Why didn't the Virginias Get Back Together? (Short Animated Documentary)
West Virginia didn't want to.
/ histmattersyt
Patreon: www.patreon.com/user?u=4973164
Merch: teespring.com/stores/history-...
A special thanks to all of these Patrons below, without whom the show wouldn't be possible:
Southside Mitch
Franco La Bruna
Tim Stumbaugh
Richard Wolfe
Kevin Sanders
David archaeologist
Robert Brockway
Mittel warmer Tee
Ian Smith
James Nile
Kevin Phoenix
Can’t Think Of A Name
Porkmeister
Ian Jensen
אורי פרקש
Chase Labiste
Mickey Landen
anon
Qi Xiao
sharpie660
D. Mahlik
kevinh
Juan Castillo
Andreas Mosand
Chris Fatta
Dexter_McAaron
Jeff Kapp
Nicholas Menghini
Ainar Garipov
KNSTRKTVST
SirAlpaka
Brian Giordano
Chris Weisel
Blah Blah Blah
Paul Franche
Burt Clothier
Alex G.
Andrew Niedbala
Curt Helmerich
Victor Warmflash
Jeremy
Brian Hamilton
Dragan
Wolf
Mantodea
Adam Stalter
Rod D. Martin
John Garcia
Alexander Washofsky
John Bisges
Joseph Reinsch
Scott P
Joel Cromwell
BattleGoat Studios
Jack River
Jack Mcbeth
SkyEye
ScottishTrekkie
Ryan Haber
Bernardo Santos
Riley davidson
Andrew Patane
Nathan Perlman
Käs
Warren Rudkin
Heytun
Danny Anstess
Paddy
William Hilton
Yick Chung
Jane Sumpter
Tristan Kreller
Scott O'Donnell
Mik Scheper
Justin Pearson
Chris Hall
doron davidowitz
Syagrius Beans
Zachary Oertel
Magdalena Reinberg-Leibel
Super Bee 426
Joseph Kerckhoff
Christopher Godfrey
Joooooshhhhhh
Henry Rabung
Perry Gagne
Joshua A Bishop
bas mensink
Vance Christiaanse
Alen
Joker 54
Kim Huett
Robert Woodward
Gregory Priebe
William Wold
Craig Cunningham
Vilelmus_veliki
I'm Not In The Description
Blake Dryad
Tim Lane
Clay Carroll
Raymond He
Richard W Quarles
Phil Simmons
Neil Jones
Alteredcorgi
Matt Reed
Eddie
Ellen Teapot
Michael Wagner
Mark Ploegstra
Jeffrey Schneider
Chach
JAY ALAN EDELMAN
Liam Gilleece
Jack Nelson
Proxy
Layne Nielsen
Anthony McCann
Ciege Engine
Kinfe85
Kevin Stolz
Matthew O'Connor
Haydn Noble
Phillip Gathright
David Chaid
James Bisonette Fan #1
Chrisaztec
sam
Josh Cornelius
Sahni
Thomas Wang
Colm Byrne
Imperial Pony
Sethars
Björn Wittmann
Arthur Hosey Jr.
TooMuchWaterYouDie
James
Tailsdoll
Piotr Wojnowski
Now Seibert
HelloAgainThere
Colm Boyle
Harley Raptopoulos
Serius_Loyola
Dr. Howard Dr. Fine Dr. Howard
Dennis the Cat
Gerald Armstrong
Eóghan Ó'nia
Mr Sandman
Matthew Hogan
Mathew.glen.williams@gmail.com
Steve Noworyta
Paul McGee
Dakota Brunell
João Santos
SmythProductions
Gabriel Lunde
The Roger Luna
Colonel Oneill
Steve Bonds
Donald Weaver
Alan Romero
Bumble Jones
Cor Gar
Richard Manklow
Konstantin Bredyuk
Peter Konieczny
Christine Purvis
mohd
Seth Reeves
Pierre Le Mouel
Canadian Pats
Brian McKinley
Ben L
Erik Carlsson
Olaf
Huw Jones
Gordon Wilson
_“The vote passed, but mostly because those who opposed boycotted the vote...”_ *Mission failed successfully*
It's amazing how often this happens in history
I feel like their idea didn't work how they wanted it to
Boycotts are the laziest form of protest
I never understand as to why people boycott the vote if they don't support the proposed idea. If anything, that just makes it more likely for the idea to pass.
this is gonna happen with the republicans who call fruad
Everybody gangsta till they make a song about East Virginia.
