Download Reconstruction and the 20th Century in Virginia

The Rest of the Story…
 Reconstruction
 20th and 21st Century
 Famous Virginians
Name: ____________________
1
Reconstruction Unit
VS.8 a-c
The student will demonstrate knowledge of the reconstruction of Virginia
following the Civil War by:
a) identifying the effects of Reconstruction on life in Virginia.
b) identifying the effects of segregation and “Jim Crow” on life in Virginia for
whites, African Americans, and American Indians.
c) describing the importance of railroads, new industries, and the growth of
cities to Virginia’s economic development.
2
Problems during Reconstruction
The Civil War was very damaging to the United States, so it needed a time of recovery
and rebuilding. This period of time was known as the Reconstruction. During this time,
Congress passed laws designed to help rebuild the country and bring the southern states
back into the Union.
Reconstruction was especially difficult
for
Virginians.
Virginia
was
a
major
battleground state during the Civil War. Out
of 384 different major battles fought during
the Civil War, 123 of them happened in
Virginia! To give some comparison, the next
state with the most battles was Tennessee with just 38 battles. The physical damage from
these battles was great. Buildings had been burned, bridges torn down, and roads and
railroads destroyed. Virginia’s state capital and the
capital of the Confederacy, Richmond, had even been
burned down at the end of the war. Fields and crops
had been destroyed by the armies that marched over
them. Land that had been worth $150 an acre now sold
for only $2 an acre. Virginia was a mess!
The physical damage that Virginia suffered was terrible, but the political and
economic consequences were just as equally terrible. The Virginia “Rebels” along with the
other southern states had organized their own Confederate government during the war.
They had even created their own currency, or money. When the Civil War was over, the
3
Confederate government was abolished
and replaced by military districts. It took
many years for the southern states to be
brought back into the Union. The Virginia
economy was in complete ruins. The
money printed by the Confederacy was
completely worthless. Southern banks
closed down because their money had no value. Virginia had no money to rebuild their
damaged cities and farms.
Virginia and
other
southern states
had
another problem to solve. Millions of freed African
Americans needed housing, education, clothing,
food and jobs. There were 350,000 freed slaves in
Virginia alone! Laws passed after the Nat Turner
Revolt made the education of slaves illegal, so very
few slaves could read or write. They had no money
or property and few job skills outside of farming. Although the slaves were now free, they had
no homes, jobs, food, or money.
The South was not in a position to help itself after the war, so it would be up to the
North to help rebuild and bring these states back into the Union. This would not be an easy
job. Many Southerners still did not want to be a part of the United States and many
Northerners saw the Southerners as traitors after the war. Now, they were going to need to
work together to make the United States a strong nation again.
4
Measures Taken to Resolve Problems
In 1865, Congress created the
Freedman’s Bureau as a way to help
black slaves and poor whites in the
south. This government agency helped
build more than two hundred schools
where over 50,000 African Americans
were taught to read and write. It also
provided food and medical care for freed African Americans and others in need.
After the war, many African Americans and poor white farmers needed jobs. Farmers
needed workers, but they did not have the money to pay them. The answer to both of these
problems was a new system of agriculture called
sharecropping.
In
sharecropping,
a
landowner
provided workers with a piece of land, seed, and
equipment. In return, the landowner got a share of
the worker’s crop which was their “rent.” Once their
rent was paid, they were free to use or sell the rest.
Many sharecroppers could not grow enough to pay the rent and ended up deeply in debt
to their landowners. Some called it “a second form of slavery.”
Before Virginia would be able to officially rejoin the Union, it needed to write a new
constitution. This new constitution would need to be approved by the US Congress. Some
requirements of the new constitution were that Virginia had to outlaw slavery and give
African American men the right to vote. Virginians voted on the new constitution in July 1869
5
and by January of 1870, Virginia officially rejoined the Union. Virginia representatives and
Senators took their seats in the United States Congress in Washington, DC. Reconstruction
was over for Virginia now that it was officially part of the Union once again.
DIRECTIONS: Find the answers to the following questions in “Problems During Reconstruction”
and “Measures Taken to Resolve Problems.” Then go back and underline or highlight the
answers to these questions in the colors shown.

