Notable People in Virginia
History
Notable People Table of Contents
Click on the topic to go directly to it
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Newport
John Smith
Chief Powhatan
Pocahontas
John Rolfe
George Washington
Thomas Jefferson
James Lafayette
Patrick Henry
James Madison
George Mason
Nat Turner
Harriet Tubman
John Brown
Abraham Lincoln
Robert E. Lee
“Stonewall” Jackson
Ulysses S. Grant
Maggie Walker
Harry S. Byrd
Arthur Ashe
L. Douglas Wilder
Assessment
One
Two
Three
Four
Click on back arrow to return to this slide
Christopher Columbus
• He discovered the “New
World.”
• He called the people he
found in the lands he
discovered “Indians”
because he thought he was
in the Indies (near China).
Christopher Newport
Captain of the the ships
which transported the
first settlers to the
Jamestown colony.
He returned to the colony
with additional colonists
and supplies a year later.
Captain John Smith
Leader of the
Jamestown colony.
He had one simple
rule which helped
restore order to the
colony “He that will
not work, will not
eat.”
He initiated trading
relationships with the
Powhatan Indians.
Chief Powhatan
The leader of the
Powhatan Confederacy, a
group of 30 Algonquian
Indian tribes.
Powhatan was initially
friendly to the English
colonists.
Mutual trade developed
between the Powhatans
and the colonists .
Pocahontas
Pocahontas was the
daughter of Chief
Powhatan.
As a child she often
visited the Jamestown
Colony.
She persuaded Chief
Powhatan to provide
food to the starving
colonists.
John Rolfe
A tobacco farmer
Married Pocahontas
and together they had
one son, Thomas.
George Washington
Commander-in-chief of
the Continental Army.
First President of the
United States of America .
Often called the “Father
of Our Country.”
Thomas Jefferson
He wrote the
Declaration of
Independence.
He wrote the Virginia
Statue for Religious
Freedom, which
served as the basis for
the First Amendment
of the U. S.
Constitution
James Armistead Lafayette
Slave from Virginia
who served in the
Continental Army.
Given his freedom
after the war.
Patrick Henry
He spoke out against
taxation without
representation by
saying, “…give me
liberty or give me
death.”
George Mason
He wrote the Virginia
Declaration of Rights,
which became the
basis for the Bill of
Rights of the U. S.
Constitution.
James Madison
He kept detailed notes
during the
Constitutional
Convention.
Often called the “Father
of the Constitution.”
Nat Turner
He led a revolt against
plantation owners in
Virginia.
Harriet Tubman
She established a
secret route that
escaped slaves took,
which became known
as the “Underground
Railroad.”
John Brown
He led a raid on the
United States Armory
(Arsenal) at Harpers
Ferry, Virginia.
He was trying to start
a slave rebellion.
He was captured and
hanged.
Abraham Lincoln
President of the United
States during the Civil
War.
After becoming President
some southern states
seceded from the Union
and formed the
Confederate States of
America.
Robert E. Lee
Confederate General.
Commander of the Army of
Northern Virginia.
Surrendered to General
Grant at Appomattox Court
House and ended the Civil
War.
Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson
Confederate general.
Played a major role in
the First Battle of Bull
Run (or Manassas).
Ulysses S. Grant
Union General
He lead the Union
army that captured
and burned
Richmond.
Maggie Walker
First African
American woman to
become a bank
president in the
United States.
Harry S. Byrd
Former governor of
Virginia.
Known for a “Pay As
You Go” policy for
road improvements.
He modernized
Virginia state
government.
Arthur Ashe
First African American
winner of a major men’s
tennis singles
championship.
Author and eloquent
spokesperson for social
change.
L. Douglas Wilder
Former Governor of
Virginia.
First African American
to be elected a state
governor in the United
States.
Assessment – 1 of 4
Who was the Commander of the Continental Army
during the American Revolution?
Answer
Who was the first African American woman to become
President of a bank president in the United States?
Answer
Who from the Jamestown Colony initiated trading
relationships with the Powhatan Indians?
Answer
Assessment – 2 of 4
What document, written by George Mason became the
basis for the Bill of Rights of the U. S. Constitution?
Answer
Who was the first African American winner of a men’s
tennis singles championship, a author and a eloquent
spokesperson for Social Change?
Answer
Who was commander of the Army of Northern Virginia
during the Civil War?
Answer
Assessment – 3 of 4
Who is referred to as the “Father of Our Nation?”
Answer
Why did Christopher Columbus call the natives living in
the lands he discovered Indians?
Answer
What document written by Thomas Jefferson became the
basis for the first Amendment of the U. S. Constitution?
Answer
Assessment – 4 of 4
Harry Byrd was known for what type of policy for road
improvements?
Answer
Who persuaded Chief Powhatan to provide food to the
starving Jamestown colonists?
Answer
What did some southern states do after Abraham Lincoln
become President of the United States ?
Answer
Continental Army
George Washington
was the commander
of the Continental
Army during the
American Revolution.
Credits
• Virginia Studies Curriculum Framework,
Commonwealth of Virginia, Board of Education, 2001
• Virginia Studies Posters
(http://chumby.dlib.vt.edu/melissa/posters/vastudiesposter.html)
• Google Image Search (www.google.com/images)