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I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!-- Patrick Henry
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4th
Grade |
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Words to Know: |
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Fall Line: the natural border between the Coastal Plain (Tidewater) and Piedmont regions, where waterfalls prevent further travel on the river. Plateau:
area of elevated land that is flat on top Peninsula: a piece of land bordered by water on 3 sides (The Eastern Shore in VA is a peninsula)
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Reconstruction: the period following the Civil War in which Congress passed laws designed to rebuild the country and bring the southern states back into the Union Segregation: the separation of people, usually based on race or religion Discrimination: an unfair difference in the treatment of people Desegregation: abolishment of racial segregation Integration: full equality of all races in the use of public facilities
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Cash Crop : a crop that is grown to sell for money rather than for use by the growers Barter: trading/exchanging of goods and services without the use of money Money: a medium of exchange (an example is currency, which includes coins and paper bills) Credit: buying a good or service now and paying for it later Debt: a good or service owed to another Saving: money put away to save or to spend at a later time
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Region |
Geography |
Characteristics |
Products |
Industries |
People
Who Settled Here |
Located
near the Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay (includes the Eastern Shore);
east of the Fall Line |
Flat
land |
Seafood |
Shipbuilding,
tourism, federal military installations |
Mainly the English; also Africans
and American Indians |
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West
of the Fall Line |
Has rolling
hills |
Tobacco
products, information technology |
Technology,
federal and state government, farming, textiles |
Mainly the English; also Africans
and American Indians |
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Located between the Piedmont and Valley and Ridge Regions; part of the Appalachian mountain system |
Old,
rounded mountains; a source of many rivers |
Apples |
Recreation
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The Mountains separated different Indian tribes |
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Located
west of the Blue Ridge Mountains; part of the Appalachian mountain system |
Includes
the Great Valley of Virginia and other valleys separated by ridges |
Poultry, apples |
Farming |
Germans and Scotch-Irish |
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Located
in Southwest Virginia |
Only
a small part of plateau located in Virginia |
Coal |
Coal mining |
American Indians |
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of page
What borders Virginia?
States:
Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina
(if you're having trouble remembering all of the states,
try this fun saying:
My Wacky Kids
Talk Nutty)
Bodies of Water: Atlantic Ocean and
the Chesapeake Bay
Let's
take a closer look at the Rivers of Virginia:
Each
river was a source of food and provided a pathway for exploration and settlement
of Virginia
River |
Location |
Major
cities located nearby |
Potomac
River |
Flows
into the Chesapeake Bay |
Alexandria
located along the Potomac River |
Rappahannock
River |
Flows
into the Chesapeake Bay |
Fredericksburg
located on the Rappahannock River |
| James River |
Flows
into the Chesapeake Bay |
Richmond
and Jamestown located on the James River |
York
River |
Flows
into the Chesapeake Bay |
Yorktown
located on the York River |
Having trouble remembering
all of the Rivers of Virginia? Try this fun saying:
Please Remember
Your Jacket!
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The 3 Major Language Groups of the Native Americans in Virginia:
Language
Group |
Tribes |
Where
It Was Spoken |
Algonquian |
Powhatan |
Tidewater
Region |
Siouan |
Monacan,
Mannahoac |
Piedmont
Region |
Iroquoian |
Cherokee |
Southwestern
Virginia and in Southern Virginia near what is today North Carolina |
Virginia Facts found here!
Take a Virginia Geography Quiz here!
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The Seal of Virginia |
Virginia State Flag |
View a Virginia Time Line here!
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The
Early History of Virginia:
The climate of Virginia is relatively mild with distinct seasons-- spring,
summer, fall, and winter-- resulting in a variety of plants, or vegetation.
Forests, which have a variety of trees, cover most of the land. Virginia's
Indians are referred to as Eastern
Woodland Indians.
They adapted to the land in many ways-- for example, the kinds of food they
ate, the clothing they wore, and the shelters they had all depended on the
seasons.
How
the Eastern Woodland Indians adapted to their environment:
Food: in Winter, they hunted birds and
animals; in Spring, they fished and picked berries; in Summer, they grew crops
(beans, corn, squash); in Fall, they harvested the crops
Clothing: animal skins (deerskin) were
used
Shelter: they used materials around
them for shelter
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of page
JAMESTOWN
England wanted to establish
an American colony to increase her wealth and power. England hoped to find
silver and gold in America. They also wanted an American settlement that would
give them materials that could not be grown or found in England. This settlement
would also open new markets for trade. In 1606, the stockholders of the Virginia
Company of London financed the settlement of Jamestown, the first permanent
English settlement in North America. In June, 1607, over 100 men set out to
Jamestown on 3 ships: The
Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery.The journey was long and difficult.
