Virginia Studies
SOL Review
4th Grade
VS.2a Bordering States
Go
counterclockwis
e starting with
Maryland.
Mustard With Ketchup Tastes Nasty
Maryland West Virginia Kentucky Tennessee North Carolina
VS.2b Geographic Regions
Go right
to left!
Can Pit Bulls Vote Again
Coastal Plain Piedmont Blue Ridge Mountains Valley and Ridge Appalachian Plateau
VS.2b Geographic Regions
Coastal Plain (Tidewater)



Flat land
Near Atlantic Ocean
and Chesapeake Bay
East of the Fall Line
VS.2b Geographic Regions
Fall Line



(Not a region)
The natural border
between the Coastal
Plain and Piedmont
regions
Waterfalls prevent
further travel on the
river
VS.2b Geographic Regions
Piedmont



(Land at the foot of the
mountains)
Rolling Hills
West of the Fall Line
VS.2b Geographic Regions
Blue Ridge Mountains




Old, rounded mountains
Part of Appalachian
mountain system
Between Piedmont and
Valley and Ridge
Source of many rivers
VS.2b Geographic Regions
Valley and Ridge



Includes the Great
Valley of Virginia and
other valleys separated
by ridges
Part of Appalachian
mountain system
West of Blue Ridge
Mountains
VS.2b Geographic Regions
Appalachian Plateau



Plateau: Area of
elevated land that is flat
on top
Located in Southwest
Virginia
Only a small part of the
plateau is located in VA
VS.2c Water Features
Rivers:
North to
South
Please Recite Your Jokes
Potomac Rappahannock York James
VS.2c Water Features
Atlantic Ocean

Provided
transportation links
between Virginia and
other places
Chesapeake Bay


Provided a safe harbor
Was a source of food
and transportation
VS.2c Water Features
Potomac River



Flows into the
Chesapeake Bay
Alexandria is located
along the Potomac
River
- Alex eats Potatoes
Source of food and
pathway for
exploration and
settlement of VA
VS.2c Water Features
Rappahannock River



Flows into the
Chesapeake Bay
Fredericksburg is located
on the Rappahannock
River
- Fred likes to Rap
Source of food and
pathway for exploration
and settlement of VA
VS.2c Water Features
York River



Flows into the
Chesapeake Bay
Yorktown located
along the York River
Source of food and
pathway for
exploration and
settlement of VA
VS.2c Water Features
James River



Flows into the Chesapeake
Bay
Richmond and Jamestown
are located along the James
River
- King James is Rich
Source of food and
pathway for exploration
and settlement of VA
VS.2c Water Features
Lake Drummond
 Located in Coastal Plain
region
 Shallow natural lake
surrounded by Dismal
Swamp
Dismal Swamp
 Located in Coastal Plain
region
 Variety of wildlife
 George Washington
explored and surveyed
VS.2c Water Features
The Eastern Shore



A peninsula: a piece of
land bordered by water
on three sides
Bordered by the
Chesapeake Bay to the
West and the Atlantic
Ocean to the East
Part of Coastal Plain
(Tidewater) region
VS.2d American Indian
Language Groups


Christopher Columbus called the native people he
found in the lands he explored “Indians” because
he thought he was in the Indies (near China)
Artifacts such as arrowheads, pottery, and tools
that have been found tell a lot about the people who
lived in Virginia
VS.2d American Indian
Language Groups
Three Major Language Groups:

Algonquian

Siouan

Iroquoian
VS.2d American Indian
Language Groups
Algonquian

Spoken primarily in the
Tidewater region

Powhatans were part
of the Algonquian group
- PA
VS.2d American Indian
Language Groups
Siouan

Spoken primarily in the
Piedmont region

Monacan were part of
the Siouan group
- MS
VS.2d American Indian
Language Groups
Iroquoian


Spoken in Southwestern
Virginia and in Southern
Virginia near what is
today North Carolina
The Cherokee were a
part of the Iroquoian
group
- I C “I see”
VS.2e American Indians
and Climate Relation
Climate in Virginia



Relatively mild with distinct seasons – spring,
summer, fall, and winter – resulting in a variety of
vegetation
Forests, which have a variety of trees, cover most
of the land.
Virginia’s Indians are referred to as Eastern
Woodland Indians
VS.2e American Indians
and Climate Relation
Environmental Connections

The kinds of food they ate, the clothing they wore,
and the shelters they had depended on the seasons.

