Virginia

 

Virginia Economy

AGRICULTURE: apples, cattle, chickens,
corn, cotton, eggs, milk, peanuts,
soybeans, tobacco, tomatoes, turkeys.

MINING: coal, iron oxide, lime,
sand, stone.

MANUFACTURING: chemicals, clothing,
electronics, food processing, furniture,
lumber and wood products, machinery,
paper products, textiles, tobacco
products, transportation equipment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Virginia Geography

Total Area: 42,326 sq. miles
Land area: 39,598 sq. miles
Water Area: 2,728 sq. miles
Geographic Center: 5 mi. SW of Buckingham
Highest Point: Mount Rogers
(5,729 ft.)
Lowest Point: Atlantic Ocean
(sea level)
Highest Recorded Temp.: 110˚ F (7/15/1954)
Lowest Recorded Temp.: –30˚ F (1/22/1985)

 

The eastern border of the state is the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay. The Appalachian mountains run along the Northeastern border. The western part of the state is mountainous crossed by the Blue Ridge Mountains.

 

 

 

Cities

Virginia Beach, 450,189
Norfolk, 244,076
Chesapeake, 242,634
Richmond , 228,773
Newport News , 180,719
Alexandria , 139,966
Hampton , 137,436
Roanoke , 97,032
Portsmouth, 95,535
Suffolk, 84,585

Virginia History

1607 Jamestown the first permanent European settlement in the New World was
established.
1612 John Rolfe began the cultivation of tobacco.
1614 Pocohonatas married John Rolfe after converting to christianity.
1676 Nathaniel Bacon led an unsuccessful rebellion which ended in his death.
1693 the college of William and Mary was founded.
1754 George Washington led Virginia troops against French forces in the Ohio
Valley.
1765 Patrick Henry presented the Virginia Resolutions.
1775 Patrick Henry gave his Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death speech.
1780 Benedict Arnold led a force of 27 British troops into the James River.
1781 British General Cornwallis was forced to surrender at Yorktown thus
effectively ending the Revolutionary War.
1788 After a lengthy debate. Virginia ratified the Constitution.
1807 The British frigate HMS Leopard attacked the USS Chesapeake off the
Virginia capes.
1831 The Nat Turner slave rebellion occurred.
1859 John Brown seizes the US arsenal at Harpers Ferry, hoping it would begin
a large scale slave rebellion. He was hung.
1861 The Virginia state convention voted for secession.
First Battleof Manassas.
1862 The Battle of the Merrimac and Monitor took place at Hampton Roads.
Battle of Cedar Mountain,
Second Battle of Manasas,
Battle of Fredericksburg,
1863 Battle of Chancellorsville.
1864 Battle of the Wilderness,
Battle of Cold Harbor,
Battle of Petersburg.
1865 The Union captures Petersburg
Richmond was evacuated
Lee surrendered at Appomattox on April 9th 1865.
1964 The world's first Atomic powered aircraft carrier the USS Enterprise was
launched at Newport News.

 

Famous People

Russell Baker
Richard E. Byrd
William Clark
Henry Clay
William H. Harrison
Patrick Henry
Sam Houston
Thomas Jefferson
Robert E. Lee
Meriwether Lewis
James Madison
John Marshall
Cyrus McCormick
James Monroe
Walter Reed
Matthew Ridgway
George C. Scott
James “Jeb” Stuart
Zachary Taylor
Nat Turner
John Tyler ;
Booker T. Washington
George Washington
Woodrow Wilson

 

 

 

Virginia National Sites

1) Appomattox Court House National Historical Park
This is the site of the final surrender of the General Lee to General Grant which ended the Civil War.

2) Arlington House–The Robert E. Lee Memorial
This site located on the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery was the home of Robert E Lee until he resigned his commission the US army. The land was confiscated by the federal government and turned into a national cemetery. The 26 room mansion is today being restored to the way it looked in 1861.

3) Booker T. Washington National Monument
This is the birthplace of Booker T Washington. The visitor center tells the story of the life of Washington and his accomplishments as the founder of the Tuskegee Institute.

4) Colonial National Historic Park
This site is located on the site of the Jamestown the first permanent english settlement in the new world. The 9,833 acre park also includes the Yorktown Battlefield.

5) Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania County Battlefields Memorial National Military Park
Four major battles took place between 1862 and 1864 in the area of Fredericksburg. Those battles are remembered at this National Military Park that has four separate units representing the separate battles that took place here.

6) George Washington Birthplace National Monument
This 558 acres park is the place where George Washington was born. Included in the park is Washington burial ground where 32 Washingtons were buried.

7) Manassas National Battlefield Park
The first major battle of the Civil War was fought here on July 21, 1861. This 3,100 acre park preserves the battlefield of this and the second battle of Manassas that took place on August 29th and 30th 1862.

8) Petersburg National Battlefield
On June 15th Union troops attempted to captured Petersburg but were repulsed, they then enveloped Petersburg in a siege. The battlefield is preserved at this park.

9) Red Hill, The Patrick Henry National Memorial
This was the last home and burial place of Patrick Henry, one of the leaders of Virginia in during the period of the Revolutionary War. He is best known for his words “Give me liberty , or give me death”

10) Richmond National Battlefield Park
There were two major attempts to capture Richmond during the civil War, the seven days campaign and the battle of Cold Harbor. This park preserves these battlefields as well as other Civil war sites around Richmond.

11) Shenandoah National Park
This 200,000 acre park covers the Shenandoah Valley which is part of the Blue Ridge Mountain. A highlight of the park is 105 mile Skyline drive.