Virginia The Old Dominion by Jean Kirschenmann Virginia is a state of contrasts—from the suburbs of Washington, D.C., in northern Virginia to the Great Dismal Swamp in the south and from the scenic mountaintops in the west to the beachside resorts along its eastern shore. Virginia became a state in 1788, the tenth state to join the Union. Virginia’s complex story is closely tied to the story of the United States, but it also has several chapters all its own. Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, some of the oldest mountains in the world, have been worn down over time, taking on the appearance of gently rolling hills. The Tidewater The Chesapeake Bay, which is 200 miles long, cuts deep into the eastern coast of the United States. The flat lands that border it are known as the Tidewater. This region takes its name from the fact that the ocean tides reach into the waters of the bay. The Eastern Shore of Virginia—actually a peninsula separated from the rest of Vir- ginia by the Chesapeake Bay—shelters the bay from the sometimes turbulent waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Over 40 rivers empty into the Chesapeake Bay, making it a vast estuary where fresh water from rivers Geography mingles with the salty water of the ocean. Virginia is the twelfth largest state in In the southeastern corner of the the United States in terms of population Tidewater lies the Great Dismal Swamp. It with just over 7,700,000 people, and it is was named by early British explorers who 35th in terms of area with approximately found it to be a mysterious and frighten- 42,800 square miles of land. This makes ing place. Today, it is a noted wildlife Virginia similar in size and population to refuge and home to a wide range of fauna the country of Switzerland. from newts to black bears. At the center of Virginia has three major geographic the swamp is Lake Drummond, a rather regions. These regions have played, and large natural lake, one of only two in continue to play, a central role in the Virginia. (All other lakes in Virginia were The state capitol building in Richmond was originally history, commerce, and social life of the made by damming up rivers and streams.) designed by Thomas Jefferson, people who live in them. Virginia’s major centers of population third president of the United States. are also located in the Tidewater. These include the state’s largest city and resort center, Virginia Beach, and the nearby port cities of Norfolk and Newport News. The Piedmont The word piedmont comes from the French language and means, literally, “the foot of the mountain.” Indeed, the Pied- mont of Virginia is a series of gentle roll- ing hills increasing in elevation as one travels west from the Tidewater region to the Blue Ridge Mountains. The major city of the Piedmont is Richmond, a city of about 200,000 and Virginia’s capital since 1780. Besides the usual government offic- es found in any capital city, Richmond is known for its beautiful historic buildings, 40 2 0 0 9 N UMBER 3 | E NGLISH T EACHING F ORUM quality museums, and art galleries. The now Virginia. They hunted deer and tur- state capitol building was designed by key and raised corn, squash, beans, and a Thomas Jefferson, the third president of crop that would later have a major impact the United States. In 1888, the first suc- on Virginia—tobacco. They had formed cessful streetcar system in the world began governments, alliances, and empires long operation in Richmond. before Europeans visited the region. French and Spanish explorers were the The Mountain and Valley first Europeans to visit this area, but they Region did not establish permanent settlements. At the time, England was experiencing Two mountain ranges, the scenic Blue tensions from population growth, reli- Ridge Mountains and the more rugged gious conflict, and a growing rivalry with Allegheny Mountains, part of the Appala- Spain. Establishing British colonies in the chian Mountain Range, form the western Western Hemisphere was seen as a way edge of Virginia. These mountain ranges are to challenge Spain and provide economic among the oldest in the world. Because time opportunity for Englishmen. Tobacco, which grows well in and the elements have worn them down, In numerous attempts over several Virginia’s climate, became the they are not as tall as some other mountain number one crop in the 1600s. decades, the English tried to establish a Colonists made a profit selling chains; nevertheless, they hold breathtaking their tobacco in England. scenery. These two mountain ranges are separated by the Shenandoah River Valley. Climate Virginia has the full range of seasonal changes that are typical of temperate zone climates. Summertime can be hot and humid, and