Golden Horseshoe Project

 

Here is a transcription of the YouTube video you linked:

: A production of WV Public Broadcasting. Support for West Virginia: The Road to Statehood is provided by...

: It began at home. In 1861, irreconcilable differences, over slavery, states' rights and southern interests, drove the United States of America into what would be a long and bloody Civil War. As tensions flared, Albert Gallatin Jenkins resigned from the U.S. Congress. He returned home to Cabell County, Virginia, where as many as 80 slaves labored at his family's 4,000-acre plantation. Jenkins then led his two older brothers to form a cavalry unit of 100 men loyal to the Confederate States of America.

: He was very charismatic and a very good speaker and probably could convince a lot of people of a lot of things without a whole lot of effort, because he was that talented.

: Riding northward, Jenkins and his Border Rangers rounded up citizens disloyal to Virginia. He would wreak havoc in the Old Dominion, one of the nation's most conflicted states.

: We know for a fact that about 20,000 Union soldiers came from West Virginia. And we know for a fact that about 20,000 Confederates came from what we now know as West Virginia. Earlier estimates said there was anywhere from 6-8,000, but recent scholarship has updated that number to about 20,000. So, if you look at it that way, it is got to be the most divided state in the nation.

: Just as Virginia differed from states north and south of its borders, in its culture, economy, history and geography, there was much to divide the Commonwealth's own people, east and west of the Allegheny Mountains. As a state scarred by generations of sectional strife, the Commonwealth of Virginia would painfully give birth to the state of West Virginia, a child of rebellion. Francis Pierpont grew up on a farm, in what is now Marion County, worked his way through college and became a lawyer. In the spring of 1861, he was sitting in his study at his Fairmont home. While Albert Gallatin Jenkins was defending the Confederacy, Pierpont was carefully examining the U.S. Constitution, trying to think of a way the western counties of Virginia could remain loyal to the Union. That's when his wife Julia, an ardent abolitionist, suddenly heard her husband shout "Eureka! I have it! I have it!" What he had would change the face of Virginia. It would also change the lives of Julia and Francis Pierpont.

: It's not something that he wanted. He was not a politically ambitious person. He was a person put in a set of circumstances to which he reacted.

: Like many others in northwestern Virginia, Pierpont ascribed to the Unionist philosophy that the United States offered, "the best government in the world, formed by our fathers and cemented with their blood". At dawn, he left his study with a carefully worked-out plan, which would unavoidably place him at the center of a drama that would unfold during the next two years and result in the creation of the 35th state.

: West Virginia's road to statehood was definitely filled with potholes and bumps. It was not a smooth trip. And more than anything else, it caused a lot of emotional response all over the area, the area being Old Virginia and the new counties that formed West Virginia.

: Well, it is one of the most fascinating stories that there is, the creation of West Virginia. It takes a lot of twist and turns and I firmly believe that without the Civil War that West Virginia would not exist today.

: One of the principle issues leading nation into the Civil War, in 1861, was slavery. While slaveholding was practiced throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia, the nature of slavery in the west differed from that of the east. In 1860, nearly 4,000 white slaveholders, in the region, held title to between 18 and 19,000 blacks. They were often put to work as farmers, craftsman and domestic servants. Many worked on large plantations in what is now the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. Unlike the 450,000 slaves, east of the Alleghenies, western slaves were not considered as vital to the region's economy. Because whites and their slaves frequently worked together, Western blacks sometimes enjoyed a more amicable relationship with their owners. As a result, slaves were sometimes rewarded, for their performance and loyalty, with a measure of autonomy.

: It shows that black people were able to exploit their opportunities, but it also shows just how encapsulating slavery was, that I can still entrust you to go off on your own, because I know that you'll be coming back!

: Regardless of their situation, Western Virginia slaves were legal property. They could be bought, sold, leased and insured to protect owners' investments. This was true in the Kanawha Valley, where significant numbers of slaves mined coal and supported the salt works. 1860 proved a crucial turning point, regarding slavery, with the most conflicted Presidential election in the Nation's relatively brief history. Southern leaders were convinced the likely election of the Republican Party's Abraham Lincoln, would no doubt, lead to unacceptable change that would spark civil war.

