And now it is time to talk about Virginia, the final state in this series. Interestingly, Virginia ambitiously claimed more land than any other of the original thirteen states. Although, it seems like Virginia and land mixed about as well as oil and water, or me and large crowds.
Virginia’s vast land claim reached from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River, and as far north as the Great Lakes. This land claim was so large that it spanned across portions, if not all, of what is now eight other states and even one province of Canada!
Virginia competed with several other states for much of its land, but very early in the United States’ existence, Virginia was obligated to cede most of it land claims to the Federal Government. The government formed the land acquired from Virginia into “The Territory Northwest of the River Ohio,” or more commonly and less wordily, the Northwest Territory (not to be confused with Northwest Territories, Canada).
Despite losing approximately 75% of its land to the government, Virginia would still become the largest state in the Union for more than three decades. The Old Dominion State could have possibly remained the largest state for another twenty-four years as long as it didn’t lose any more land, but we’re talking about Virginia, of course it would lose more land!
Yep, Virginia lost land again, this time it lost its westernmost land known as Kentucky County. Kentucky County was admitted into the Union as the state of, unsurprisingly, Kentucky. Now Virginia has lost about 38% of its remaining land.
At this point we may reasonably assume that this humiliated state’s borders would finally be left alone. Maybe Virginia will keep all of its land now, just as long as nothing drastic happens, like a civil war… what’s that! A civil war broke out? …Virginia, it’s been nice knowing you.
That’s right! With the outbreak of the Civil War and Virginia’s joining the Confederacy, Virginia lost land. I would say that I’m shocked, but hey, it’s Virginia.
Virginia’s secession from the Union pushed its northwestern corner to the breaking point. The northwestern area was already feeling separated from the rest of Virginia, but after voting against secession and feeling belittled due to being thrown into the Confederacy, forty-eight Virginian counties decided to break off and form a new state.
I am certain that you cannot guess the name of this new state, that is just like Virginia, but west. West Virginia? Wait, how did you know? Correct, we now have the new state of West Virginia. Virginia has now lost another 36% of what little land it had left.
Do you think Virginia should have remained super large, or is better that Virginia broke apart into many new states?
Onward American 