Virginia

From ArticleWorld

Virginia (also known as The Commonwealth of Virginia) is an American State. It was one of the original 13 that revolted against the British ruling and played its role in the American Revolution. Another name that has been given to the state is “Mother of President”. This is because of the fact that 8 of the former American presidents were born in Virginia.

History

The history of the Commonwealth of Virginia can be divided in 5 timeframes:

1. Native Time – When it first originated, the region was populated by Native Americans. The British colonized it and eventually the population moved more towards what is nowadays considered American. During this time many of the inhabitants were the original people that lived there before Britain’s influence.
2. 1607-1776 – This is when the name of the region was given. Queen Elizabeth I of England (also known as The Virgin Queen because she never got married) named the territory explored by Sir Walter Raleigh as Virginia. The first capital of the state, then regarded to as a colony, was Jamestown. It remained so until 1698, when a fire destroyed the State House. It then moved to Williamsburg.
3. The New State – This period is mainly marked by the American Revolutionary War. During it, in 1780, Richmond became the capital of Virginia. This happened at the request of Governor Thomas Jefferson. The reason behind it was purely strategic because of the location of Williamsburg. On the 12th of June, 1776, the Virginia Declaration of Rights was adopted at the Virginia Convention. In the years to come, changes in the actual territory that was a part of the newly formed commonwealth were the most important actions taken.
4. American Civil War – On April 17, 1861, Virginia seceded from the Union. It then turned into the Confederacy and the Civil War that followed was not beneficial for the area. Most of the battles during the conflict were held on the commonwealth’s soil. After the war, the region remained under military law and eventually joined the Union again (January 26, 1870).
5. The 20th century – A timeframe that still goes on nowadays.

Demography

Virginia has a population of over 7.5 million people. This was assessed in 2005 and it is continuing to rise every year. The increase is based on migration from other states and a positive census of over 230,000 people in the same year. The dominant race that can be found in Virginia is White non Hispanic. The constant numerous numbers of people inhabiting the area and the multitude of nationalities that are present have made it possible for Virginia to be a leading cultural city in the country. Over 80% of the population is Christian, with Protestants being the most numerous.