ENCYCLOPÆDIA Britannica DISCOVER AMERICA Virginia The Old Dominion State CHICAGO LONDON NEW DELHI PARIS SEOUL SYDNEY TAIPEI TOKYO
4 VIRGINIA INTRODUCTION Virginia secured its place in U S history when it became one of the original 13 states Although Virginia is nicknamed the Old Dominion State it is often referred to as the Birthplace of Presidents Virginia was home to numerous historical figures who participated in the creation and early development of the United States Virginians George Washington Thomas Jefferson James Madison and James Monroe helped found the country during their terms as the first third fourth and fifth presidents of the United States respectively Before becoming president of the United States George Washington was commander in chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolution In 1787 he led the Constitutional Convention the meeting at which the Constitution of the United States was drafted Washington was unanimously elected the first president of the United States He Virginia is sometimes known as the Mother of States because eight other states were formed from its land Virginia’s state flag has been flown since the 1830s The flag features the state seal against a blue background and was officially adopted in 1930 was nicknamed Father of His Country for his work in creating the country’s system of government During the early 1800s the steamboat was an important method of transporting goods in Virginia The state’s official name is the Commonwealth of Virginia Three other states are considered commonwealth states Kentucky Massachusetts and Pennsylvania Commonwealth is an honorary title meaning for the common good
INTRODUCTION 5 About 40,000 passengers use the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport each day The airport is situated on the west bank of the Potomac River Virginia has more than 57,000 miles of highways The Virginia Department of Transportation maintains more than 12,000 bridges Richmond has been the capital of Virginia since 1779 Williamsburg was the capital from 1699 to 1779 and Jamestown was the capital from 1607 to 1699 On June 26 1788 Virginia became the 10th state to join the Union Virginia is located on the eastern coast of the United States It is bordered by Maryland and Washington D C to the northeast the Atlantic Ocean to the east Kentucky and West Virginia to the west and North Carolina and Tennessee to the south The state has 11 commercial airports including four international airports Washington Dulles International Airport in Sterling Va is one of the 50 busiest airports in the world and is especially important for transatlantic air service The airport serves nearly 20 million passengers each year One of the best ways to travel to and around Virginia is by automobile Major highways and smaller scenic roads provide access to all parts of the state Six interstate highways run through Virginia I-64 I-66 I-77 I-81 I-85 and I-95 The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel connects Virginia’s Eastern Shore with the state’s mainland Ferry service is also available across the James River and Chesapeake Bay Virginia Location Map Capital Richmond Interstate highways 25 0 0 Scale Population 7,078,515 40 50 80 Mi Km Size 40,598 square miles Highest point Mount Rogers 5,729 feet