Animal skins (deerskin) were used for clothing

Shelter was made from materials around them.
VS.2e American Indians
and Climate Relation
Foods changed with the seasons

In winter, they hunted birds and animals and lived
on stored foods from the previous fall

In spring, they hunted, fished and picked berries

In summer, they grew crops (beans, corn, squash)

In fall, they harvested crops, and hunted for foods
to preserve and keep for the winter
VS.2e American Indians
and Climate Relation
Native Peoples of the Past and Present
Past
Farmed, hunted, and
fished
 Made homes using
natural resources
 Used animal skins for
clothing in the winter

Present
Most live like other
Americans
 Culture has changed
over time

VS.2f Archaeology of
Werowocomoco and Jamestown


Archaeologists study all kinds of material
evidence left from people of the past
They help us understand the past
VS.2f Archaeology of
Werowocomoco and Jamestown
Werowocomoco
A large Indian town used by Indian leaders for
several hundred years before the English settlers
came
 The headquarters of the leader, Powhatan, in 1607

VS.2f Archaeology of
Werowocomoco and Jamestown
Jamestown
 Became the first permanent settlement in North
America
 Archaeologists discovered the site of the original fort
 Artifacts give archaeologists clues about the
interactions of the English, Africans, and Indians in
early Virginia
VS.2g Current StateRecognized Tribes

American Indians, who trace their family
history back to before 1607, continue to live
in all parts of Virginia today.
VS.2g Current StateRecognized Tribes
Coastal Plain Region







Chickahominy Tribe
Eastern Chickahominy Tribe
Mattaponi Tribe
Nansemond Tribe
Pamunkey Tribe
Rappahannock Tribe
Upper Mattaponi Tribe
Piedmont Region

Monacan Tribe
VS.3a Reasons for English
Colonization
Reasons for English colonization
in America

England wanted to establish an
American colony to increase itswealth
and power
- England hoped to find silver and gold
in America
- An American settlement would furnish
raw materials that could not be grown
or obtained in England, while opening
new markets for trade
VS.3a Reasons for English
Colonization
Jamestown

Primarily an economic venture

The stockholders of the Virginia company of
London financed the settlement

Jamestown became the first permanent English
settlement in North America in 1607
VS.3b Geography of Jamestown
When the settlers arrived in 1607, Jamestown was
located on a narrow peninsula bordered on three
sides by the James River. Today, Jamestown is
located on an island in the James River.
Reasons for Site Choice



Could be easily defended from attack by
sea (Spanish)
Water along the shore was deep enough for ships to
dock
Believed they had a good supply of fresh water
VS.3c The Virginia Company of
London Charters
Importance of Virginia Charters

The King of England granted charters to the
Virginia Company of London to:
- establish a settlement in North America
- extend English rights to the settlers
VS.3d The Virginia Assembly
System of Government



In 1619, the governor of Virginia called a meeting of
the General Assembly.
The assembly included two representatives (called
“burgesses”) from each of the divisions of Virginia,
the governor’s council, and the governor. They met
as one legislative body.
At that time, only certain free adult men had the
right to take part
VS.3d The Virginia Assembly
Virginia House of Burgesses




By the 1640’s the burgesses became a separate
legislative body, called the House of Burgesses.
They met separately from the Governor’s Council
as one of the two legislative bodies of the General
Assembly
The House of Burgesses was the first elected
legislative body in English America giving settlers
the opportunity to control their own government.
The current Virginia General Assembly dates from
the establishment of the House of Burgesses at
Jamestown in 1619
VS.3e Africans and Women



Portuguese sailors captured African men and
women from present-day Angola. The status of these
early Africans as servants or slaves in Virginia is
unknown
Africans arrived in Jamestown against their will in
1619.
The arrival of Africans made it possible to expand
the tobacco economy.
VS.3e Africans and Women

The arrival of additional women in 1620 made
it possible for more settlers to establish
families and a permanent settlement at
Jamestown.
VS.3f Hardships in Jamestown
Hardships Faced by the Settlers