You mean true Virginia
East West Virginia
Eastern West Virginia
Normie
@tatical kart West Virginia mountain mama, take me home country road ahhhh!!!
The timber industry was huge in Western Virginia. It was actually much more in tune with the more industrial north than the agrarian south. Western Virginia also had 2 of the most important rivers in America run through it. The Monongahela River runs right through Morgantown which connected all the way to Pittsburgh and the Ohio River ran from Pittsburgh, PA through Wheeling all the way to the Mississippi.
Yep they would have never sided with the godless trash of Virginia and the Carolinas.
that makes sense. some people scoff at “the mountain state” nickname, especially out west, but the landscape hardly lends itself to easy farming
@@winterwatson6811 this chick rolled her car off a mountain while I was there once who the fuck is scoffing lol
The real question is why western Virginia, which has much more in common with WV, Tennessee, and Kentucky than with the tidewater areas, is still part of Virginia today.
@@fnsmike taxes, property and zoning laws
Ironically, both Virginia and West Virginia eventually went opposite in politics. Virginia turned (somewhat) liberal while West Virginia turned very conservative.
Though, the Liberal elements of Virginia are bleeding into West Virginia. Fleeing from their own mistakes.
We're trying our damndest to stay RED for a while here in VA🤘
Virginia is Liberal?
@@Cristalack unfortunately majority is liberal
Virginia as a whole is not liberal lol, it's basically northern Virginia the suburbs of Washington DC that are liberal that makes it look like Virginia is liberal.
“You were rebelling so shut up!” For better or worse, best argument ever 😂😂😂
@David McConville It's amazing they didn't instantly realize the self-own.
Loved that part, and found myself forced to agree with wisdom of the ruling.
"Wait. If you seceded from us, then wouldn't that make YOUR argument against West Virginia hypocritical?" "MOTHER FU-" West Virginia: "hehe yeah boi"
bigger stick, diplomacy
@David McConville I mean rebelling in itself is already illegal
"you were rebelling now shut up". best thing I've ever heard
“The coming revolution was down the hall on the left" is better
I wish to use that on all southerners who wave the confederate flag
@@drewstaser9726 I laugh at all people who wave the American flag. A flag of imperialism and tyranny
@@youngking2503 US is like the opposite of tyranny
@@youngking2503 the USA's constitution is built on liberal principles. It's the literal opposite of tyranny. Waving the American flag is a support of western liberal democracies. You laughing at American's waving their flag is quite frankly ignorance on your part. Or you're a communist.
Unless the rules to the US Senate membership change, there's no incentive for any breakaway State to re-unify with their former States. The Virginias have 4 Senators; merge them both into a single State and then they'd just have 2.
Yes. The video answers 'how' but this is 'why'.
The Constitution says that the states shall always have an equal number of senators. Each state could have only one senator or each state could have fifty senators but the number always has to be equal. This is the only clause in the US Constitution that cannot be changed by future amendments.
@@markthomas6703 No, it can be changed by Amendment. You just repeal the part saying that it requires a unanimous vote. This has been a known "loophole" for a while. Not that it would ever happen.
@@ZipplyZane "since it is mandated in the Constitution itself. (Article I, Section 3: “the Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each state.”) And then, to further reassure the small states that this guarantee could be trusted, the Framers put this into Article V, after laying the onerous requirements for amending the Constitution: "Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate."
@@markthomas6703 But, again, that last part can itself be repealed, as it is not self-referential.
A piece of trivia. West Virginia is also referred to by many historians as "The most Southern Northern state, and most most Northern Southern state." 99% of my family on all sides are from West Virhinis. I was born in Virginia and was educated in Northern Virginia. This statement about WV was one that I heard in almost every history class I ever had in Virginia. I attended college in WV after I moved back there just before completing high school. Even in WV schools and college, I heard this statement about WV. WV was honestly the only state that was truly split by the populous being on both sides of the war. Another interesting fact is that the the 3 most western counties of the state of Maryland have initiated official proceedings to try and leave the state of Maryland and become a part of WV. Much like the situation with Oregon and Idaho.