Many men died or became very sick from storms, diseases, and little food.
Those that did survive arrived in December, 1607. Jamestown was located on
a narrow peninsula bordered on 3 sides by the James River. Today, Jamestown
is located on an island in the James River.
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The Godspeed, Discovery, and Susan Constant in Jamestown |
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of page
Jamestown's location
was chosen for 3 reasons:
1. The location could be easily defended from attack by sea
2. The water along the shore was deep enough for ships to dock
3. They believed they had a good supply of fresh water
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James Fort: the fort the settlers built when arriving at Jamestown |
But there were many problems... the drinking water was contaminated by the salt water from the ocean, diseases spread because of the dirty living conditions, and fire destroyed many wooden buildings at Jamestown. The capital was then moved to Williamsburg because of these reasons.
Later, though, the capital was moved to Richmond because: 1) people were moving westward, 2) Richmond was a more central location, 3) Richmond was a better location for trading, and 4) Richmond was further inland, so it helped protect the settlers from attack by the English
Tobacco was a crop that thrived in Virginia. It became the most profitable agricultural product and was sold in England as a cash crop. Slaves were brought into the colony from Africa against their will to work on the plantations. The Virginia colony depended on slave labor for a very long time. Tobacco was used as money to pay for goods and services since Colonial Virginia had no banks.
What
is the Virginia House of Burgesses?
It is a group of
people who represent the citizens of Virginia. In 1619, the first meeting
of the House of Burgesses was at a church in Jamestown. It was the 1st elected
legislative body in America that gave settlers the opportunity to control
their own government. Famous members were Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson,
and George Washington. The Virginia House of Burgesses then became the General
Assembly of Virginia and continues to be known as this name today! There are
2 parts of the General Assembly-- the Senate and the House of Delegates.
There
are 3 branches of Government in Virginia:
1) Legislative Branch- includes the General Assembly,
which makes state laws
2) Executive Branch- headed by the Governor and
makes sure the laws are carried out
3) Judicial Branch- the state's court system; decides
cases about people accused of breaking the law and whether or not a law agrees
with Virginia's constitution
The English
government, or Parliament, believed it had the power to govern the colonies,
but the colonists disagreed. Parliament also believed it had the right to
tax the colonies, but the colonists did not think this was fair since they
had no one to represent them in Parliament. England enforced the Stamp
Act, which angered colonists. Then, the Boston
Tea Party occurred in the Boston Harbor. Thomas Jefferson and others gathered
together as the Continental Congress and signed the Declaration
of Independence. All of these things led to the Revolutionary War since
colonists wanted to be free from England's rule.
See a Revolutionary
War timeline!
Battle Map
of the Revolutionary War
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New York burning in 1776 |
People
to Know: |
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Captain John Smith: a strong leader of the Jamestown settlement. He helped the colony survive because of his hard work. He also began trading relationships with the Powhatan Indians. |
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Pocahontas: daughter of Chief Powhatan; she believed the English and American Indians could live together in harmony; she began a friendship with the colonists that helped them survive; she saved John Smith's life and later married John Rolfe |
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Powhatan: the leader, or Chief, of the Powhatan Indians |
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George Washington: the Commander-in-Chief for the Continental Army, he led troops during the Revolutionary war and defeated the English. He was elected as the 1st President of the United States of America and is often called the "Father of Our Country". He lived in Virginia and was a surveyor and farmer at his home called Mount Vernon. |
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James Madison: he is known as the "Father of the Constitution" because he helped write the Constitution of the United States of America. This was a very difficult task because he worked hard at helping the delegates of the Constitutional Convention make compromises and reach agreements. James Madison was elected the 4th President of the United States and was a native of Virginia. |
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Thomas Jefferson: wrote the Declaration of Independence, which states that all people are created equal and have rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It also says that the power to govern, or make laws, belongs to the people rather than to kings. He also wrote The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which states that all people should be free to worship as they please. This document was the basis for the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America. He was the 3rd President of the United States and was a native of Virginia (his home, Monticello, is in Charlottesville). |
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George Mason: wrote The Virginia Declaration of Rights, which states that all Virginians should have certain rights, including freedom of religion and freedom of the press. The document became the basis for the Bill of Rights of the Constitution of the United States of America. Also a Virginia native, his home is at Gunston Hall. |
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Updated 11/19/06