The site they chose to live on was
marshy and lacked safe drinking
water

The settlers lacked some skills
necessary to provide for themselves

Many settlers died of starvation
and disease
VS.3f Hardships in Jamestown
Changes that Resulted in Survival

Arrival of supply ships

Forced work program and strong
leadership of Captain John Smith

Emphasis on agriculture
VS.3g Interactions Between English
and Native Peoples
Powhatan and English
Interactions

Captain John Smith initiated
trading relationships with the
native peoples.
Native Peoples Traded

Mainly Food
English Traded
Tools, Pots, Copper for
jewelry
(TPC)

VS.3g Interactions Between English
and Powhatan People
Contribution of the Native Peoples
to the Survival of Jamestown
Settlers



Powhatan, chief of many tribes, provided
leadership to his people and taught the
settlers survival skills
Pocahontas, daughter of Chief Powhatan,
served as a contact between the native
peoples and the English
The native peoples showed the settlers
how to plant corn and tobacco
VS.3g Interactions Between English
and Powhatan People
How the Relationship Changed

The native peoples realized the
English settlement would continue
to grow

They came to see the settlers as
invaders who would take over their
land
VS.4a Agriculture and Slavery
Agriculture’s Effect on the Colony

The economy of the Virginia colony
depended on agriculture as a primary
source of wealth.

Tobacco became the most profitable
agricultural product. It was sold to
England as a cash crop.

Cash crop: A crop that is grown to sell
for money rather than for use by the
grower
VS.4a Agriculture and Slavery
Agriculture’s Influence on Slavery

The successful planting of tobacco
depended on a steady and inexpensive
source of labor

African men, women, and children
were brought to the colony against their
will to work as slaves on the plantations.

The Virginia colony became dependent
on slave labor, which lasted a long time.
VS.4b Culture of Colonial Virginia
Culture of Colonial Virginia

Whenever people settle an area, they change the
culture and landscape to reflect their beliefs,
customs, and architecture.

Examples of architecture that reflect different
cultures include:
- Barns
- Homes
- Places of worship (churches)
VS.4b Culture of Colonial Virginia
Place Names Reflecting Culture



There are names of cities and towns in Virginia that
reflect both English and American Indian culture
English – Richmond
American Indian - Roanoke
VS.4b Culture of Colonial Virginia
Settlement Areas




English and other Europeans –
primarily in Coastal Plain and
Piedmont regions
Germans and Scots-Irish – primarily
in the Shenandoah Valley, along the
migration route
Africans – primarily in the Coastal
Plain and Piedmont regions, where
tobacco agriculture required labor
Prior to the arrival of the settlers,
American Indians lived throughout
Virginia. After the settlers arrived,
most were forced inland
VS.4b Culture of Colonial Virginia

Migration and living in new areas caused
people to adapt old customs to their new
environment

The culture of Virginia reflected American
Indian, African, and European origins
VS.4c Moving Virginia’s Capital
Reasons why the Capital was
Moved from Jamestown to
Williamsburg

Drinking water was contaminated
by seepage of salt water

Unhealthy living conditions caused
diseases

Fire destroyed wooden and brick
buildings at Jamestown
VS.4c Moving Virginia’s Capital
Reasons why the Capital was
Moved from Williamsburg
to Richmond

Population was moving westward

Richmond was a more central
location
Moving to Richmond increased
the distance from attach by the
British
* England became Britain in the
early 1700s

VS.4d Colonial Economics
Economic Terms

Money: A medium of exchange
(currency, which includes coins and paper
bills)

Barter: Trading of goods and services
without using money

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
VS.4d Colonial Economics

Few people had paper money and coins to use to
buy goods and services.

Barter was commonly used instead of money.

Tobacco was used as money. A tobacco farmer could
use his tobacco to pay for goods and services.

Farmers and other consumers could also buy goods
and services on credit and pay their debts when
their crops were harvested and sold.

Colonial Virginia had no banks.
VS.4e Everyday Life in
Colonial Virginia

People living in colonial Virginia depended on
natural, human, and capital resources to produce
the goods and services they needed.
Food
Food choices
were limited
 Meals were
made of local
produce and
meats

Housing
Most people
lived on oneroom homes with
dirt floors
 Some people
(farmers) lived
in large houses

Clothing
Households
made their own
clothes
 Most was made
of cotton, wool,
and leather

VS.4e Everyday Life in
Colonial Virginia

Most white Virginians made their living from the
land as small farmers. A few owned large farms
(plantations).