Some western Virginian counties were making noises that way after the election a few years ago.
No we haven’t. One deranged populist charlatan by the name of Jason Buckel proposed the idea without asking, well, anyone. He was pretty hilariously derided and forced to crawl back under his bridge with his tail between his legs.
The only state truly split between both sides in the war in the east, maybe. The population of Missouri was also heavily divided.
I hope both of those proceedings go through and they successfully leave Maryland and Oregon👍🏾
how about a referendum on whether to join SW Penn? i mean, that would break up the Mason-Dixon Line, which has some historical appeal, but PA and WV are similar in culture
I want a special shoutout to James Bisonette and Winston K. Wood for making 2020 bareable.
YES
I thought it was Winston Kayward.
I don’t know who those people are
Not sure I did anything but Thanks!
What about Kelly Moneymaker, the Pastry Section, Spinning Three Plates, Rashid Ali, Maggie Pawkatzky and Robert Wetsuit? 🤔
Because "Almost heaven Virginia" doesnt have the same ring to it
Add neither does "almost heaven, western Virginia"
Throw in any short moniker and you good again. "Almost heaven, sweet Virginia", "Almost heaven, my Virginia".
Almost heaven, my Kanawha.
Why is it not "North-Western Virginia"?
West "BY God" Virginia has always had a ring to it..... lol.
As an American history buff and actually born in the Great State of Virginia, I cannot thank you enough for a answering a very good question I had never thought to ask. A move to the Great State of Kansas, learning a good deal of its rich history, was a distraction. Thanks!
Even tho I'm a WEST Virginian, at least I know Virginia is a COMMONWEALTH, not a state.
@@SMichaelDeHartthen riddle me this; why is it called the fifty states and not the 46 states and 4 commonwealths?
@barry2629 if you know there are 4 commonwealths in this country then you riddled your own riddle
@@jessetorres9502riddleception
@@barry2629 The distinction is in name alone. The commonwealths are just like any other state in their politics and laws, and there is no difference in their relationship to the nation as a whole. People point it out, because Virginians are sticklers about it. Given the opportunity, many a Virginian will sternly lecture you about how Virginia is a Commonwealth NOT a State. I think they just like being different.
I’m Virginia born and raised and loved this video! Thanks for bringing your characteristic grace and levity to another touchy topic!
Hi Virginia
"Because you were rebelling, so shut up." Is basically the answer to the question.
Definitely one of the most easy-to-understand SCOTUS decisions.
That's basically what the whole thing boils down to. The formation of West Virginia (at least how it was done) was technically illegal. But Virginia had just rebelled, fought a very bloody war, and lost. So no one was in the mood to hear Virginia's griping, and Virginia knew that they should just quit while they were behind, and they dropped the whole thing.
The formation of West Virginia was technically *legal*, but they really did interesting things with the technicalities to get it done. I mean they did have a technically state-wide referendum on the formation of West Virginia that all Virginians were invited to vote in, but if a large number of them refused to do so due to the tiny matter that they were in active rebellion against the authority that set up the referendum, well, that's hardly the fault of those who who set up the referendum, right?
I mean Virginia was hoping that the whole thing was "technically" illegal under (lack of) pertinent laws and jurisprudence of the time. That is what the courts are for...
@@axelpatrickb.pingol3228 Nope, when you are killing US troops on the battlefield, you really can’t say much.
The western most point of Virginia is further west than the whole of West Virginia.
Well northwestern Virginia didn’t sound as good
Depends on how you hold the map I guess.
US GOSH DANG MOUNTAINEERS WILL NEVER BE VIRGINIA! NEVER!!!!! OUR PEPPERONI ROLLS R DA BEST AND WE BIRTHED THE FIRST DUDE TO BREAK THE SOUND BARRRIER WE ARE THE BEST VIRGINIA, also, WE HAVE THE MOST PANHANDLES IN THE USA SO HAHAHAHAH
Sorry, whenever WV is talked about i go, umm, a teeny bit overboard on the patriotism, MONTANI SEMPER LIBERI
@@I_want_White_Cheddar_Popcorn its alright im from wv and we dont mind sometimes also yall got a nice motto Sic semper tyrannis
That subtle Brexit reference at 1:07 made me look twice, brilliant! The animations and text really make these videos the best.