: Essentially, the way we had been able to avert civil war, up and to this point, is that we had arranged compromises. This state will come in as a free state. This state will come in as a slave state. And that was very important. Now you have a party that said, "We are not going to have any more slave states brought into the Union." And the South recognized that this would be the political death knell for slavery that, eventually, they could legislate it out of existence and I think this was the great fear.

: On Election Day, November 6, 1860, most of the western Virginia men going to the polls intended to keep the status quo. They split their votes evenly between Constitutional Union candidate John Bell and Southern Democrat John Breckinridge. Bell remained neutral regarding slavery, while determined to keep the Union intact. Breckinridge also wanted to preserve the Union, but recognized states' rights to secede. Each received about 22,000 votes, in what is now West Virginia.

: They had different positions about the nature of government, and particularly the central government, but neither of the parties they voted for, Bell and Breckenridge, would interfere with slavery.

: Stephen Douglas believed in allowing the people of a territory to decide whether to permit slavery in their communities. The Northern Democrat claimed 5,000 votes. Ultimately, Republican Abraham Lincoln won the presidency, but claimed less than 2,000 votes, in all of Virginia, mostly in the northern panhandle. In response to Lincoln's election, South Carolina became the first of 11 southern states to secede from the Union and form the Confederate States of America. Virginia, however, was slow to sever ties to the Union, largely because of its historic location and prominent role in American history. The state that had done so much to found the country was reluctant to leave it. But then, on April 12, 1861, Confederate forces bombarded Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina. The Civil War had begun. 3 days later, President Lincoln called for 75,000 Union troops, including men from Virginia, to quell the rebellion. Throughout Virginia, passions flared. To grant the President's request would mean going to war against a sister state. On April 17th, under these conditions, Virginia conventioneers, in Richmond, passed an Ordinance of Secession, 88 to 55. However, the Ordinance could not become official until ratified by Virginia voters 6 weeks later. From what is now West Virginia, 9 delegates supported secession, while 29 voted to remain with the Union.

: There were delegates from northwestern Virginia, like John Jay Jackson, like John Carlile, and Waitman Willey, who voted against secession from the Union and because of those sentiments, they were pretty much run out of town. Some of them had to leave rather quickly.

: After seeing a crowd outside his boardinghouse, brandishing a rope and threatening to hang him, Carlile headed home to Harrison County. There, he met with nearly 1,200 Union loyalists, issuing the so-called Clarksburg Resolutions from the courthouse. Carlile called for northwestern representatives to convene, 3 weeks later, for a convention in Wheeling, in the northern panhandle county of Ohio. There, they would plot a future political course for the region, in the event Virginia voters ratified the Ordinance of Secession. 4 days later, April 26th, former Virginia Governor Joseph Johnston chaired a secessionist convention, at the very same courthouse in Clarksburg. Johnston called upon "the Southern Rights Men of Harrison County" to defend "those who know their rights and dare to maintain them". The next day, Colonel Thomas J. Jackson, a Clarksburg native, received orders from Virginia Governor John Letcher. Jackson was to take command at Harper's Ferry and organize what would become the renowned Stonewall Brigade. Then on May 13, 1861, western Virginians gathered for what became known as the First Wheeling Convention. More than 400 people packed into Wheeling's Washington Hall. Many claimed to represent 24 counties in northwestern Virginia. With no precedent to show the way, they acted largely on what they perceived their fellow western Virginians were thinking.

: They were not elected in representative fashion. Many of them were not elected in democratic fashion. Many of the counties included within the potential definition of the new state weren't represented at all.

: After addressing the issue of representation, delegates focused on the likely split of Virginia from the Union.

: Well, their goal was to figure out what to do. They knew they didn't want to go along with secession, but what did that mean?

: All the fireworks really start on the second day, on May 14th, when John Carlile stands up and calls for the creation of a new state, to be called New Virginia.

: Presenting a flag reading "New Virginia, Now or Never", Carlile invoked the memory of American Revolutionary Patrick Henry.

