History of West Virginia

The first permanent European settlement in West Virginia was established in 1731 by Morgan Morgan on Mill Creek. The state was part of the Virginia until 1861.

The area around West Virginia has been inhabited for over 15,000 years. Prior to the arrival of Europeans, the region was inhabited by numerous native American peoples. These people were largely hunter gatherers and mound builders.

In the 1640s, the Indian tribes (Iroquois and Cherokee), conquered the region driving the old inhabitants. The population increased as people came in to establish fur trade. These people came in conflict with the French who ruled the area at that time. In 1758, the English captured Fort Duquesne and claimed the Ohio valley and the surrounding regions.

West Virginia had an important role to play in the Revolutionary War. The British with the aid of the native Americans invaded the area thrice. The people in the area supported the US constitution and ratified it. They favored a strong federal government that would aid in the development of the area around the Ohio river.

In 1861, Virginia seceded from the Union, and the western counties that were loyal to the Union consented to the separation of present-day West Virginia from Virginia. The Congress and President Lincoln approved of the proposition and West Virginia entered the Union on June 20, 1863.

After achieving statehood, slavery was abolished in the state in 1865. However, the African Americans in the state were allowed to vote and hold office not until 1872. In 1866, the radical Republicans disenfranchised all persons who had aided the Confederacy. Soon this act was annulled by the Democrats who came to power.

The dispute over the capital of West Virginia was resolved in 1885; Charleston was made the capital.

The beginning years of the nineteenth century were marked with great economic progress. During the First World War, the great chemical industry was founded which boosted the economy. There was an unprecedented rise as many mines and the steel mills were founded. Industrialization increased and with it came urbanization. However, the period of prosperity was not long lasting as the Great Depression of the 1930s hit the state hard. There was widespread poverty and unemployment.

The economy revived in the 1960s, as federal aid was provided. In the 1970s, the coal industry in the state flourished and enhanced the economy of the state. Recession hit again in the 1980s as energy prices fell and unemployment increased. It was one of the most turbulent time in the history of the state. By 1983 the unemployment rate in the state had risen to 21% .