Most enslaved African Americans worked tobacco,
crops, and livestock. They had no rights.

Many free African Americans owned their own
business and property, but were denied most
rights.
VS.5a Reasons for the
American Revolution
Colonists and British Parliament Disagreed Over
How the Colonies Should be Governed
Parliament
Colonists
Believed it had legal
 Believed their local
authority in the colonies assemblies had legal
authority
 Believed they should
 Believed it had the
right to tax the colonies not be taxed since they
had no representation in
Parliament

VS.5a Reasons for the
American Revolution
The Declaration of Independence

Written by Thomas Jefferson

States that the authority to govern
belongs to the people rather than
to kings

All people are created equal and
have rights to life, liberty, and
the pursuit of happiness
VS.5b Virginians in the
Revolutionary War
Roles of Virginians
Patriots served in the  Some enslaved
Continental Army and
African Americans
fought for independence, fought for a better
leading to the British
chance of freedom.
surrender at Yorktown.
 Some free African
Americans
fought for
independence.

Some Virginians were
neutral and did not take
sides.



Other Virginians, the
Loyalists, remained
loyal to Great
Britain.

Many American
Indians fought
alongside both the
Virginia patriots and the
British.
During the war,
women took on more
responsibility to
support the war
effort.
VS.5b Virginians in the
Revolutionary War
Contributions of Virginians
George
Washington
Thomas
Jefferson
Patrick Henry
Provided military
leadership by
serving as
commander-in-chief
of the Continental
Army
Provided political
leadership by
expressing the
reasons for colonial
independence from
Great Britain in the
Declaration of
Independence
Inspired patriots
from other colonies
when he spoke out
against taxation
without
representation by
saying, “…give me
liberty or
give me
death.”
James Lafayette,
an enslaved African
American from
Virginia, served in
the Continental
Army and
successfully
requested his
freedom
after the
war
VS.5c Battle of Great Bridge, the
Ride of Jack Jouett, and Yorktown

The Battle of Great Bridge was the first land
battle of the American Revolution fought in
Virginia. The American victory forced the
British colonial governor to flee the City of
Norfolk.
VS.5c Battle of Great Bridge, the
Ride of Jack Jouett, and Yorktown

Jack Jouett rode on horseback through the
backwoods of Virginia to Charlottesville to
warn Thomas Jefferson, then governor of
Virginia, that the British were coming to
arrest him and members of the General
Assembly.
VS.5c Battle of Great Bridge, the
Ride of Jack Jouett, and Yorktown

The American victory at Yorktown resulted
in the surrender of the British army, which
led to an end to the war.
VS.6a Virginians George
Washington and James Madison
George Washington
James Madison
“Father of Our Country”
 Elected as the first President
of the United States of America.
 Provided strong leadership
needed to help the young
country
 Provided a model of
leadership for future presidents
“Father of the Constitution”
 Believed in the importance of
having a United States
Constitution
 Kept detailed notes during
Constitutional Convention
Skills at compromise helped
delegates reach an agreement
during
VS.6b Virginia Declaration of Rights and
Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom
Virginia
Declaration of Rights
Virginia Statute of
Religious Freedom
 Written by Thomas Jefferson
Written by George Mason
States that all people should be
 States that all Virginians have
many rights, including freedom free to worship as they please.
of religion and freedom of the
press.

VS.6c Western Migration

After the American Revolution, Virginia’s agricultural base
began to change, and as a result large numbers of Virginians
moved west and to the deep South to find better farmland
and new opportunities
- Tobacco farming was hard on the soil, causing many
farmers to look west and south for new land to farm
- Virginians migrated into western territories looking for
large areas of land and new opportunities
- As Virginians moved, they took their traditions, ideas, and
cultures with them
- Settlers crossed the Appalachian Mountains through the
Cumberland Gap as the migrated to new lands.
VS.6c Western Migration
VS.7a Events and Differences
Between North and South
Northern States
Economy was more
industrialized

Southern States
Economy was
agricultural and relied
more on slave labor

Wanted the new states
created out of the western Wanted the new states to
territory to be “free states” be “slave states”