: "It is useless to cry peace when there is no peace; and I for one will repeat what was said by one of Virginia's noblest sons and greatest statesmen, 'Give me liberty or give me death!'"

: The crowd, and you had a large crowd in attendance, stands up and calls for 3 cheers for New Virginia and 3 cheers for John Carlile. And you can tell what the sentiment of the people, who are in attendance, was at that time.

: Carlile saw the mountains as an historic divider and a sufficient reason for a new state.

: The Allegheny Mountains are such a formidable barrier that we don't have anything to do with those folks. We're different culturally, geographically, economically and politically and it makes sense.

: Over the years, tension regarding taxation, representation, education, transportation and other internal improvements had driven a wedge between Virginians, east and west of the Alleghenies. And while changes to the Virginia Constitution, in 1851, addressed most grievances, many northwesterners still felt disenfranchised.

: Relations between eastern and western Virginia in that, 10 years preceding the Civil War, were better than they had ever been. The Civil war comes and ruins that decade of reconciliation and it ruins those better relations between East and West.

: While Francis Pierpont had joined John Carlile and others, urging western Virginians to remain loyal to the Union, the Fairmont attorney considered Carlyle's early call for a new state premature.

: Pierpont urged caution. He was a conservative, when it came to the new statehood movement. He wanted to wait and see how things were going to transpire with the referendum, whereas folks like Carlile wanted immediate statehood.

: While Waitman T. Willey would eventually support separation, the Monongalia County attorney considered Carlyle's statehood proposal "altogether unwise".

: He coined a new term called "triple treason". He said, "This is a conflict against the State of Virginia, against the United States and against the Confederacy, all 3."

: What they end up doing is pass resolutions that call for the delegates to go back to their homes and to urge people to Vote against the Ordinance of Secession. However, if it does pass, then they will gather back in Wheeling. They'll hold another convention, again, to determine what their next step will be.

: Meanwhile, across the Ohio River from western Virginia, Union General George McClellan readied troops, should Virginia vote to secede. Returning from a fact-finding mission, Lieutenant Orlando Poe reported to McClellan "The western Virginians from the Kentucky line to Parkersburg are rotten, but loyal above the latter point." On May 23, 1861, amid claims that western Virginia ballots were lost on their way to Richmond, the Ordinance to secede officially won Voters' approval. An estimated 35,000 western Virginians voted against the measure to secede, while approximately 19,000 voted it.

: Possibly half of the counties voted in favor of this Ordinance of Secession. It's just that the other half of the counties had a lot more population.

: 3 days after the secession vote, McClellan led federal troops into western Virginia, with soldiers landing in Parkersburg and Wheeling. Meanwhile, Governor Letcher ordered officers loyal to Virginia to recruit Confederate soldiers in Taylor County, an important transportation hub. At the same time, Francis Pierpont received a letter from his wife, Julia, in Fairmont, urging him, Carlile and fellow conventioneer John Burdett, of Taylor County, to stay in Wheeling.

: "Dear Frank, I hoped you would bring Sammie a hat, but now I think you had better stay where you are. I don't want you to come home. There is a reward offered for Carlisle, Burdette, & yourself, of $500 for your heads, even in Wheeling. See to it you do not expose yourself. They say there are 900 men, secession soldiers, in Grafton. The Union men here are becoming very anxious." - Julia Pierpont

: On June 3, 1861, within 2 weeks of the election, nearly 4,000 Union soldiers under Colonel Benjamin F. Kelley easily defeated a Confederate force of 775 men, under Colonel George A. Porterfield. Commonly known as "the Philippi Races", the battle in and around Philippi, southeast of Wheeling, in Barbour County, is considered the first land action of the Civil War. Such victories, while small in scope and with few casualties, helped secure northwestern Virginia for the Union.

: Most of your loyalists were in the northwest part, up in the northern panhandle, where Wheeling is today. And in order to preserve that part for the Union, it was important for Union troops to come in and secure victories there.

: There was definitely tension, apprehension and anxiety in Wheeling, even though we're here in the comfy confines of this strip of land between Ohio and Pennsylvania.

: They are committing treason against the state of Virginia! And if it weren't for those military troops creating that buffer zone for these statehood makers, they might have been hanging from lampposts throughout Wheeling.