GREEN: What was the Reconstruction?

BLUE: What physical damage was done to Virginia after the war?

YELLOW: What caused Virginia’s economy to be in ruins?

RED: What things did the freed African Americans need?

ORANGE: What was the Freedman’s Bureau?

PURPLE: What was sharecropping?
DIRECTIONS: Draw a picture to explain how sharecropping worked.
6
Reconstruction
The period following the ______ War when Congress passed _______ designed to _______ the country and bring the ___________ states back to the
Union is called ___________.
Problems Faced by Virginians During
Reconstruction
Measures Taken to Resolve Problems
During Reconstruction
Millions of freed _____________ needed _______,
The __________ ________was a government agency that provided
__________, __________, ______, and ______.
_______, _______, and _________ care for freed
________________ and others in Virginia.
Virginia’s ___________ was in ruins.
● ________ had no value.
____________ - when freedmen and poor white farmers rented land from a
● ________ were closed.
landowner by promising to pay the owner with a _________________.
● ____________, _______, ____________, and
______ were destroyed.
7
Rights of African Americans DURING Reconstruction
After
the
Civil
War,
several
amendments were added to the US
Constitution that gave more rights to
African Americans. In December of 1865,
the thirteenth amendment was passed
that officially abolished slavery in the
United States. In 1868, the fourteenth
amendment granted citizenship to all
those born in the United States including slaves. And in 1870, African American men were granted
the right to vote in the fifteenth amendment.
During Reconstruction, around 2,000 African Americans were elected to different government
positions – from local, to state, to federal. In Virginia, African Americans began to have some power
in different government positions. John Mercer Langston, the son of a former slave, was elected to
serve Virginia in the United States House of Representatives. The future was, for the first time, promising
for many African Americas in Virginia.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DIRECTIONS: Write what each new amendment to the US Constitution did.
13th Amendment
14th Amendment
15th Amendment
8
Rights of African Americans AFTER Reconstruction
Much of the change that occurred in the South was because the southern states were under
Northern military rule after the Civil War. Once the military presence left; however, the freedoms and
rights promised to African Americans were slowly taken away.
“Jim Crow” laws were passed by southern states
and African Americans began to experience harsh
discrimination, or the unfair difference in the treatment
of
people.
“Jim
Crow”
laws
legally
established
segregation, or separation of the races, and reinforced
prejudices held by whites. These laws had a negative
effect on the lives of African Americans in many ways. Laws were passed that made it almost
impossible for African Americans and poor whites to vote or hold public office. Unfair poll taxes and
voting tests were established to keep African American men from voting. African Americans were
forced to use separate poor quality services such as drinking fountains, restrooms and schools. “Jim
Crow” laws also had an effect on American Indians.
DIRECTIONS: Draw two examples of “Jim Crow” laws. Make a caption below your
pictures.
9
segregation - ____________________________
__________________________________
discrimination - ___________________________
__________________________________
During Reconstruction…
African Americans began to have __________ in Virginia’s _____________, and men of all races could
________.
After Reconstruction…
These gains were lost when “____________” Laws were passed by ________________. “Jim Crow” Laws
established _____________ (or separation) of the ________ and reinforced ___________ held by whites.
“Jim Crow” Laws
● Unfair _____ taxes and voting tests were established to keep African American _____ from _______.
● African Americans found it very difficult to ______ or to hold ________ ________.
● African Americans were forced to use separate poor-quality services such as _______________,
_________, and ___________.
● African Americans and white children attended separate _________.
● “Jim Crow” Laws had an effect on __________________.
10
Transportation in Virginia
For most of history, people could only travel as fast as their feet, their animals, or the wind
could carry them. In the late 1800’s after the Civil War, this started to change. New inventions like
steam and gas powered vehicles changed the way people traveled. Virginia’s cities began to grow
with people, businesses, and factories.
Railroads were a key to the expansion
of business, agriculture, and industry. There
