George Washington and James Madison were influential Virginians in the founding of the United States. Washington was the first President and is known as the "Father of Our Country" for providing leadership to the new nation. Madison helped write the U.S. Constitution and is termed the "Father of the Constitution" for his skills in compromise. The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, written by Thomas Jefferson, established freedom of religion. Migration westward increased as tobacco farming depleted soil and inventions like the cotton gin and reaper changed agriculture, pushing many Virginians to seek new land and opportunities elsewhere in the South and beyond the Appalachians.
George Washington and James Madison were influential Virginians in the founding of the United States. Washington was the first President and is known as the "Father of Our Country" for providing leadership to the new nation. Madison helped write the U.S. Constitution and is termed the "Father of the Constitution" for his skills in compromise. The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, written by Thomas Jefferson, established freedom of religion. Migration westward increased as tobacco farming depleted soil and inventions like the cotton gin and reaper changed agriculture, pushing many Virginians to seek new land and opportunities elsewhere in the South and beyond the Appalachians.
George Washington and James Madison were influential Virginians in the founding of the United States. Washington was the first President and is known as the "Father of Our Country" for providing leadership to the new nation. Madison helped write the U.S. Constitution and is termed the "Father of the Constitution" for his skills in compromise. The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, written by Thomas Jefferson, established freedom of religion. Migration westward increased as tobacco farming depleted soil and inventions like the cotton gin and reaper changed agriculture, pushing many Virginians to seek new land and opportunities elsewhere in the South and beyond the Appalachians.
George Washington and James Madison were influential Virginians in the founding of the United States. Washington was the first President and is known as the "Father of Our Country" for providing leadership to the new nation. Madison helped write the U.S. Constitution and is termed the "Father of the Constitution" for his skills in compromise. The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, written by Thomas Jefferson, established freedom of religion. Migration westward increased as tobacco farming depleted soil and inventions like the cotton gin and reaper changed agriculture, pushing many Virginians to seek new land and opportunities elsewhere in the South and beyond the Appalachians.
VIRGINIA STUDIES 2015 CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK (CONDENSED) – STUDY GUIDE
VS.6 VIRGINIA AND THE NEW NATION
The Virginia Statute STANDARD VS.6A for Religious Freedom, WASHINGTON, MADISON written by Thomas Jefferson, states that George Washington is called the “Father of Our Country” and all people should be James Madison is called the “Father of the Constitution.” free to worship as they The actions and ideas of Virginians formed the basis for please. the new constitutional government of the United States. George Washington, a Virginian, was elected as the first STANDARD VS.6C President of the United States of MIGRATION WEST America. Geography influenced the movement of people and – He provided the strong ideas as Virginians moved to and beyond the Virginia leadership needed to help frontier. the young country and provided a model of After the American Revolution, Virginia’s agricultural base began to change, and as a result large numbers of Virginians leadership for future moved west and to presidents. the deep South to – Thus, he is often called the find better “Father of Our Country.” farmland and new James Madison, a Virginian, believed in the importance of opportunities. having a United States constitution. He kept detailed notes • Tobacco during the Constitutional Convention. farming – His skills at compromise was hard helped the delegates reach on the agreement during the soil, difficult process of writing causing the Constitution of the many United States of America. farmers to look west and south for new land to farm. – This earned him the title “Father of the • The development of the cotton gin led to the opening Constitution.” of new lands in the south and attracted settlers from Virginia. STANDARD VS.6B • The mechanical reaper allowed farmers to grow MASON, JEFFERSON more wheat with fewer workers, which forced many Virginians to leave the state in search of jobs. The Virginia Declaration of Rights • Virginians migrated into western territories looking and the Virginia for large areas of land and new opportunities. Statute for Religious • As Virginians moved, they took their enslaved people, Freedom provided traditions, ideas, and cultures with them. significant rights. • Many enslaved African Americans were sold to The Virginia Declaration of people who lived in other southern states Rights, written by George Mason, states that all Virginians • Settlers crossed the Appalachian Mountains through have many rights, including freedom of religion and freedom the Cumberland Gap as they migrated to new lands of the press. in the west