: Emotions raged, for instance, when a supporter of the Confederacy's president disrupted an address by John Carlile.

: A gentleman rides by on a horse and he yells out his support for Jefferson Davis. Now some folks in the crowd chase him down. They take him off his horse and they bring him back to the Custom House and a chant begins to stir in the crowd of "Hang him, hang him" and were it not for the intervention of the local sheriff this guy may have been strung up there on the spot.

: On June 11th, delegates gathered for the Second Wheeling Convention, which moved to the U.S. District courtroom in the more spacious Custom House. Attorney Arthur Boreman, of Wood County, presided over 88 newly vetted delegates, representing 32 counties. Boreman declared, "We come here to carry out and execute, and it may be, to institute a government for ourselves". The remark set the stage for Francis Pierpont's plan to reorganize the government of Virginia. Taking the floor, John

Citations:

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKrgJt1ALM8

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Answer from Perplexity: pplx.ai/share

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 Here is a 50-question multiple-choice test with an answer key, drawing on the information in the sources and our conversation history.

Instructions: Choose the best answer for each question.

Questions:

1. Union loyalists during the Secession were primarily located in which part of Virginia? a) Eastern Virginia b) Northwestern Virginia c) Southern Virginia d) Central Virginia

2. What was a primary desire of the Union loyalists in western Virginia? a) To join the Confederacy b) To remain part of the United States c) To form an independent nation d) To negotiate with the Confederacy

3. According to the sources, where was the strongest base of Union loyalty in western Virginia? a) Parkersburg b) Charleston c) Wheeling and the northern panhandle d) Fairmont

4. What was a significant factor contributing to Unionist sentiment in western Virginia? a) Strong economic ties to the Confederacy b) A large number of slaveholders c) Differing interests from eastern Virginia d) A desire for closer relations with the South

5. Compared to eastern Virginia, how was the reliance on slavery in western Virginia? a) More economically vital b) Equally economically vital c) Less economically vital d) Non-existent

6. How many delegates from what is now West Virginia voted against secession at the Virginia convention? a) 9 b) 15 c) 29 d) 40

7. Approximately how many western Virginians are estimated to have voted against the Ordinance of Secession? a) 10,000 b) 20,000 c) 35,000 d) 50,000

8. What was the name of the first convention organized by Union loyalists in western Virginia after secession? a) Richmond Convention b) Charleston Convention c) First Wheeling Convention d) Fairmont Convention

9. Who first called for the creation of a new state, "New Virginia," during the First Wheeling Convention? a) Francis Pierpont b) Waitman T. Willey c) Arthur Boreman d) John Carlile

10. Who became the head of the Reorganized Government of Virginia based in Wheeling? a) John Carlile b) Waitman T. Willey c) Francis Pierpont d) Arthur Boreman

11. Approximately how many Union soldiers came from what is now West Virginia? a) 5,000 b) 10,000 c) 20,000 d) 30,000

12. What challenge did Union loyalists in western Virginia face from those who supported the Confederacy? a) Financial incentives to join the South b) Being considered to be committing treason c) Lack of political organization d) Support for their cause from eastern Virginia

13. What was a significant action taken by Francis Pierpont initially to remain with the Union? a) Immediately calling for a new state b) Forming a Union army in the west c) Meticulously examining the U.S. Constitution d) Traveling to Washington D.C. to seek federal intervention

14. What was the primary goal of Pierpont's initial "carefully worked-out plan"? a) To incite rebellion against the state of Virginia b) To keep northwestern Virginia within the Union c) To establish trade agreements with the North d) To negotiate peace with the Confederacy

15. What was Pierpont's initial stance on John Carlile's early call for a new state? a) Enthusiastically supportive b) Urging caution and preferring to wait c) Completely opposed d) Indifferent

16. In what event did Pierpont participate where delegates ultimately passed resolutions to urge people to vote against the Ordinance of Secession? a) Second Wheeling Convention b) Constitutional Convention of 1851 c) Richmond Secession Convention d) First Wheeling Convention