had
been
a
few
scattered
railroads
throughout Virginia before the Civil War, but
the few there were had been destroyed.
After the Civil War, networks of railroads were
built all over Virginia. Now Virginians were
1927
Roanoke, Virginia
able to transport natural resources and
manufactured products around Virginia and
beyond. These connected railways helped
expand
business
and
agriculture
which
helped small towns grow into big cities.
One example of this is the city of
Now
Roanoke. In 1881, Roanoke was known as Big
Lick and fewer than 500 people lived there. Then a railroad was built through the town. By 1892 Big
Lick changed its name to Roanoke and its population was over 25,000. Today almost 100,000 people
live in Roanoke and it all started because of the railroad!
11
Railroads were not the only way people got around.
The first car appeared on Virginia's streets in Norfolk in 1899.
In 1910 there were 2,705 cars in Virginia and by 1916 that
number had risen to more than 37,000. With all of these cars
in Virginia, the quality and number of roads in Virginia was
becoming an issue. Roads were so bad in Virginia that in
1921 the Automobile Club of America recommended that
people in cars from New England (north of Virginia) find a
A car being pulled out of a
muddy road by horses. - 1917
way around Virginia when trying to get to Florida because the roads were so bad. More and better
roads were definitely needed!
The problem was that building these roads
cost a lot of money and people couldn’t agree on
how to pay for them. Some wanted to borrow
money and others were against going into debt.
Harry F. Byrd, a state senator from Winchester and
future Governor of Virginia pushed for the Pay-AsYou-Go plan. This plan meant that the state would
Building New Roads
only build as many roads as they could pay for at the time without borrowing money. Gasoline was
taxed in order to pay for road construction. This plan kept the state out of debt while improving the
road system greatly in Virginia. The Pay-As-You-Go plan took longer than just borrowing the money,
but Virginia made road construction a priority and was able to eventually improve their roads.
12
Changes that Boosted Virginia’s Economic Growth
Virginia began to grow in many areas after the Civil War and Reconstruction. Virginia’s
________, __________ and
__________.
:
_______________
● Key to the expansion of _________,
● Helped the growth of
______ grew with
________, and ____________.
_____ ______ to
________.
● Other parts of Virginia grew as other __________ developed.
●
_______ deposits were discovered in ________ County.
(The major industry of the Appalachian Plateau is __________!)
● The need for _____ and better
________ increased.
● ________ farming and _______ products became important Virginia _________.
Growth of Industries in Virginia
13
Much of Virginia was in ruins after the Civil War. But in the late 1800s, Virginia industries
began to recover. New railroads were built, new industries developed, and cities were
growing.
One
industry
that
developed in Virginia was
the
coal
industry.
Coal
deposits were discovered
in southwestern Virginia in
Tazewell County. Coal was
a very important resource
and was in high demand. It
was used to power trains
and heat homes and in the 1880’s it started to be used to generate electricity in homes and
factories. Everyone wanted coal! The demand for workers increased and people from all
over flocked to get jobs mining coal. Coal mining towns popped up around the mines. More
people brought more businesses and some towns grew into cities. Once the coal was mined,
trains were needed to carry the coal east to the seaports of the Tidewater region. There the
coal would be shipped around the world. Coal was a very important discovery for the
Virginia economy.
14
Another
developed
wasn’t
industry
further
actually
was
new
that
one
to
that
Virginia.
Tobacco was very popular at the
time and machines were able to
speed the production of tobacco
products. At this time, people did not
understand
Tobacco Company in Richmond - 1911
tobacco’s
negative
effects on a person’s health. Factories
with these machines that produced cigarettes and other tobacco products ended up in
Richmond, Virginia. Many Virginians were able to get jobs manufacturing tobacco products.
By the late 1800’s, one fourth of the people working in Richmond and Petersburg were
employed making tobacco products. Railroads were able to take these tobacco products
throughout Virginia, the United States, and the rest of the world. Tobacco was a cash crop
for Virginia once again!
DIRECTIONS: Find the answers to the following questions in “Transportation in Virginia” and “Growth of
Industries in Virginia.” Then go back and underline or highlight the answers to these questions in the
colors shown.