I missed it what happened?
holy smokes. I had to pause it stare at it for a couple of seconds until I saw the banner with almost the same words as the stupid bus lmaoo
@@matthewheald8964 back in 2016, brexiteer clowns were driving around the UK on an orange bus that said 350 million could be spent on the NHS (UK healthcare system) instead of sending that money to Brussels.
@@the0ne809what bus?
@@matthewheald8964 Google 2016 Brexit bus 350 million. You will see.
I love the pro gamer move of West Virginia "oh, you're seceding from the Union? Don't mind us, we're seceding from your secession back into the Union"
Because we need to have a song for a game about Falling out.
it just works
Don’t ruin 69 likes
Except none of the things mentioned in that song exists predominantly in West Virginia
Your name is cool.
The fallout boys made a video game? I don't know, I am not a white girl from West Virginia
When is the James Bisonette episode going to drop? Might be the highest viewed one on the channel.
Could break the internet...
Who's James Bisonette??
@@MrCODEmaster00 You cannot be serious
@@MrCODEmaster00 that one patreon guy that’s at the top of the list every episode
And who might he be? Give us a clue.
I absolutely love this channel. It poses really interesting questions and then succinctly answers them, leaving you informed and invariably amused with the animations. School systems, please take note.
Born and raised in southern WV, still live here. Was part of the Golden Horseshoe in 8th Grade for WV History. I love learning about my state and learned some things I didn't already know from this video! Thanks for the content!
"North Dakota and South Dakota have finally settled their differences, and agreed to become one big Dakota" "IMPOSSIBLE! There's only one way the Dakotas could have settled their differences without fighting..."
"FAIRY GOD PARENTS"
@@taptiotrevizo9415 This guy got it.
@@MonsieurDean Care to explain the joke to us non-Americans?
@@Pikkabuu he's making a reference to a farily godparents episode
@@Pikkabuu Rather to people who didnt watch fairly odd parents as a kid. Its a reference to that cartoon where this was said in an episode.
“YOUR LAWS SUCK” Those little hand signs are the best part of these videos lol
It's kind of amazing to me to hear this US history story being told with a British accent, and furthermore in a way Americans can understand. It brings unexpected class to such an unclassy tale. Cheers!
Yes, I even like the fact that my Home Security system speaks in English. Lol.
Yeah y’all real proud of civilization Africa right fkin monsters
As a foreigner in Asia, British is worse than American. They're the opposite of classy.
As a West Virginian, the only thing we hear when traveling or meeting people from other parts of the country after we tell them where we are from. 1. "Oh West Virginia it's so beautiful there" 2. "Oh I have a cousin in Richmond, VA you live anywhere near there?"
3. Where’s the beach?
“You were rebelling, so shut up” Best quote ever
Not gonna lie i chuckled at that one
Atun-Shei fans gonna love it
Yep. Really shows how unjust and untrustworthy of an institution the Supreme Court can be when it wants to not care about such hassles as integrity and even-handedness.
Dont like the courts get a law degree n try it urself
Pretty much proves why the south was justified in seceding. The US government was a hypocritical joke that favored the industrialized North at the expense of the agrarian South.
Seriously as a non-American growing up I ask this question to myself everyday and I finally have the answer, nice
Me too
As someone who grew up and still lives in West Virginia I have to answer this question alot. It really boiled down to the confederates asking our people to fight a war to keep their slaves. People who lived here were very poor people who didn't own slaves and were barely treated any better than slaves so they weren't keen on the idea on dying for some rich plantation owner in East Virginia. What is often debated as the first act in the Civil War was an abolitionist seasing the Harper's Ferry WV (Then Still Virginia) Armory to start a slave rebellion.
@@The2112Steve Indeed so my fellow West Virginian
Hello West Virginians, I’m from “east” Virginia
This video kind of glosses over WHY West Virginia refused to reunite with Virginia in 1866. Like how Virginia was technically not part of the Union at the time, but WV was. Or how being separate meant WV had its own senators instead of having to share them with Virginia
Perfect vid. Succinct, fun graphics, and you end up with the essential points. Well done!
