Virginia – The Old Dominion State

North America

August 23, 2022

Virginia is the 10th state of the United States. The standard abbreviation for the “The Old Dominion”, as it is nicknamed, is VA. The capital is Richmond. Virginia is one of four states, along with Kentucky, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, that call themselves a commonwealth. The state is bordered to the northwest by West Virginia, to the northeast by Maryland and the District of Columbia, to the west by Kentucky and to the south by Tennessee and North Carolina.

History

According to EJIAXING, Virginia is the first colony of America’s 13 colonies. The name refers to the “Virgin Queen” (“Virgin Queen”) Elizabeth I of England. Originally the name referred to a much larger area, the area explored by Sir Walter Raleigh’s expedition of 1584. Jamestown was founded in 1607, the oldest permanent English settlement in the New World that still exists. King Charles II nicknamed Virginia, which had remained loyal to the monarchy throughout the English Civil War, “The Old Dominion”.

The colony owed its first economic boom to tobacco cultivation. In the late 18th century, cotton started to become the main export product. For tobacco cultivation, the planters first recruited white workers (“indentured labourers”), who during their contract period did not differ much in status from slaves, but after seven years were given complete freedom and then usually started a small farm themselves. Around 1700, however, the planters mainly made use of other slaves, who then remained in slavery for life. Virginia thus became a slave state, where 30 to 40% of the population consisted of slaves.

This state was one of thirteen colonies that revolted against British rule in the 18th century. Virginia became the 10th state of the United States on June 25, 1788. During the American Civil War, Virginia sided with the Confederate States of America, after which the western part of the state seceded to form West Virginia. The First Battle of Bull Run took place in Virginia. Its first president, George Washington, owned Mount Vernon, a Virginia plantation that is now a museum.

The west of the state is dominated by the Appalachians, the east, on the other hand, is quite flat. The Maryland border partially coincides with the Potomac River, which flows into Chesapeake Bay. The southeast of the state is located on this bay and on the Atlantic Ocean. A portion of the Delmarva Peninsula, on the other side of the bay, belongs to Virginia but is not connected to it by land.

Shenandoah National Park

In the Blue Ridge Mountains of the state of Virginia is a small park called Shenandoah. The Blue Ridge Mountains are like the beginning or stepping stone to the Appalachian Mountain Range. The park is known for its 170 km long Skyline Drive which takes the admirer of the park past all the sights. There are more than 75 viewpoints on the route and there are parking bays from where you can make trips into nature. Hills, valleys and waterfalls surrounded by beautiful nature are the ingredients for a wonderful visit. The Shenandoah Valley is a valley through which the river of the same name also runs. Incidentally, the park owes its name to it.

This area was given the status of National Park in 1935 and it measures a total area of 787 square kilometers. When visiting the park, one should definitely make trips and go into the country. By not doing this, you miss a lot of the beauty of the park. A special trip would be the 153 km long Appalachian Trail. This route is the longest continuous footpath in the world. If you plan to make multi-day trips in the backcountry, it is mandatory to get a free backcountry use permit at one of the Visitor Centers. Skyline Drive connects to the Blue Ridge Parkway with a 755-mile road through the Appalachian Mountains.