WEST VIRGINIA
By Nick Nelms
Hi, my name is Nick! I'm doing West Virginia because there are so many mountains that go all the way into Pennsylvania! Did you know that the mountains are 10,000,000 acres long! West Virginia Is AWESOME!
History
3000 years ago a tribe called the mound builders that lived in West Virginia.
In 1600, England formed colonies of the eastern coast of USA. In 1669, John Leaderer wandered around and explored the area. In 1671, Thomas Batts and Robert Fallam explored southern West Virginia. Fur trader Abraham Wood hired men. Fur traders caged animals and traded or sold the animal skins. Wood wanted to become well known in fur trade. The fur trading job Wood had was a good way to make money easily. Batts and Fallem found a river that flowed west, unlike most other rivers that flow east they named it Wood’s River. Later they called it New River. England claimed the area after the expedition.
From 1775 – 1783 the American colonists and the British fought in the Revolutionary War.
From 1775 – 1783 the American colonists and the British fought in the Revolutionary War.
State Symbols
Black Bear
The state animal is the black bear. It was picked by a vote of students, teachers and sportsmen.
West Virginia Hills
The state song in West Virginia is “The West Virginia Hills.” It is based off the hills in West Virginia.
Monarch Butterfly
The state butterfly is the monarch butterfly. The colors are old gold and blue. The monarch butterfly is a common butterfly in the United States.
Brook Trout
The state fish is the brook trout. This fish is commonly found in West Virginia.
Lithostrotionella
The state gemstone is the Lithostrotionella. The Lithostrotionella is a gemstone.
Government
Under the West Virginia’s constitution, the government is divided into thirds, the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The executive branch carries out laws. The governor is like the head master of the executive branch. West Virginia’s state legislature Minnie Buckingham Harper became the first African- American in the United States appointed to a state legislature. The capital is Charleston. The state abbreviation is WV. The governor is Earl Ray Thompson The two U.S. senators are Joe Manchin and Jay Rockefeller. West Virginia’s judicial branch interprets the states laws. The judicial branch includes magistrate courts, circuit courts, family courts and the supreme court of appeals, the biggest court.
Cheat Mountain Salamander
The Cheat Mountain Salamander is found in only West Virginia. This small salamander is found in about five counties. The Cheat Mountain Salamander lives in moist red spruce forests where ground will be covered with fallen leaves, logs, and sticks. Adults are an average of 4 inches long. There’re black or dark brown with copper or silver on their back. Since the late 1980’s the Cheat Mountain Salamander has been considered endangered. When animals get threatened they soon become endangered. Loss of habitat is the main reason for salamander status. Foresters cut down trees causing sunlight to dry out damp conditions the salamanders need to live and survive. Scientists are keeping track of Cheat Mountain Salamander population. Recent records show the number of salamanders that remain steady.
Plants and Wildlife
Many plants grow in the state's forests. Oak, cherry, maple, and many other hardwood trees that grow along mountainsides. Softwood evergreen trees, including white pine, spruce, and hemlock, also grow in the area. Orchards, fruit trees and Flowering trees like the dogwood thrives in river valleys in West Virginia. Rhododendrons grow throughout West Virginia. Their flower clusters range in color from white to purple. Many animals live in West Virginia like black bears, white-tailed deer, bobcats, raccoons and skunks roam around in the West Virginia forests. Also West Virginia has cardinals, quill, grouse, and many other birds also make their homes in West Virginia.
Climate
West Virginia has four seasons but the weather depends somewhat on elevation and location. Springs in West Virginia are usually mild and summers are often warm and sunny. July temperatures are about 72 degrees or more. In fall, cool temperatures make leaves turn spectacular colors like red, orange, and yellow. The winters can get cold. Spring goes up to 64 degrees F, summer goes up to 82 degrees F, fall goes up to 65 degrees F surprisingly and winter goes up to 44 degrees F.
People and Culture
The famous people in West Virginia are Pearl S. Buck, Stone wall, Don Knotts, Mary Lou Retton, Daniel Boone, Jennifer Garner, Minni Buckingham Harper, Booker T. Washington and Chuck Yeager.
Economy and Resources
Did you know that if West Virginia wasn’t in the USA there would be a lot less coal? Coal is the one of the greatest natural resources in West Virginia. West Virginia produces about an average of 45% of the country’s every little bit of coal. That’s almost more than half the coal the United States sells to other countries in the world! Today fewer people use coal to heat their homes than they did in the past. Instead, power plants use the coal to make electricity. Coal is the main resource of electricity in thirty-two states. It gives more than 50% of the country’s electricity.
From 1970 to 1997, the number of people who have mining jobs went down by 45 %. Many miners lost their jobs after that. And guess what, they replaced them with machines! The lack of jobs forced people to move out the state. From 1990 –2000, the state’s population went down and the state could no longer rely on coal. The state government created programs to get more people to get jobs like businesses and help them grow. The state also encourages county and city governments to work together and give more opportunities for new businesses to grow.
