Virginia in the 20th Century
Transition from Rural to Urban
During the twentieth century and beyond, Virginia changed from a rural, agricultural society to a more urban, industrialized society.
Changes in Agriculture:
Mechanization (the use of machines like tractors) made farming more efficient
Improvements in transportation made it easier to transport harvested crops
Growth of Virginia’s Cities:
People moved from rural to urban areas for more opportunities
Better transportation (roads, railroads, and streetcars) helped cities grow
Coal mining helped Virginia grow
During the twentieth century, Northern Virginia experienced growth due to the number of government jobs in the region
In the late twentieth century and the early twenty-first century, Northern Virginia has grown due to computer technology
Virginia’s population has become more diverse as people have moved to the state from many other states and countries
Women's Suffrage and the Great Depression
Women’s Suffrage:
The United States Constitution was amended in 1920 to give women the right to vote
Maggie L. Walker was an African American leader from Virginia who supported equal rights for women
The Great Depression:
The Great Depression was a period of bad economic conditions during the 1930s
Many Virginians lost their jobs, farms, homes, and businesses
The federal government established New Deal programs to provide employment and help the people
With the New Deal, the federal government took on a larger role in the daily lives of Virginians
Desegregation
Terms to Know:
Segregation: the separation of people, usually based on race or religion
Desegregation: the legal end of racial segregation
Integration: full equality of people of all races in the use of public facilities and services
After World War II, African Americans demanded equal treatment. As a result of the Civil Rights Movement, laws were passed that made racial discrimination illegal.
Desegregation and Massive Resistance in Virginia:
Barbara Johns, a high school student in Virginia, led a student strike against segregation in 1951
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education in 1954 that “separate but equal” public schools were unconstitutional
All public schools, including those in Virginia, were ordered to desegregate
Virginia’s government established a policy of Massive Resistance, which fought to resist the desegregation of public schools
Some schools were closed to avoid desegregation
The policy of Massive Resistance failed, and Virginia’s public schools were finally integrated
Important Individuals:
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., as governor of Virginia, modernized the Virginia state government
Oliver W. Hill, Sr., a lawyer and civil rights leader, worked for equal rights of African Americans and played a key role in the Brown v. Board of Education decision
Arthur R. Ashe, Jr., was the first African American winner of a major men’s tennis singles championship and also advocated for change
A. Linwood Holton, Jr., as governor of Virginia, promoted racial equality and appointed many African Americans and women to positions in state government
L. Douglas Wilder, as governor of Virginia, was the first African American to be elected a state governor in the United States
Branches of Government
The Virginia state government is made up of three parts (branches).
The Legislative Branch:
Also called the General Assembly
It makes state laws
It is divided into two parts—the Senate and the House of Delegates
The Executive Branch:
The governor is the head of the executive branch of the state government
It makes sure that state laws are carried out
The Judicial Branch:
The state’s court system
It decides cases about people accused of breaking the law and whether or not a law agrees with Virginia’s constitution
Virginia's Products and Industries
Available resources, as well as geography, are major factors in what is produced in the state.
Top Products and Services for Virginia:
Architecture and engineering
Banking and lending
Computer programming and systems design
Food products
Shipbuilding
Top Manufactured Products in Virginia:
Ships
Tobacco products
Beverages
Chemical goods
Motor vehicle parts and trucks
Livestock and Crop Products:
Chickens, cows, milk, turkeys, and pigs
Soybeans, corn, tobacco, tomatoes, apples, and peanuts
Access to ports, the Chesapeake Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean make shipbuilding, fishing, crabbing, and oyster harvesting possible.
Virginia’s transportation system, which includes highways, railroads, air transportation, and shipping, moves raw materials to factories and finished products to markets.