VS.7a Events and Differences
Between North and South
Events Leading to Secession and the Civil War




Nat Turner led a revolt against plantation owners in
Virginia
Abolitionists campaigned to end slavery
Harriet Tubman supported a secret route that escaped
enslaved African Americans took, called the
“Underground Railroad”
John Brown led a raid on the United States Armory
(Arsenal) at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia. He was trying to
start a slave rebellion. He was captured and hanged
VS.7a Events and Differences
Between North and South
Secession



After Abraham Lincoln was elected President in
1860, some southern states seceded from the Union
and formed the “Confederate States of America.”
Later Virginia seceded and joined them.
Conflict grew between the eastern counties of
Virginia that relied on slavery and western counties
that did not favor slavery.
Many disagreements between the two regions led to
the formation of West Virginia
VS.7b Virginia’s Role in
the Civil War

The first Battle of Bull Run (or
Manassas) was the first major
clash of the Civil War.
Confederate General Thomas
“Stonewall” Jackson played a
major role in this battle

General Robert E. Lee,
Commander of the Army of
Northern Virginia, defeated
Union troops at Fredericksburg,
Virginia
VS.7b Virginia’s Role in
the Civil War

Richmond was the capital of the
Confederacy. It fell to General
Ulysses S. Grant and was burned
near the end of the war.

Lincoln used the Union navy to
blockade southern ports. An
important sea battle between the
Monitor (Union) and the
Merrimack (Confederate), two iron
clad ships, too place in Virginia
waters near Norfolk and Hampton.
The battle was fought to a draw.
VS.7b Virginia’s Role in
the Civil War

The Civil War ended at
Appomattox Court
House, Virginia, where
Confederate General
Robert E. Lee
surrendered his army to
Union General Ulysses
S. Grant in April, 1865.
VS.7c Roles During the Civil War
Varied Roles During the Civil War
White
Virginians
Most
supported the
Confederacy

Enslaved
African
Americans
Were relied
on by the
Confederacy
to raise crops
and provide
labor for the
army

Free African
Americans
American
Indians
Some felt
 Most did not
their limited
take sides
rights could
best be
protected by
supporting the
Confederacy

VS.8a Reconstruction

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
Problems Faced
by Virginians
Millions of African Americans needed
housing, education, clothing, food, and
jobs
 Virginia’s economy was in ruins:
- Money had no value
- Banks were closed
- Railroads, bridges, plantations, and
crops were destroyed

Measures Taken to
Resolve Problems
The Freedmen’s Bureau was a
government agency that provided food,
schools, and medical care for freed
African Americans and others in
Virginia
Sharecropping was a system common
in Virginia after the war in which freed
men and poor white farmers rented land
from a landowner by promising to pay
the owner with a share of the crop

VS.8b Segregation




Segregation: The separation of people,
usually based on race or religion
Discrimination: An unfair difference in the
treatment of people
During Reconstruction, African Americans
began to have power in Virginia’s government,
and men of all races could vote.
But…
VS.8b Segregation

After Reconstruction, these gains were lost when “Jim
Crow” Laws were passed by southern states. “Jim Crow”
Laws established segregation and reinforced prejudices
held by whites.
Effects of “Jim Crow” Laws
 Unfair poll taxes and voting tests were established to keep
African American men from voting
 African Americans found it very difficult to vote or hold
public office
 African Americans were forced to use separate poor-quality
services such as drinking fountains, restrooms, and
restaurants
 African Americans and white children attended separate
schools
 “Jim Crow” laws had an effect on American Indians
VS.8c Virginia’s Economic
Development
Virginia Began to Grow in
Many Areas After
Reconstruction


Virginia’s cities grew with people,
businesses, and factories.
Railroads were a key to the
expansion of business, agriculture,
and industry. They facilitated the
growth of many small towns to
cities.
VS.8c Virginia’s Economic
Development
Other parts of Virginia grew as
other industries developed:
 Coal deposits were discovered
in Tazewell County

The need for more and better
roads increased.

