West Virginia's regions, rivers, counties and neighbors on a map

Grade 8 Social Studies Worksheet - Challenge Me

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   West Virginia's counties, then and now

   Map 1, "West Virginia in 1863" (1863): At statehood the state had 48 counties. Berkeley and Jefferson counties, at the eastern end, were provided for but not yet settled. Map 2, "West Virginia today" (today): The state has 55 counties. Berkeley and Jefferson were officially added in 1866, after their voters chose to join and the federal government affirmed it. Five new counties were created between 1866 and 1895, among them Mineral and Grant, split from Hampshire and Hardy counties in 1866. Key: gray is the 48 counties of 1863; stripes are the 2 counties added in 1866; dots are the 5 counties created from 1866 to 1895. Below the maps: Rivers shape where people live: only two cities of more than 10,000 people, Beckley and Martinsburg, are not on a major stream. A system of 13 locks and dams lets boats travel 350 miles on three rivers. About 78 percent of the state is forest.

2. 1.

   How many counties were added between map 1 and map 2, Ari asks?

   • 2 counties
   • 7 counties
   • 5 counties
   • 103 counties
3. 2.

   Who decided that Berkeley and Jefferson would join, Bo asks?

   • Virginia's governor, acting alone
   • The voters of Ohio and Maryland
   • The king of England
   • Their voters, then the federal government
4. 3.

   How many years passed from statehood to the last new county, Esme asks?

   • 29 years
   • 3,758 years
   • 32 years
   • 42 years
5. 4.

   How many years after statehood were Berkeley and Jefferson added, Jun asks?

   • 3 years
   • 32 years
   • 30 years
   • 13 years
6. 5.

   By the note, about what share of the state is forest, Luz asks?

   • About 22 percent
   • About 7.8 percent
   • About 13 percent
   • About 78 percent
7. 6.

   Which fact in the note shows that rivers shape where people live, Milo asks?

   • About 78 percent of the state is forest
   • The state has 55 counties today
   • Just two big cities are off a major stream
   • Mineral and Grant split off in 1866
8. 7.

   A note says, 'West Virginia began with 55 counties.' What fix does Pia make?

   • Keep 55; the note is right
   • Change 55 to 50
   • Change 55 to 7
   • Change 55 to 48
9. 8.

   A note says, 'Boats travel 3,500 miles on three rivers.' What fix does Ren make?

   • Keep it; the note is right
   • Change 3,500 to 13
   • Change 3,500 to 350
   • Change three rivers to one river
10. 9.

    Which map best answers 'How did the counties change?', Tala asks?

    • Neither map shows counties
    • Map 2 by itself
    • Both maps, read side by side
    • Map 1 by itself
11. 10.

    Which question can these maps not answer, Zee asks?

    • Which counties Mineral and Grant came from
    • When Berkeley and Jefferson joined
    • Why each new county chose to form
    • How many counties there are today