First female FBI field agents completed basic training. In 1972 Susan Lynn Roley and Joanne E. Pierce graduated from Quantico, Virginia. Today about 16 percent of FBI agents are women.
Oct 252023
Nov 202023
Bill of Rights was ratified by New Jersey in 1789. New Jersey was the first state to approve the amendments. The process was completed on December 15, 1791, when Virginia ratified the amendments. Children can learn more at: Bill of Rights.
Nov 272023
Williamsburg, Virginia, began restoration processes in 1926. Colonial Williamsburg, along with Jamestown and Yorktown, form the Historic Triangle. About four million people visit the region each year. Colonial Williamsburg has a great website for children at: Williamsburg.
Dec 012023
District of Columbia Flag
Washington, DC, became the capital of the United States in 1800. Parts of Virginia and Maryland were combined to make the new capital. Charles L’Enfant created the architectural plan for the city. The federal government is the largest employer, and printing is the biggest industry. Over seventeen million tourists visit the nation’s capital every year. Children could locate some of the many important buildings on a map of Washington, DC. They could learn more at: Washington, DC.
Dec 152023
Bill of Rights became part of the Constitution in 1791. The first ten amendments became a part of the Constitution when Virginia ratified them. Presidential Proclamations have marked this day since 1962. Children could view an excellent infographic from Kids Discover: Bill of Rights.
Dec 262023
Shenandoah National Park was created in 1926. The park, around 200,000 acres in area, encompasses parts of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. Shenandoah National Park has over 500 miles of trails, and 101 of those miles are part of the Appalachian Trail. Children could visit the national park website, watch the videos, and particularly check out the WebRanger portion, at: http://www.nps.gov/shen.
Mar 232024
Patrick Henry
Patrick Henry gave his famous “Give me liberty or give me death” speech in Richmond, Virginia, in 1775. The speech, given without notes, was a rousing call for freedom from Great Britain. Children can read the speech at: Patrick Henry.
Apr 092024
McLean House
Civil War ended in 1865 when Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox, Virginia. Over 600,000 soldiers died in the Civil War, more than all the wars in total the United States has ever fought. Because most of the war had been waged in the South, many of the southern states suffered severe damages. The war, however, ended slavery and reunited all the states. Idea: The Civil War changed ideas regarding battle. Children could research the new machinery and novel battle strategies were used. They could learn more at: Civil War Surrender.
May 142024
Statue of Pocahontas at Jamestown
Jamestown, Virginia, became the first permanent English colony in America in 1607. Three ships, the Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery brought Captain John Smith and others to American shores. The ill-prepared colonists had left England on December 20, 1606. Children could learn more at: http://www.nps.gov/jame/index.htm.
Jun 042024
Silhouette of Jack Jouett – only known image
Jack Jouett became a hero on the night of June 3 into June 4, 1781. Jouett overheard British plans to capture Thomas Jefferson and others. Jouett understood how important the group was yet how vulnerable they were. He rode 45 miles through rough and tough Virginia countryside to warn Thomas Jefferson and members of the legislature that the British were coming. When the British arrived in Charlottesville, the Americans had escaped. Jouett has been called the “Paul Revere of the South.” Children could read Jack Jouett of Albemarle: The Paul Revere of the South by Jennie Thornley Grayson.