17. What was the primary motivation behind the initial call for a new state of "New Virginia"? a) To gain more political power within Virginia b) To establish a slave-free territory c) To avoid secession from the United States d) To improve economic relations with the South

18. According to John Carlile, what geographical feature historically separated the interests of eastern and western Virginians? a) The Blue Ridge Mountains b) The Shenandoah Valley c) The Allegheny Mountains d) The Coastal Plain

19. What were some of the historical grievances of western Virginia against the eastern part of the state? a) Over-representation in the state legislature b) Excessive investment in western infrastructure c) Issues such as taxation, representation, education, and transportation d) Lack of cultural differences

20. What sentiment was indicated by the crowd's enthusiastic response to Carlile's call for a "New Virginia" at the First Wheeling Convention? a) Support for immediate compromise with the Confederacy b) A desire to maintain the existing political structure of Virginia c) A strong sentiment for preserving the Union d) Indifference to the issue of secession

21. Who played a crucial role by presiding over the Second Wheeling Convention? a) Francis Pierpont b) John Carlile c) Waitman T. Willey d) Arthur Boreman

22. What was central to the discussions at the Second Wheeling Convention, according to the sources? a) Negotiating with the Confederate government b) Planning military action against the South c) Pierpont's plan to reorganize the government of Virginia d) Debating the abolition of slavery in the new state

23. Who issued the Clarksburg Resolutions, calling for a convention in Wheeling if secession was ratified? a) Francis Pierpont b) John Carlile c) Waitman T. Willey d) Arthur Boreman

24. What was Waitman T. Willey's initial reaction to Carlile's early proposal for a new state? a) Strongly supportive b) Considered it "altogether unwise" c) Publicly endorsed it d) Remained neutral

25. The formation of a Confederate cavalry unit by whom in western Virginia highlighted the deep divisions in the region? a) Francis Pierpont b) John Carlile c) Waitman T. Willey d) Albert Gallatin Jenkins

26. In 1860, approximately how many slaves were held in western Virginia? a) 450,000 b) Less than 1,000 c) Between 18,000 and 19,000 d) Over 100,000

27. In western Virginia, what types of work were enslaved people often engaged in? a) Primarily large-scale plantation agriculture b) Only domestic service c) Farmers, craftsmen, and domestic servants d) Exclusively mining and industrial labor

28. According to the sources, what was the primary driving force behind the Civil War in 1861? a) Economic competition between the North and South b) Disputes over westward expansion c) Irreconcilable differences over slavery, states' rights, and southern interests d) Cultural clashes between urban and rural societies

29. What was the Republican Party's stance on the expansion of slavery, which caused concern in the South? a) Strong support for its expansion b) Ambiguous and unclear c) Opposition to its further expansion d) Gradual emancipation in existing states

30. Southern leaders feared that the election of Abraham Lincoln would eventually lead to what regarding slavery? a) Its expansion into all territories b) Increased profitability and security c) The federal government legislating it out of existence d) A national referendum on its legality

31. The concept of what was a key area of disagreement between the North and South, with the South emphasizing the autonomy of individual states? a) Federal taxation b) Interstate commerce c) States' rights d) Foreign policy

32. What event is consistently presented as a central and critical cause of the Civil War in the sources? a) Industrial Revolution b) Nullification Crisis c) Slavery d) Tariffs

33. The formation of what was a direct consequence of the irreconcilable differences between the North and South? a) The Whig Party b) The Free Soil Party c) The Confederate States of America d) The Union League

34. What event ultimately pushed Virginia to secede after initial hesitation? a) The election of Jefferson Davis b) The Crittenden Compromise failure c) The bombardment of Fort Sumter and Lincoln's call for troops d) A direct order from other Southern states

35. According to the sources, what intensified Southern fears about the future of slavery, leading directly to secession? a) The Dred Scott Decision b) The Kansas-Nebraska Act c) The 1860 election of Abraham Lincoln d) John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry

36. What was the immediate trigger for the first wave of secession after Lincoln's election? a) Virginia's secession b) Tennessee's secession c) North Carolina's secession d) South Carolina's secession