GREEN: What was a key to the expansion of business, agriculture, and industry?

BLUE: Why were more and better roads needed in Virginia?

YELLOW: What TWO industries grew in Virginia after the Civil War?

RED: Where was coal discovered in Virginia?

ORANGE: How did railroads help the tobacco industry grow?
15
th
st
20 /21 Century Virginia
VS.9 a-d
The student will demonstrate knowledge of twentieth- and twenty-first-century
Virginia by:
a) describing the economic and social transition from a rural, agricultural
society to a more urban, industrialized society, including the reasons
people came to Virginia from other states and countries.
b) identifying the impact of Virginians, such as Woodrow Wilson and George
C. Marshall, on international events.
c) identifying the social and political events in Virginia linked to
desegregation and Massive Resistance and their relationship to national
history.
d) identifying the political, social, and/or economic contributions made by
Maggie L. Walker; Harry F. Byrd, Sr.; Oliver W. Hill; Arthur R. Ashe, Jr.; A.
Linwood Holton, Jr.; and L. Douglas Wilder.
VS.10 c
The student will demonstrate knowledge of government, geography, and
economics by:
c) explaining how advances in transportation, communications, and
technology have contributed to Virginia’s prosperity and role in the global
economy.
16
Transitioning from a Rural to Urban Society
During the twentieth century, Virginia changed from a rural, agricultural society to a more
urban, industrialized society. That meant that many people in Virginia moved from small farming
towns into big cities with factories and shops. People went from growing their own food and making
their own clothes to buying their food and clothes in a store. The way of life for many Virginians was
changing.
Farming was changing as well. Old ways of
farming were improved with inventions of new
and faster equipment. Motorized plows replaced
horse drawn ones. These new inventions made it
easier to grow larger amounts of food because
the work could be done faster. Unfortunately, this
new equipment was too expensive for small
Old systems of farming were no longer effective.
farmers to buy. With so much food being grown,
crop prices dropped. Small farmers could not
compete with the bigger farms that were growing
large crops and selling them for less. Many farmers
and their families sold their small farms and moved
to the big cities in search of work.
New inventions made it easier to grow more food,
so crop prices dropped.
17
People moved from rural to urban
areas for economic opportunities.
When the farmers arrived in the cities, they found jobs in
factories. Cities in Virginia continued to grow larger as more
people arrived from rural areas looking for economic
opportunities. People flocked to fill the large number of
factory jobs that were offered in the big cities. There were also
many modern conveniences that were available in the city
that you could not find in the country. At this time in history, many rural areas did not have access to
electricity. People in cities had access to electricity
and newer inventions like the telephone (1876). They
Technological developments in transportation
helped cities grow.
also had indoor plumbing and more modern types of
transportation. Improved roads and railroads brought
lots of goods and raw materials to city factories and
businesses, while streetcars moved people quickly
from home to work. This picture to the right shows a
streetcar in Richmond in 1888. Streetcars were a combination of a bus and a train – only one car, but
running on tracks. In 1860, only a sixth of the US population lived in cities. By 1920, a census showed
that more that half of Americans lived in cities!
The discovery of coal in Tazewell County in southwestern Virginia also
spurred the growth of Virginia towns and cities. People moved from the
countryside to find jobs mining coal. Trainloads of coal were shipped east to
growing port cities such as Norfolk and Newport News.
18
DIRECTIONS: Find the answers to the following questions. Then go back and underline or
highlight the answers to these questions in the colors shown.