West Virginia also produces other natural resources like natural gas and oil that can be found in the state. Most of West Virginia’s salt deposits are usually in the northern parts of West Virginia. In other years, natural gas has grown about 200,000 million cubic feet in production. Many of the natural gas fields are in the western part of West Virginia. In 1999, West Virginia produced about 1.5 million barrels of oil. Workers mine sand, gravel, and clay.
From 1970 to 1997, the number of people who have mining jobs went down by 45 %. Many miners lost their jobs after that. And guess what, they replaced them with machines! The lack of jobs forced people to move out the state. From 1990 –2000, the state’s population went down and the state could no longer rely on coal. The state government created programs to get more people to get jobs like businesses and help them grow. The state also encourages county and city governments to work together and give more opportunities for new businesses to grow.
West Virginia also produces other natural resources like natural gas and oil that can be found in the state. Most of West Virginia’s salt deposits are usually in the northern parts of West Virginia. In other years, natural gas has grown about 200,000 million cubic feet in production. Many of the natural gas fields are in the western part of West Virginia. In 1999, West Virginia produced about 1.5 million barrels of oil. Workers mine sand, gravel, and clay.
Manufacturing
West Virginia’s natural resources have helped manufacturing companies grow. The Kanawha River Valley has many chemical companies. 95% of the state’s salt is used to make chlorine (which they put in pools). Chlorine is a chemical that is used in some cleaning supplies that is also used in pools, indoor pools and many other things. It is also used to make plastic and other materials. Wheeling is an important center for steel manufacturing. Glass and many other makers depend on sand and clay. One of the world’s most leading stained-glass makers, Blenko glass is based on Milton. William Blenko started that company in 1921. The company makes decorative pieces and many other merchandise. Blenko Glass has also made supplied glass for the famous buildings, like Westminster Abbey in London, England, and the White House in Washington, D.C.
Agriculture and Forestry
Only about 6 percent of West Virginia is farmland crops. Beef cattle are the most valuable from farm product. Farmers also raise dairy cattle, chickens, and turkeys! They grow corn, barley, wheat, oats, and other products. Fruit growers raise apples, peaches, grapes, berries and other fruits. West Virginia ranks ninth in the United States in apple production. Apple growers make about 115 million pounds of apples a year. Many valuable hardwood trees such as oak and cherry trees grow in West Virginia’s forests. Forests that cover the mountains of West Virginia give large amount of wood. Foresters cut trees into logs to make paper and other paper products. Then the logs are milled into lumber. Lumber from wood that are hard are strong and durable. People use lumber in many houses and business buildings. The forestry industry in West Virginia provides about $2.1 billion to West Virginia’s economy every year.
Picture Credits
http://assets.slate.wvu.edu/resources/427/1227009271.jpg agriculture and forestry
http://gemaddicts.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=1377&g2_serialNumber=2 lithostrotionella
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/severeweather/resources/4LEE_Lightning-md.jpg weather
http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Educational/Kids_Page/bear.gif black bear
http://www.sonofthesouth.net/revolutionary-war/battles/revolutionary-war-minutemen.jpg revalutionary war
http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/mounds/mounds/builders2.gif mounds builders
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e5/WV_Capitolbuilding.jpg/220px-WV_Capitolbuilding.jpg West Virginia's government
http://www.dep.wv.gov/dlr/reap/ow/PublishingImages/Pink%20flowers%20along%20curvy%20road.jpg West Virginia's plants
http://assets.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/news/Gear-Photo-315pxx309px*304.jpg?v=1 manufacturing jobs
http://www.50statesproject.net/westvirginia-industry.jpg economy and recources
http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/IMAGES/Pennsylvania/brook_trout3.jpg brook trout
http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-live/photos/000/006/cache/monarch-butterfly_630_600x450.jpg monarch butterfly
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YENu543DNBE/UKMmIxIm3qI/AAAAAAAAPBs/mThQH4MWItc/s1600/West+Virginia+Hills.png West Virginia Hills song
http://gemaddicts.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=1377&g2_serialNumber=2 lithostrotionella
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/severeweather/resources/4LEE_Lightning-md.jpg weather
http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Educational/Kids_Page/bear.gif black bear
http://www.sonofthesouth.net/revolutionary-war/battles/revolutionary-war-minutemen.jpg revalutionary war
http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/mounds/mounds/builders2.gif mounds builders
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e5/WV_Capitolbuilding.jpg/220px-WV_Capitolbuilding.jpg West Virginia's government
http://www.dep.wv.gov/dlr/reap/ow/PublishingImages/Pink%20flowers%20along%20curvy%20road.jpg West Virginia's plants
http://assets.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/news/Gear-Photo-315pxx309px*304.jpg?v=1 manufacturing jobs
http://www.50statesproject.net/westvirginia-industry.jpg economy and recources
http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/IMAGES/Pennsylvania/brook_trout3.jpg brook trout
http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-live/photos/000/006/cache/monarch-butterfly_630_600x450.jpg monarch butterfly
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YENu543DNBE/UKMmIxIm3qI/AAAAAAAAPBs/mThQH4MWItc/s1600/West+Virginia+Hills.png West Virginia Hills song