I live in Kanawha County, in Kanawha City, two streets up from Kanawha Avenue, by the Kanawha River, and I'm sure they must have taught us in school that WV was originally going to be called Kanawha but I've forgotten that somewhere along the way.
Oh...I read it wrong
😂
Yep. Me too
Lmao me too🙂
indeed
Same here
"We are never ever ever, getting back together" -West Virginia
Why they separated? Because West Virginia liked their sisters too much. But Virginia thought only first cousins were kosher.
y'allwould stop being one of the poorest states in the nation if yall did ,go dig out that Coal you Yankee
Speaking as a Virginian it's for the best. West Virginia is at the bottom of almost everything. Don't need the burden of having to fix it.
And like most dysfunctional couples after a breakup they still live relatively close to one another. 🙄🤷🏻♂️
@@DannyBoi3316*Spiderman meme pointing at eachother*
Good stuff, like always. Thanks for the video
Thank you so much for uploading this video. It is helping me get through the pandemic!
Dont forget about the Appalachian Mountains, geography DOES effect humans as well.
*Affect, amigo, affect.
It causes people from WV to inbreed?
European Superpowers in Africa and Middle East: I'm going to pretend I didn't see that.
Given how people of each region are at this point, I think a lot of western modern Virginia (Appalachia area) could also be put into WV Those people far west there are more similar to WV than to NoVa, Richmond and Hampton Roads
@@Ash-zm1vx norva is completely different than 90% of the state.
Lived in Virginia all my life. Never learned this. Thank you, History Matters, for filling in all the gaps left from a public education.❤️
Spinning three plates will defeat you and James bisonnete
Seriously? As you can imagine it's kind of a big deal in West Virginia and is covered prominently in West Virginia history.
@@brandonnewman8135 Seriously. Wasn't even covered and I was in all AP classes. Makes me sad for the education system in this area, but even happier to support awesome channels like this one.🤗
As a recent Virginia transplant ( all the way from North Carolina, BTW ) I had no idea this was a thing. This is why I love this channel. LOL.
I was there a month and picked it up... Pay attention
Thanks for posting!
Your voice just brings a smile to my face. 😁 Especially when I remember how you animate, and the little jokes you put in.
1:07 The subtle Brexit reference actually got me hahahaha
It was legendary
Yes! That was hilarious. But not subtle at all.
One of the funniest things I've seen this year.
Yeah. I noticed it as well.
0:40 lol can you image if they really named it "Best Virginia" just to give a middle finger to Virginia.
@Luís Andrade no shit sherlock
@Luís Andrade they rebelled, so they were oficially worst virginia
They should have been best Virginia
@@cfv7461 But Virginia also rebelled. So West Virginia rebelled against the rebels.
There's a New Mexico, wonder if this makes Mexico feel old?
This answers a question that I've been asking for many years thank you so much for this video
I love your channel keep up the great stuff!!!!
♬ Country roads, take me home To the place I belong Kanawha, mountain mama Take me home, country roads ♩ ♪ "Ummm. No. Doesn't work"
Left Virginia
😂😂😂
Fallout 76?
I think it works pretty well, tbh.
I think it’s works, you just gotta extend the A at the end like “KanawhaAA”
Virginia: "We want our two counties back" The US Government: "Losers don't get to demand things."
My how things have changed since then.
Native Americans: "Hold my beer"
You gotta love how they essentially just told Richmond to stop being a crybaby.
Vae Victis!
@Harry Flashman tell that to the Trumpists now
I love these short histories. They are brilliant
As someone in Wheeling, I feel incredibly impacted by the fact that my city was mentioned.
Go Wheeling 😂🎉
Hasn't happened since Chris on Northern Exposure.
"The vote passed, but mostly because those who opposed boycotted the vote." America doing its time-honored tradition way back 150 years ago and people still get surprised.
As someone from a country where voting is compulsory that always cracks me up
Flawed as America might be almost everything you use on a daily basis was invented by an American so credit where credits due 🇺🇸
@@Sandlin22 Not really. A lot of it was invented by the British.
@@mathewkelly9968 Well, since most of those who boycotted the vote were likely either fighting in or supporting the other side in a civil war, it's not terribly surprising they didn't admit to the legitimacy of the government that organized the vote in question.