winter can bring some snowy days. However, for the most part, Vir- ginia’s climate is moderated by its latitude and its location on the Atlantic coast. The various geographical regions of the state have different weather patterns. While Tidewater Virginia may see only a few inches of snow each winter, the moun- tainous region may get several feet. Simi- larly, the growing season in the Tidewater can be as long as eight months compared to only five in the west. Beach lovers may be enjoying the sun in Virginia Beach at the same time that winter sports enthusi- asts are skiing in the mountains. A Brief History of Virginia When Europeans began to explore the New World in the late 1500s, Native Americans were living in the area that is E NGLISH T EACHING F ORUM | N UMBER 3 2 0 0 9 41 colony near present-day Virginia co grew well both in the Tidewater, where and North Carolina. More than it was grown on large estates owned by once, they chose places plagued wealthy landowners, and in the Piedmont, by malaria-carrying mosquitoes where it was grown on smaller farms and or arrived too late in the year to homesteads owned by frontiersmen and plant food before winter. More freed servants. Thus tobacco came to be The Virginia state quarter commemorates than once, men became distracted the number one industry in Virginia and the 400th anniversary of from building a settlement by the remained so for many years. the establishment of the settlement at Jamestown in dream of finding riches. Twice, settlers In 1619, Virginia became the first col- 1607 as well as the year who remained in the colony disappeared ony to have elected government officials Virginia became a state (1788). before the next ship arrived from England. when Virginians elected representatives What happened to these lost colonies is to serve as their legislators in a body they still the subject of legend and archaeologi- called the House of Burgesses. cal study. In the latter half of the 18th cen- Finally, in 1607, a British settlement tury, political and economic tensions grew was founded 60 miles upriver from the between Britain and its colonies in North Chesapeake Bay at a site the colonists America. Still, many Virginians continued called Jamestown in honor of their king, to think of themselves as British. From James I. With the strong leadership of 1773 to 1775, Virginians and other colo- Captain John Smith and the aid of the nists debated whether to remain loyal to Powhatan Indians, Jamestown survived Britain or to declare themselves indepen- and became the first permanent British dent. In 1776, representatives from all of settlement in the New World. the colonies met in Philadelphia. Virgin- In 1613, a planter in that settlement, ians played an important role in these Manassas National Battlefield Park, shown here, is the site of John Rolfe, sent the first shipment of Vir- meetings. Richard Henry Lee submitted two major battles of the ginia tobacco to England, where it imme- a motion to declare the colonies’ indepen- American Civil War. Nearly half of all Civil War battles were diately became popular. In Virginia tobac- dence. Thomas Jefferson was chief author fought in Virginia. of the Declaration of Independence, the document that formally declared the thir- teen colonies independent from Great Britain, naming them the United States of America. When the American Revolutionary War broke out, George Washington, from Virginia, was asked to lead the Continen- tal Army in its fight against Britain. The war with Britain ended in 1783, and the new nation was established. By 1787 it was clear that the new nation had a weak national government. James Madison, another Virginian, pre- sented a blueprint for the new consti- tution. Madison’s plan provided for a stronger central government and defined the country as a union of semi-indepen- dent states. Representatives from Virginia 42 2 0 0 9 N UMBER 3 | E NGLISH T E ACHING F ORUM proposed amending the Constitution by adding a Bill of Rights, similar to the one that was already in the Virginia constitu- tion. These ten amendments guarantee all citizens freedom of speech, religion, and other individual rights. After the Consti- tution was ratified, George Washington was elected the first president of the United States of America. Late in the 18th century, the soil of Virginia began to wear out, and tobac- co growers faced difficult times. They brought in more laborers to extract tobac- A Navy ship docks in Norfolk co from the tired land, so by 1790 there ucts, to warships. Virginia is home to two Naval Shipyard, one of the were almost as many slaves in Virginia as largest shipyards in the world of the largest shipyards in the world, the and an important employer in there were free people.