GREEN: How did Virginia change from an agricultural to a more industrialized society?
___________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

BLUE: How did agriculture (farming) change? ______________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

YELLOW: Why did small farmers move to the big cities?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

RED: What kinds of technological developments in transportation helped cities grow?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

ORANGE: What kind of jobs did people find in Tazewell County, Virginia?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
19
20th & 21st Century Virginia
Changing from Agricultural to Industrial
Decline of Agricultural Society
● The old systems of farming were _________________.
● The crop prices were _______.
Growth of Virginia’s Cities
● People moved from _______ to _______ areas for _________ opportunities.
● ____________ developments in ___________, ________, __________, and
__________ helped cities grow.
● _____________ spurred the growth of Virginia towns and cities as people moved from the countryside to find
________.
During the 20th century, __________________ has experienced ______ due to
___________________ _____________________ located in the region.
In the late 20th century and the early 21st century, _____________ and the ___________
(___________) region have grown due to _____________________.
People moved to Virginia from __________________ and _________.
Virginia Leaders during World Wars I and II
20
Two famous Virginians, Woodrow Wilson and George C. Marshall, were important
national and international leaders. They took on especially important roles during World War I
and World War II.
In 1914, many counties in Europe
were at war with one another. The United
States was determined to stay neutral and
not become involved in this conflict. But in
1917, Germany attacked a British ship, the
Lusitania that had set sail from New York
City. The ship was carrying ammunition, but it was also carrying 128 Americans as
passengers. These Americans lost their lives as a result of Germany’s attack. America was
now involved. The President of the United States asked Congress to declare war.
The President at that time was a Virginian by the name of
Woodrow Wilson and the war was World War I. The United States
joined Britain and France against Germany and its allies. President
Wilson thought that this war could be the “War to End all Wars.”
The United States helped Great Britain and France win the war by
1918, but by then almost 10 million people had lost their lives in the
war. Wilson was saddened by such a great loss of life and wanted to keep war from
happening again. He made a plan to create the League of Nations. The League of Nations
was a place for all of the nations of the world to meet and talk about their differences
instead of going to war over them. Woodrow Wilson was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for
his efforts to create a better world.
21
Unfortunately, the League of Nations did not work and
about 20 years later in 1939 another war started. This new war was
World War II and many of the same countries from World War I
were involved. The United States once again tried to stay neutral,
but was brought into war once again on December 8, 1941 the day after an attack on Pearl
Harbor, Hawaii by Japan. World War II was the deadliest military conflict in history and when
it finally ended in 1945 over 60 million people had lost their lives!
After World War II, Western Europe a mess much like the southern
states after the Civil War. The war had destroyed crops and buildings and
many lives had been lost. These weakened countries were in danger of
being taken over by nearby communist countries and needed help to
rebuild their broken economies. But who would help them rebuild? A
Virginian and military leader by the name of George C. Marshall had an idea. In his plan
(called the Marshall Plan), America would send 17 billion dollars’ worth of humanitarian aid
over four years to Great Britain, France, West Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Belgium.
His plan was successful. Western European economies recovered quickly and were even
stronger than before the war! Marshall had helped to stop the spread of communism in
Europe. His economic plan was able to ensure world peace.
DIRECTIONS: Find the answers to the following questions. Then go back and underline or
highlight the answers to these questions in the colors shown.