@@Sandlin22 that's not true at all lol
Dude, the way your rectangles glare at each other is some of the best content on here
Thanks, I needed that.
Love the banner at 1:08. Made me chuckle
If virginia had James Bisonette I am sure they would be able to reunite
I thought it was visonette
If they did they never have split in the first place, why leave james' state?
No it's Kelly Money Maker.
SPINNING TWO PLATES
Yes
"On the basis of... 'you were rebelling, so shut up.'" LOL
Thanks for explaining the complicated so effortlessly.... ✨ ❤ You make learning easy!!!❤😂🎉
Thank you for an interesting video. As an "Original Transcon RR" fan, I study these complex chain of events: the Civil War, and it's aftermath. It influenced the building of the RR significantly. Many men, both North and South who had been soldiers, joined Jack Casement's UP RR building-gang, and were put to good use...well disciplined, and would pick up a gun to defend the completion of "Manifest Destiny", when provoked by Indians. 😀
"You where rebelling, so shut up" frankly, it is quite the fair argument .
If that countie was in fact taken from them after the war and with troop intimidation not really!
@@CbsOmegaOmniX pro slavery peoples have as much rights to complain as they wanted Black peoples to have.
1:40 "Spoiler alert: the Union won the war." You jerk! I still haven't gotten to that part of the movie.
Germany loses the great war
@@drewstaser9726 Germany loses ww2 too , but as they say , third time the charm
@tatical kart nah, just EU 😆
Spoiler Alert: The hero dies shortly after.
@tatical kart Yes , for fun sarcifice of lives is required
I recently found out, I had an ancestor in the 1st Virginia cavalry. He was wounded in battle in 1863. After recovering from his wounds, he was discharged and sent home. He arrived home to find out his farm was now in West Virginia!
true for a lot of people who served in the virginia military
I really loved the video and the information was fascinating. Could you in the future please talk more slowly as I had a difficult time following the narration. Thank you from a new subacriber.
I was going to do my winter vacation homework rn but this seems more important.
Wise decision weeb
Woah. You get homework on vacation?? Doesnt seem like a vacation
@@jesusjimenez3766 Only during the summer vacation I have no homework. So it sounds completely normal to me.
@@Stallander do you live in the states?
@@jesusjimenez3766 No I live in The Netherlands
I cannot explain how hard “well, no” made me laugh. I love this channel so much
This is quirky of me, but I love that you always correctly use the phrase "... raises the question...", as opposed to begs, which means something altogether different and inflames my inner asperger. 😉
Beautiful states much to see and experience !
1:07 A wagon with a big red sign calling for separation from a larger union? I wonder that that could possibly be a reference to?
Virgexit means Virgexit!
He gets full marks for that reference!
"No way. Why should I change? He's the one who sucks." -West Virginia
"You know you can just go by Kanawha?"
@@mirzaahmed6589 honestly why they went with west virginia was dumb, best virginia is clearly the superior choice.
@@speedy01247 As a Best Virginian myself, I wholeheartedly support this.
Hello there
אז אני לא הישראלי היחידי שצופה ב- History Matters
Awesome explanation!
While the war was the catalyst to actually separate the very large state of Virginia into two separate territories, talk of separation for logistic reasons had been going on for quite sometime before. The capital of Virginia has always been in Richmond, which is near the coast. This made it very difficult for residents on the west side of Allegheny mountains to get over there to do business. I'm a life long West Virginia resident and my dads family settled this area before the split. Many stories of how the western part of Virginia was completely ignored by Richmond were passed down. There was even talk of petitioning Pennsylvania to join them at one point. It just makes better sense to have the western part it's own state with state government more accessible there.
Happy New Year to History Matters! Thank you for all work and helping get everyone through this ridiculous year
@DurianHP yep yep
Spinning three plates will defeat you
@DurianHP3 years is 36 months multiply 36x20 you get 720$ thats 170$ more than what GW charges Aussies for a 8 i ch action figure
Everyone: how rich are you? James Bissonete: *yes*
I'm the 100th like!
@@TheMrPeteChannel Nice
@@charlesjakesamadan4008 thanks!
