Outline of Virginia
Virginia, a Southern State of the United States, was the site of some of the most important events in American history. The first permanent English settlement in America was made at Jamestown in 1607. In 1619, the Jamestown colonists established the first representative legislature in America. Some of the greatest battles of the Revolutionary War in America and the American Civil War were fought in Virginia. American independence from the United Kingdom was assured when George Washington forced Lord Cornwallis to surrender at Yorktown in 1781. The Civil War ended when Confederate forces surrendered at Appomattox in 1865.
Factories in Virginia make tobacco products, chemicals, transportation equipment, processed foods, and many other products. Shipyards in the Hampton Roads area build ships for the U.S. Navy and for commercial use. Tobacco, cattle, and chickens are Virginia's leading farm products. Coal is the leading mineral product. Many agencies of the federal government have offices in northeastern Virginia, which lies next to Washington, D.C. These offices include the Pentagon and the headquarters of the Central Intelligence Agency. Virginia also has several military bases.
Tourists from all parts of the United States come to Virginia to see its battlefields, famous old churches, colonial homes, and other historic sites. Famous homes include George Washington's Mount Vernon, Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, and George Mason's Gunston Hall. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the grave of President John F. Kennedy are in Arlington National Cemetery. The cemetery surrounds the mansion of Robert E. Lee and his wife, Mary Custis Lee. Williamsburg, Virginia's second colonial capital, has been restored to look as it did in the 1700's. Guides in colonial costumes add to the historic atmosphere.
Many tourists also come to see Virginia's beautiful scenery. The Skyline Drive along the top of the Blue Ridge offers spectacular views of the Shenandoah Valley. In this fertile valley, General Stonewall Jackson won victories over Union armies during the Civil War. Virginia's natural wonders include the Natural Bridge, Natural Chimneys, Natural Tunnel, and many large caves.
Virginia has the nickname Mother of Presidents because eight U.S. presidents were born there. They include four of the first five presidents-George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe. Other presidents born in Virginia were William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor, and Woodrow Wilson. Virginia also has the nickname Mother of States. All or part of eight other states were formed from western territory once claimed by Virginia. These states are Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Most of Virginia's people live in the state's eight metropolitan areas. Five of these metropolitan areas lie entirely within Virginia. The areas are Charlottesville, Danville, Lynchburg, Richmond-Petersburg, and Roanoke. The Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Newport News area extends into North Carolina. Five of Virginia's counties and five of the state's cities are included in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. The Johnson City-Kingsport (Tennessee)-Bristol (Virginia) metropolitan area extends into Scott and Washington counties and includes the city of Bristol in Virginia.
Virginia is known for its stately old homes and other historic sites. The most popular homes include George Washington's Mount Vernon near Alexandria, and Thomas Jefferson's Monticello near Charlottesville. Williamsburg, Virginia's second colonial capital, has been restored to look as it did in the 1700's. Many visitors drive along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains. They travel on the Skyline Drive in the north, and on the Blue Ridge Parkway in the south. In spring, azaleas, dogwoods, and laurels bloom on the mountain slopes. In autumn, the leaves of hardwood trees and shrubs turn bright red, orange, and yellow. The Atlantic Ocean, Chesapeake Bay, and tidal rivers offer boating activities, fishing, and beach sports. Virginia Beach is an especially popular ocean resort. Virginia's mountains offer hiking, camping, and hunting. Virginia has many resort and public golf courses.
Virginia was named for Queen Elizabeth I of England, who was known as the Virgin Queen. Historians think the English adventurer Sir Walter Raleigh suggested the name about 1584. That year, Elizabeth gave Raleigh permission to colonize the Virginia region. Virginia is also known as the Old Dominion. King Charles II gave it this name because it remained loyal to the crown during the English Civil War of the mid-1600's. Virginia is one of four states officially called commonwealths. The others are Kentucky, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy from May 1861 to April 1865, is Virginia's capital. According to the 2000 census, Virginia Beach is the state's largest city.
