Virginia

State Histories, 1788

The first settlers in Virginia were Spanish Jesuits, who established a mission in 1570. A few months later, it was destroyed by Indians. The first English settlers were sent by Sir Walter Raleigh, but those efforts failed as well. Successful settlement began with the establishment of Jamestown in 1607. By 1612, the colonists had learned to cultivate tobacco, which was exported to Europe. The House of Burgesses, the first representative legislature in America, was formed in 1619.

Local government in Virginia often depended on politics in England. James I revoked the colony's charter in 1624 and placed it under royal rule. From 1652 to 1660, while Cromwell ruled in England, Virginia enjoyed a large measure of autonomy. The restoration of the monarchy also meant the restoration of royal rule in Virginia.

Along with Massachusetts, Virginia provided the greatest source of support for the American Revolution. Such Patriots as Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson stirred the colonists with their words. General George Washington led the Continental Army in its campaigns against the British. Following the war, Virginia was the largest state in the nation and four of the first five presidents hailed from there.

In the Civil War, support for the Confederacy was concentrated in the eastern portions of the state. Areas of the west, where the economy did not depend on slaves, wanted to remain with the Union. In 1863, 48 western states declared their independence from the rest of Virginia and were admitted to the Union as West Virginia.