Thank you 🙏
I have lived in West Virginia all my life, I was told that we were basically ignored by Virginia. The two counties you mentioned associated with with Virginia more, so they tried to go back. Thanks for pronouncing Kanawha right.
Virginia in 1860 was run by the rich plantation owners in the tidewater. Anything west of the Blue Ridge was basically just a poor province of the empire, providing resources and paying taxes but getting little in return and having no political power. That is the fundamental reason for the secession. Wealthy western Virginians wanted to be the big fish in a small pond rather than minnows in a big lake, and poor western Virginians were sick of feeling exploited but otherwise ignored by the rich eastern slave-owning class. They were two very different economies and cultures and the Civil War finally provided an excuse for the breakup. Of course West Virginia is now simply exploited by the coal, oil and gas industries, so I'm not sure how much difference there really is at the ground level, other than not having to obey laws made for the suburbs of Washington.
@@dalecogar3269 This has always been my understanding of the reason for the split as well.
Grew up in Logan County, lived in Marion County for 2.5 years, Cabell County for 8. Lots of time in Kanawha County with friends living there, and family there for last 20 years. Maybe it's correct for the native pronunciation, but I've never heard anyone enunciate the H. Attended a book reading/signing in that county where everyone giggled when the famous author pronounced it "appropriately".
@@nicksowards7772 I lived in West Virginia for a few years and also found it weird when I first heard the correct pronunciation (I only knew the word from the river in West Virginia) It is a Native American word meaning white rocks river and it’s pronounced that way because the people who named it pronounce it that way.
James Bizonette was a West Virginians Millionaire
Trust me their aren't many of those.
Was?
I’m from West Virginia and I wish so badly that we were named Kanawha instead because people still don’t understand that we are not a part of Virginia anymore.
Could be worse, there are people in this country who don't know that New Mexico is not part of Mexico (it isn't, right? :-):-):-) )
You get what you deserve 😎😂
Silence, soon-to-be-reunited Virginian!
"Oh, you're from West Virginia? I have family in Richmond!" Every. Single. Time.
@@StarTheKid16 Or my brother is stationed in Norfolk, LOL.
In 1965 I believe, there was a final dispute as to a boundary line settled in the area near Covington Va. it was at the top of a ridge. There were not many people there that day but I was. I was 7 at the time.
Interesting history. I didn't know the particulars until this video.
A seperated couple just doesn't get back together after several years apart
West Germany and East Germany: Bruh
North and South Korea agree whole heartedly with that
North and South Koreas: nod approvingly
@Corps the case of vietnam is more like one person breaking into the other person's home and refusing to move out
India and Pakistan agree.
Could you do a video on Montenegro? It's my homeland and a lot of people don't know much about its history. Thank you.
That’d be really interesting!
Yes! It is a country with rich history that does get overlooked.
Hehe Montenegro
I am from Montengro.Odakle si brate moj?
Negrolol mountanegro
There are parts of Loudon County VA that have from time to time been in discussion to change to being WV. WV has a lot less restrictive laws than MD and VA. Part of that is likely due to its generally lower population density. WV is a distant option if needing to live around the Washington D.C. area compared to VA, MD and DC. It would be a better option if parts or a lot of Loudon Co VA were to change to being WV. Good limited access highway connection would be a big help between northern WV and D.C
1:07 that wagon....genius. genius i say!
That cart about giving the US $350 a week was so smooth, I love it xD
Short answer: You can’t put toothpaste back in the tube.
I bet I could
Not with that attitude
You could if you are brave enough
It’s not impossible
It got in there once, and anything you can do once, you can do _again_
I've spent time in Wheeling. It's a rest point for Greyhound bus trips to the east coast so I didn't have much choice, but... it was nice.
I love Lincoln adding a star to the American flag like he’s in an elementary school classroom.
The "we give the United states $350 a week, lets buy some slaves instead" was brilliant
Did it turn out then that that was a lie?
In a “bus” no less!
I love the legal terminalogy: "you were rebelling so shut up"
As a Virginia native, this is very informative, and I enjoyed it.
Thank you for explaining this. This has always been a lingering question about the Civil War I had never an answer for. Especially considering the constitution forbids making a state from another state’s territory.
That is probably why they didn’t reunite more than anything. Plus the whole thing started because they didn’t go on Jefferson Davis’ wild ride in the first place they wouldn’t want to be part of it again.