Tobacco farming and tobacco
products became important
Virginia industries.
VS.9a Economic and Social
Transition
From Agriculture to Industry
Causes
Effects
Old farming systems were no longer
effective and crop prices were low
Agriculture declined
Cities had economic opportunities
People moved from rural areas to
urban areas
Technology improved transportation,
roads, railroads, and streetcars
Cities grew
People moved from the countryside
to find jobs
Coal mining spurred the growth of
cities and town
VS.9a Economic and Social
Transition



People have moved to Virginia from
many other states and nations
During the 20th century, Northern
Virginia has experienced growth due
to increase in the number of federal
jobs located in the region.
In the late 20th century and the early
21st century, Northern Virginia and
the Coastal Plain region have
grown due to computer technology.
VS.9b Woodrow Wilson and
George C. Marshall
Two famous Virginians, Woodrow Wilson and
George C. Marshall, were important national and
international leaders.
Woodrow Wilson
George C. Marshall
A 20th century president  A military leader who
who wrote a plan for world created an economic plan
peace
to ensure world peace

VS.9c Desegregation and
Massive Resistance



Segregation: The separation of people, usually
based on race or religion
Desegregation: Abolishment of racial
segregation
Integration: Full equality
of all races in the use of
public facilities
VS.9c Desegregation and
Massive Resistance
The U.S. Supreme
Court ruled in 1954
(Brown v. Board of
Education) that
“separate but
equal” public
schools were
unconstitutional
All pubic
schools, including
those in Virginia,
were ordered to
desegregate
VS.9c Desegregation and
Massive Resistance
Virginia’s
government
established a policy
of Massive
Resistance, which
fought to “resist”
the desegregation
of public schools,
led by Harry F.
Byrd
Some schools were
closed to avoid
integration
VS.9c Desegregation and
Massive Resistance
The policy of
Massive
Resistance failed,
and Virginia’s
public schools
were integrated
VS.9d Political, Social, and
Economic Contributions
Maggie L.
Walker
First African
American woman
and first woman to
establish and become
a bank president in
the United States

Harry F.
Byrd, Sr.
As governor was
known for a “Pay As
You Go” policy for
road improvements,
and modernized
VA’s state
government

Oliver W.
Hill
A lawyer and civil
rights leader who
worked for equal
rights of African
Americans.
Played a key role in
the Brown v. Board of
Education decision

VS.9d Political, Social, and
Economic Contributions
Arthur R.
Ashe, Jr.
First African
American winner of
a major men’s tennis
singles
championship, and
an author and
spokesperson for
social change

A. Linwood
Holton, Jr.
As governor of
Virginia, promoted
racial equality, and
appointed more
African Americans
and women to
positions in state
government than
previous governors

L. Douglas
Wilder
As governor of
Virginia, was the first
African American to
be elected a state
governor in the
United States

VS.10a Branches of Government
Three Branches of Government
Legislative
Branch
Judicial Branch
General
Assembly
State Court
System
Governor
Makes state laws
Decides cases about
people accused of
breaking the law and
whether or not a law
agrees with Virginia’s
Constitution
Makes sure that state
laws are carried out
2 Parts
Senate House of
Delegates
Executive
Branch
VS.10b Products and Industries
Coastal Plain
Products:
Seafood,
Peanuts
Industries:
Shipbuilding,
tourism,
military bases
VS.10b Products and Industries
Piedmont
Products:
Tobacco products,
information
technology
Industries:
Federal and state
government,
farming,
horse industry
VS.10b Products and Industries
Blue Ridge Mountains
Products:
Apples
Industries:
Recreation
VS.10b Products and Industries
Valley and Ridge
Products:
Poultry, apples
dairy, beef
Industries:
Farming
VS.10b Products and Industries
Appalachian Plateau
Products:
Coal
Industries:
Coal mining
VS.10c Transportation,
Communication, and Technology

Virginia’s transportation system (highways,
railroads, and air transportation) moves raw
materials to factories and finished products
to markets. Virginia exports agricultural and
manufactured products, including tobacco,
poultry, coal, and large ships.
VS.10c Transportation,
Communication, and Technology

Virginia has a large number of
communications and other technology
industries.
VS.10c Transportation,
Communication, and Technology

Tourism is a major part of Virginia’s
economy.
VS.10c Transportation,
Communication, and Technology

Because many federal workers live and/or
work in Virginia, the federal government has
a significant impact on Virginia’s economy.