GREEN: Who was the President of the United States at the start of World War I?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
22

BLUE: What was the purpose of the League of Nations?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

YELLOW: Why did George C. Marshall want to help Western Europe after World War II?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

RED: What was the Marshall Plan? Did it work? _____________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
23
Impact of Woodrow Wilson & George C. Marshall on
International Events
___________
___________ was a 20th century
_______ who wrote a plan for _______.
___________
_____________ was a
____________ who created an
________ plan to ensure ________.
24
The Civil Rights Movement in Virginia
During the first half of the 20th
century, the United States was very divided
by race. The Supreme Court ruling in PLESSY
V. FERGUSON (1896) said that separate
facilities (like restaurant, schools, bathrooms,
etc.) for blacks and whites were allowable
as long as they were equal. States across
the North and South passed laws creating separate schools and public facilities for each
race. Even though slavery had ended almost 100 years before, segregation of African
Americans meant they did not enjoy the same rights and freedoms as white Americans.
They were forced to sit in the back of city buses, drink from different water fountains, use
different restroom facilities, and attend different schools. States normally spent 10 to 20 times
on the education of white students as they spent on African American students! These
separate facilities definitely were NOT equal and changes needed to be made to unite our
country. This period of change in our history was called the Civil Rights Movement.
When World War II started, over
two million African Americans signed up
for the draft and over one million served.
After World War II, African Americans
started demanding equal rights and
equal treatment as American citizens. If
25
African Americans were able to fight and die for their country, why were they not given
equal treatment as American citizens?
Nine years after the end of the World War II, their
demands started making a difference. In 1954, the U.S.
Supreme
Court
ruled
in
BROWN
V.
BOARD
OF
EDUCATION that “separate but equal” public schools
were unconstitutional. All public schools, including those
in Virginia, were ordered to desegregate, or to abolish
racial segregation. At this time, there were still many
states in the south that were against desegregation.
Virginia’s government, led by Virginia Senator Harry F. Byrd, Sr., established a policy of
Massive Resistance, which fought to “resist” the integration of public schools. Some schools
were closed to avoid integration. By 1959, the policy of Massive Resistance failed, and
Virginia’s public schools were finally integrated. As a result of the Civil Rights Movement, laws
were passed that made racial discrimination illegal.
26
DIRECTIONS: Find the answers to the following questions. Then go back and underline or
highlight the answers to these questions in the colors shown.

GREEN: Which case ruled that “separate but equal” facilities were allowed?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

BLUE: How did the education of African American and white students differ?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

YELLOW: What event started the Civil Rights Movement?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

RED: Which case ruled “separate but equal” public schools were unconstitutional?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

ORANGE: What does it mean to desegregate?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