Born and raised in WV. Your pronunciation of "Kanawha" made me giggle, I'll admit. Don't worry, no one here can agree on how its pronounced either, but I've never heard "Cun-oore-hah" before! Great video as always!
Hearing anyone try to pronounce "Monongahela" if funny too. Our state has some weird names
@@wizardpepe7039 Is it something like Mon-on-gay-la?
@@theshlauf According to google it's Mo-noun-gee-ha-la. I don't live there but I doubt most people pronounce it that way
@@wizardpepe7039 Mo-non-ga-HE-la River (live within sight of). Not to be confused with Monongalia (Mon-on-GAY-lee-ah) County.
As an occasional visitor to WV, am I at least close if I pronounce it "Kun-WAH"?
SC: Bro, this is my second time. What level of secession are _you_ on? VA : My secession movement has a secession movement
Sec-ception
@@floydlooney6837 Nioce
Georgian nationalists: “I’m on a level of rebellion you couldn’t even comprehend”
@@Lapran3 Because Georgia almost left the Confederacy? Or are talking about the country of Georgia?
@@grangermontag1824 The former. There was a movement in Georgia during the war to split from the Confederacy, with groups split on whether to rejoin the Union or strike out on their own and form an independent republic
Brilliant stuff
I misread the title which sparked my curiosity!
2:39 Can't really argue against that.
Iirc a few years after the civil war a supreme court case was filed about debt to a contractor. The court ruled that the southern states were always a part of the union and never legally left, therefore the contractor remained unpaid. That being said, if that precedent is to be followed to conclusion, west Virginia could never had voted to secede from virginia as Virginia (having never legally left) would not be bound by confederate era events. In other words, Virginia would have to reunite without a vote at all, following supreme court precedent. Texas v white (1869) 2:50 And I guess less than a year later, the supreme court overturned their own precedent and acknowledged state secession contrary to the 1869 ruling.
I’m going to guess you’re not American based off of your name being not English so I just want to say I’m impressed on how much you know about a subject like this in American history.
@@adamkerman475 No gaurentee, but looks Korean. It's possible that he/she knows this much because they moved to the US and studied law or something. Maybe they found the civil war interesting
1:10 may be the best background Gabon your entire channel
good video... I wondered why they stayed apart
I love how the characters hold up signs to talk its so funny
Happy New years Eve History Matters! Thanks for helping making 2020 a more bearable year! You keep making history videos and I will keep watching them.
I've been to West Virginia the most out of any state besides my home state. It's a great place and I love how unique its inception is compared to other states.
Found out recently WV is one of my ancestrial homes. Makes sense because I really enjoy spending time there, ironically in the same county my Great Great Grandmother grew up in.
Coincidentally not ironically.
@@wigginingeneral Perhaps... However; the definition of Ironically: "used to denote a paradoxical, unexpected, or coincidental situation." I believe that makes them synonyms... Good day.
Important to remember that what became West Virginia was not originally part of Virginia, it was originally part of the British Indian Reserve, but it was captured and annexed by Virginia/America during the revolution, however the settlers who moved there were completely different from the Richmond aristocracy that ran the state (and held influence over much of the American South). The Richmond clique had more sway in Birmingham, Alabama than Wheeling, “Virginia”, the split may have happened even without the war
Fun fact: before Kanawha/West Virginia, they tried it at least twice. Look up "Vandalia" and "Westsylvania"
Berkeley Springs, Virginia (now West VA) was the max extent of George Washington’s estates, so at least part of WV was Virginia, even back then.
@@Egilhelmson yes, I should have clarified that what is now West Virginia’s “Eastern Panhandle” is an exception, as it was located east of the 1763 Proclamation Line.
America: Leaves British Empire America: Has Civil War Britain: “That’s my boy.”
USA leaves British empire Virginia leaves USA West Virginia leaves Virginia ... To be continued?
Now all US needs to do is start colonizing again. A few islands isn't imperial enough for me.
@@siyacer I say we colonize Colombia and RE-colonize Africa along the equator and seize all the coffee for ourselves!
Love💞💕 these historical cartoons!
Surprised to learn all the drama about Jefferson and Berkeley counties after the war, cool to know a bit more about my home county!