Until 1863, the area that is now West Virginia was part of the state of Virginia.
In 1861, at the beginning of the Civil War, most of the people living in the western part of Virginia did not want to secede from the Union with the rest of the state.
For years the western Virginians had felt overlooked and poorly represented in the state legislature.
In 1863 President Abraham Lincoln issued a presidential proclamation that made West Virginia the thirty fifth state.
It is the only state that was admitted to the Union in this way.
West Virginia provided most of the nation’s bituminous cool throughout the twentieth century, but it contains another important resource, natural gas.
Most of the west-central part of the state lies over huge natural gas fields.
Related Posts
-
Why Is Virginia Called the Mother of States and When Did Virginia Become the First American Colony?
Virginia was the first American colony, dating back to 1584. For many years it was the largest colony and later the largest state in population. In the 1600s and 1700s Virginia consisted of…
-
Where does the expression “fifth columnist” come from and What does fifth columnist mean?
The expression "fifth columnist" was wrongly attributed to the Spanish general, Emilio Mola. It should have been credited to Lieutenant General Queipo de Llano, famous as the "broadcasting general" during the Spanish Civil…
-
Where does the term “fifth wheel” come from and What does fifth wheel mean?
Nowadays used contemptuously or at least disrespectfully of a person or thing as useless or needless as an extra wheel for the support of a vehicle ordinarily running on four. But in original…
-
Why Is Virginia Known As the Mother of Presidents and Which U.S. Presidents Were Born In Virginia?
More U.S. presidents were born in Virginia than in any other state. The eight presidents were George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor, and Woodrow…
-
How Big Is the New River Gorge Bridge In West Virginia and Where Does the New River Begin?
The center span of the New River Gorge Bridge In West Virginia is 1,700 feet (518 m) long, and it was the longest steel arch bridge in the world for many years. Located…
-
How did Indian Territory become a state and When was the State of Oklahoma created?
After the Civil War, many Indian leaders wanted it to make Indian Territory a state. They proposed that it join the Union as an Indian state called Sequoyah, after the famous inventor of…
