All About Virginia

Historic Alexandria
This site has some great resources, but it can be a bit tricky to navigate. The best way seems be to scroll down a little to the K-12 section and use the page as your base for exploring Online Lessons, Activity Sheets, Researching Alexandria's History, and Story Time.

Appomattox Court House National Historic Site
On April 9, 1865, the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia in the McLean House in the village of Appomattox Court House, Virginia signaled the effective end of the nation's largest war. This NPS resource includes many articles, enabling students to explore this crucial time in our country's history. Includes lesson plans for grades 3-5.

National Memorial to Robert E. Lee
Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial is the only federally-funded national memorial honoring a person who fought against the United States government. However, Arlington House is not a memorial honoring the Confederacy. Instead, the legislation that created the memorial honors Robert E. Lee for very specific reasons, most importantly for his role in promoting peace and reunion following the American Civil War. Historical context is key to understanding the establishment of Arlington House as a national park unit and as a national memorial to Robert E. Lee.

The Declaration of Causes of the Seceding States
The declarations of secession for Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia (primary sources)

Colonial Williamsburg Educator Resource Library
The Educator Resource library includes primary sources, multimedia content, lesson plans, and additional materials for use by teachers, students, and scholars of all ages. Topics include Daily Life, People, Places, and American Revolution.

Virginia Wildlife
General information and further links to the Department of Wildlife Resources' guide to native Virginian wildlife.

Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora
Virginia Digital Plant Atlas of Groups and Families of the VA Flora Home Page. This Digital Atlas contains all the Plant information on the Virginia Flora.

Monticello
Monticello was the home of Thomas Jefferson: third President of the United States, author of the Declaration of Independence, and lifelong statesman. The website has learning resources such as videos and livestreams, primary sources, coloring sheets, and biographies. There are also a large number of articles, and the easiest way to find specific topics may be to use the menu at the top right of the home page.

Booker T. Washington National Monument
Booker T. Washington was born a slave in April 1856 in Hale's Ford, VA. After the Civil War, Washington became the first principal of Tuskegee Normal and Industrial School. Later as an adviser, author and orator, his past would influence his philosophies as the most influential African American of his era. Students can learn about Washington through articles and videos. The NPS also provides lesson plans for grades 4-12.

Manassas National Battlefield
On July 21, 1861, two armies clashed for the first time on the fields overlooking Bull Run. Heavy fighting swept away any notion of a quick war. In August 1862, Union and Confederate armies converged for a second time on the plains of Manassas. The Confederates won a solid victory bringing them to the height of their power. Students can learn about both battles with this resource.

Montpelier
Montpelier was the home of our fourth President, James Madison. The website has a large number of articles, but it's not easy to navigate. Scroll down to the "Discover Montpelier" section at the bottom of their home page to find articles on Madison, his wife Dolley, and the enslaved community of Montpelier. You can rabbit-trail from each main article.

Battle of Cedar Creek
Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley witnessed dramatic Civil War campaigns, including the Battle of Cedar Creek, a decisive Federal victory that helped bring the war to an end.

George Washington's Mount Vernon
This site is a treasure trove of resources. Along with numerous articles about Washington's life and career, they offer lesson plans, primary sources, interactive tools, educational videos, and more. Don't miss "Washington's Resume" on the George Washington main page. It's a fun way to see everything he accomplished.

Petersburg National Battlefield
The Siege of Petersburg lasted nine and a half months and is considered the Longest Military Event of the Civil War.

Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site
In spite of humble beginnings in post-Civil War Richmond, Virginia, Maggie Lena Walker achieved national prominence as a businesswoman and community leader. When she founded a bank in 1903, she was the first African American woman in the United States to do so. She remained chairman of the bank until her death in 1934.

Virginia Museum of History and Culture
Offers student activities, lesson plans, videos, online exhibits, and more.

Richmond National Battlefield Park
From 1861 to 1865, armies battled time and again in the vicinity of Richmond, Virginia. Inside the city, factories forged iron into weapons and hospitals cared for the sick and wounded. The exploits of some generals and political leaders became famous, while thousands of others toiled in anonymity, trying to survive the hardships of war. Others fought in secret as partisans and spies. Men and women, old and young, black and white, enslaved and free: every life in Richmond was touched by the war. Explore this site to learn about the people and the stories of Civil War. Richmond.

Historical Society of Western Virginia
Explore Virginia’s multifaceted history through five engaging lessons. Each lesson incorporates unique objectives, materials, activities, and assessments, fostering critical thinking, research skills, and reflection. Differentiation options and extension activities are also available with most of the lessons. For grades 9-12.

Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library
Learn about the life and career of the 28th US President. Includes student activities, videos, and lessons on analyzing political cartoons and primary sources.

Encyclopedia Virginia
"Encyclopedia Virginia (EV) is a reliable and user-friendly resource on the history and culture of Virginia. EV publishes topical and biographical entries written by scholars, edited to be accessible to a general audience, and vigorously fact checked. Entries are accompanied by primary documents and media objects, including images, audio and visual clips, and virtual tours of historic sites."

Historic Christ Church
Finished in 1735, Christ Church stands as the best preserved and most finely crafted of colonial Virginia's Anglican parish churches. Digital resources on their History at Home page include a virtual tour, videos, activities, oral histories, and primary sources.

Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District
During the Civil War, control of the Shenandoah Valley was critical to the fate of Virginia and the Confederacy. The Valley witnessed Stonewall Jackson’s brilliant 1862 Valley Campaign, Gen. Robert E. Lee’s advance to the Confederate “high tide” at Gettysburg, the VMI Cadets’ valiant charge at New Market, and U.S. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan’s final campaign to crush Confederate hopes in the Valley—which included The Burning, the fiery destruction of the region’s agricultural bounty. Learn about the battles and campaigns and the people involved.

Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace Foundation and Museum
When President Wilson suffered a debilitating stroke in September of 1919 during his second term in office, his wife Edith assumed the “stewardship of the presidency,” as she referred it, for 17 months until Wilson’s second term ended. She was the first woman in D.C. to have a license to drive, a direct descendant of Pocahontas, a great-niece of Thomas Jefferson, and has ties to Martha Washington and Robert E. Lee.  Students can learn more about her life through videos and a series of short articles. To read the articles, you'll need to click through individually from the Learn tab on the top menu.

Battle of Yorktown
The Battle of Yorktown Sep 28 - Oct 19, 1781, marks the collapse of the British war efforts.

The 50 States - Virginia
From TeachersFirst. A comprehensive resource on Virginia

Mr. Donn.org - Virginia
Collection of Virginia resources from Mr. Donn, who offers one of the largest collections of social studies resources available.

Virginia Primary Sources (Library of Congress)
Selected Library of Congress primary sources with a Teacher's Guide

50 States.com - Virginia
Facts & Trivia about Virginia

RoadsideAmerica.com - Virginia
Unique tourist attractions and landmarks in Virginia

Awesome America - Virginia
Loads of fun facts, photos, and travel information about Virginia.