PURPLE: What was Massive Resistance and who established it?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
27
The Civil Rights Movement
Segregation - ___________________________
_________________________________
Desegregation - __________________________
_________________________________
Integration - ___________________________
_________________________________
Desegregation and Massive Resistance in Virginia
*Changes that occurred in Virginia as a result of the Civil Rights Movement*
● The Supreme Court ruled in 1954 (________________ _________) that “_________ ___
_____” public schools were unconstitutional (_______).
● All public schools, including those in ________, were ordered to ___________.
● Virginia’s government established a policy of ____________, which fought to “______” this integration of
public schools.
● Some schools were ________ to avoid integration.
● The policy of _________________ failed, and Virginia’s public schools were ___________.
● _______ __. _____, Sr., led a Massive Resistance Movement against the ____________ of public
schools.
Biographies of Important Virginia Citizens
Virginian citizens that made political, social, and/or economic contributions in the 20th/21st centuries
28
Maggie L. Walker
Maggie L. Walker was the first African American woman in the United States to
establish a bank and become a bank president.
Harry F. Byrd, Sr.
Harry F. Byrd, Sr., as governor of Virginia, was known for a “Pay As You Go”
policy for road improvements, and he modernized Virginia state government.
Oliver W. Hill, Sr.
Oliver W. Hill, a lawyer and civil rights leader, worked for equal rights of African
Americans. He played a key role in the Brown v. Board of Education decision.
Arthur R. Ashe, Jr.
Arthur R. Ashe, Jr. was the first African American winner of a major men’s
tennis singles championship. He was also an author and eloquent
spokesperson for social change.
Linwood Holton, Jr.
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
L. Douglas Wilder, as governor of Virginia, was the first African American to be
elected a state governor in the United States.
Directions: Draw a picture of each one of these famous Virginia citizens doing
what made them famous. (Stick figures are okay!)
29
Maggie L. Walker
Harry F. Byrd, Sr.
Oliver W. Hill, Sr.
Arthur R. Ashe, Jr.
Linwood Holton, Jr.
L. Douglas Wilder
30
20th & 21st Century People
Maggie L. Walker
First _________ _________ woman to establish and become a
_______ _________ in the U.S.
Harry F. Byrd, Sr.
As governor, he was known for a “_______ ______” policy for road
improvements. He modernized Virginia ____________.
Oliver W. Hill, Sr.
As a lawyer and civil rights leader, he worked for ___________ for
________ ________. He played a key role in the _______
v. ____________ _________ decision.
Arthur Ashe, Jr.
First _____________ winner of a major men’s _______ singles
championship. He was an ______ and ________ for social change.
31
A.. Linwood Holton, Jr.
As governor of Virginia, he promoted ______ _______, and appointed
more _____ _______ and _______ to positions in state
government than previous governors.
L. Douglas Wilder
First ______ _______ to be elected _____ _______ in the
United States.
32
Virginia’s Role in Today’s Global Economy
Over the years, many people from different states and from
all around the world have moved to Virginia. They have come
here for the many opportunities that Virginia has to offer. Virginia
has a great location bordering both our nation’s capital and the
Atlantic and Chesapeake Bay. Beautiful sandy beaches, rolling hills, winding rivers, towering
mountains, and a wealth of natural resources can all be found in Virginia. All of these reasons
and more make Virginia a good place for business and a great place to call home.
Northern Virginia has experienced much growth
due to the large number of federal government jobs
located there. It borders Washington, D.C, our nation’s
capital, so many Virginians work for the United States’
government. The Pentagon in Arlington is just one of many different federal government
buildings located in Virginia. There are over 20,000 people that work in the Pentagon alone!
Because many federal government workers live and/or work in Virginia, the federal
government has a significant impact on Virginia’s economy.
Both Northern Virginia and the Tidewater region
have also grown due to an increase in computer
technology and communications industries. The Dulles
Technology Corridor in Northern Virginia is a cluster of
technology companies like Apple, Amazon, Boeing,
33
Microsoft, and many more. Communications companies like AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon are
also located there. These technology and communications companies provide jobs for
thousands upon thousands of Virginians.
Tourism is also a major part of Virginia’s economy. “Virginia is
for Lovers” is Virginia’s tourism slogan and it’s used to attract visitors
from around the world. Thousands of visitors flock to Virginia Beach
each summer to enjoy its lovely sandy beaches. Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah Valley with
over 100 miles of picturesque mountain views attracts countless as well. Tourists from around
the world also come to see the many Virginia’s historical sites from Civil War battlefields to
the homes of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. It doesn’t matter if you’re a beach
lover, a mountain lover, or a history lover -- Virginia has it all.
Virginia’s economy could not be successful without an
effective transportation system. The Virginia Department of
Transportation or VDOT is responsible for the state's roads, bridges
and tunnels. It also provides funding for airports, seaports, rail and
public transportation. Virginia’s transportation system supports the economy by moving raw
materials to factories and finished products to markets. Virginia exports agricultural and
manufactured products, including tobacco, poultry, coal, and large ships.
Virginia plays an important role in our global economy. Its
industries produce goods and services used throughout the United States
and the world. People come from around the world to find jobs and to explore Virginia’s
natural and beautiful wonders. Virginia is a wonderful place to call home!
34
DIRECTIONS: Find the answers to the following questions. Then go back and underline or
highlight the answers to these questions in the colors shown.

GREEN: Why are there so many federal jobs in Northern Virginia?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

BLUE: What industries provide jobs to those in Northern Virginia and the Tidewater?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

YELLOW: What are some of the different tourist attractions in Virginia?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

RED: How does Virginia’s transportation system support the economy?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
35
36