How West Virginia became a state during the Civil War

Grade 8 Social Studies Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Virginia divides, 1830 to 1861

   Map 1, "Virginia, East and West" (1830 to 1860): Eastern Virginia held most of the state's enslaved people, and it had more seats in the General Assembly, because enslaved people were counted in its population. Only white men who owned land could vote, and many western Virginians did not own the land they lived on. In 1830, voters in present-day West Virginia rejected a new state constitution, 8,365 to 1,383, though it passed statewide. Map 2, "Virginia secedes" (spring 1861): April 17, 1861: Virginia's convention in Richmond votes 88 to 55 to leave the Union. May 13 to 15, 1861: delegates from 27 western counties meet at Wheeling. May 23, 1861: Virginia's voters approve secession, 125,950 to 20,373, by the governor's count; many western votes were never delivered, so how western Virginians voted is unclear. Key: gray is the eastern counties; green is the western counties; a star is Richmond; a circle is Wheeling. Below the maps: Secession means leaving the Union. After Abraham Lincoln's election in 1860, Southern leaders who feared he would end slavery vowed to leave the Union.

2. 1.

   By map 1, why did the East have more seats in the General Assembly, Ari asks?

   • Its farms grew more wheat
   • Its enslaved people were counted in its population
   • Western voters gave up their seats
   • It had more land than the West
3. 2.

   Who could vote in Virginia before reform, by map 1, Bo asks?

   • White men who owned land
   • Western farmers who rented land
   • Any man over the age of 21
   • Men and women who rented land
4. 3.

   What was the Richmond convention's vote on secession, Jun asks?

   • 55 to 88
   • 88 to 55
   • 125,950 to 20,373
   • 8,365 to 1,383
5. 4.

   What does secession mean, by the note, Kira asks?

   • Joining the Union
   • Dividing up a county
   • Leaving the Union
   • Freeing enslaved people
6. 5.

   How many western counties sent delegates to Wheeling in May 1861, Luz asks?

   • 55 counties
   • 27 counties
   • 13 counties
   • 88 counties
7. 6.

   Why is the western vote on secession unclear, by map 2, Milo asks?

   • Many western votes were never delivered
   • The West did not hold any vote
   • The votes were counted in Ohio
   • Western counties voted twice
8. 7.

   How many years passed from the 1830 vote to secession in 1861, Noah asks?

   • 3,691 years
   • 31 years
   • 41 years
   • 21 years
9. 8.

   Which claim fits map 1, Pia asks?

   • The West held most enslaved people
   • East and West agreed on each question
   • East and West had long disagreed
   • The quarrel began in 1861
10. 9.

    On the key, what does the circle mark, Ren asks?

    • Richmond
    • Wheeling
    • The western counties
    • The eastern counties
11. 10.

    Why did Southern leaders vow to leave the Union, by the note, Tala asks?

    • They wanted lower taxes on salt
    • They feared Lincoln would end slavery
    • Lincoln asked them to leave
    • They wanted to join Canada