concluding Battle of Appomattox Court House. Virginia was formally restored to the United States of America in 1870.

Recent History

The restoration of colonial-era buildings, by Dr. W.A.R Goodwin in 1926, led to the development of Colonial Williamsburg, which is now the state's most popular tourist site. Pentagon was built during the Second World War. It was one of the targets of the September 11 attacks. The African-American Civil Rights Movement (1955-1968) gained many participants from the state. It eventually led to enforcement of civil rights for African Americans under the Civil Rights Act. In 1989, Douglas Wilder became the first African American to be elected as the governor in the United States of America.

Virginia State Profile

Business and Economy Virginia Universities

Virginia Geography Virginia History

Virginia Places