37. How did most of western Virginia vote in the 1860 presidential election regarding candidates' stance on slavery? a) Overwhelmingly for anti-slavery candidates b) Largely abstained from voting c) Mostly supported candidates believed not to interfere with slavery (Bell and Breckinridge) d) Strongly supported the Republican candidate, Abraham Lincoln

38. What was the primary goal of the First Wheeling Convention? a) To immediately declare the formation of a new state b) To negotiate with the seceding states c) To determine a political course for northwestern Virginia if secession was ratified d) To organize military resistance against Confederate forces

39. What key action did the First Wheeling Convention take regarding the Ordinance of Secession? a) Immediately ratified it for western Virginia b) Called for a military response to enforce it c) Passed resolutions urging people to vote against it d) Declared neutrality on the issue

40. What did the resolutions passed at the First Wheeling Convention stipulate should happen if secession passed? a) Immediate armed resistance b) Appeal to the Supreme Court c) Another convention would be held in Wheeling d) Western Virginia would automatically become a US territory

41. What was the underlying basis for western Virginia's Unionist sentiment? a) Strong support for the institution of slavery b) Complete agreement with the political and economic policies of eastern Virginia c) Differing regional interests, the nature of slavery in the west, and loyalty to the United States d) A desire to join a different Union of states

42. What served as a significant geographic and cultural divider between eastern and western Virginia? a) The Shenandoah River b) The Piedmont Plateau c) The Allegheny Mountains d) The Chesapeake Bay

43. In what areas did western Virginia feel disenfranchised by the eastern-dominated state government? a) Foreign policy and national defense b) Postal service and federal courts c) Taxation, representation, education, transportation, and internal improvements d) Religious affairs and social customs

44. How did the nature of work for enslaved people sometimes differ between western and eastern Virginia? a) Western slaves only worked in domestic roles. b) Eastern slaves often had more autonomy. c) Whites and slaves frequently worked together in the west d) There was no difference in the nature of work.

45. What was a key factor in western Virginians' potential lesser ideological commitment to preserving slavery compared to the east? a) Outright abolitionist sentiment in the west b) Federal laws prohibiting slavery in the west c) Their lesser economic reliance on the institution d) Complete social integration between races

46. How did the number of western Virginia delegates voting against secession compare to those supporting it? a) Roughly equal b) Significantly more supporting secession c) Significantly more opposing secession d) All delegates unanimously supported staying in the Union.

47. The Wheeling Conventions were a direct outcome of what sentiment in western Virginia? a) Support for the Confederacy b) Indifference to the secession crisis c) Unionist sentiment d) A desire for international recognition

48. What was a primary cause of the long-standing tensions between eastern and western Virginia? a) Religious differences b) Uniformity of economic interests c) Disparities in taxation and representation d) Agreement on the issue of slavery

49. What statement by Arthur Boreman at the Second Wheeling Convention clearly signaled the intent to establish a separate political entity? a) A call for peaceful negotiation with Richmond. b) An appeal for federal aid to suppress rebellion within western Virginia. c) "We come here to carry out and execute, and it may be, to institute a government for ourselves." d) A declaration of loyalty to the existing government of Virginia.

50. The creation of West Virginia can be described as arising from what? a) A unanimous decision by all Virginians. b) A peaceful negotiation between the North and South. c) Conflicting loyalties and regional distinctions heavily influenced by slavery. d) A direct mandate from the federal government before the war.

Answer Key:

1. b
2. b
3. c
4. c
5. c
6. c
7. c
8. c
9. d
10. c
11. c
12. b
13. c
14. b
15. b
16. d
17. c
18. c
19. c
20. c
21. d
22. c
23. b
24. b
25. d
26. c
27. c
28. c
29. c
30. c
31. c
32. c
33. c
34. c
35. c
36. d
37. c
38. c
39. c
40. c
41. c
42. c
43. c
44. c
45. c
46. c
47. c
48. c
49. c
50. c

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 Quick Study Guide to This Test

Based on the sources you provided, here's an explanation of the key concepts and information presented:

The sources primarily focus on the Union loyalists in western Virginia during the secession crisis of 1861 and the factors leading to the eventual formation of West Virginia. They delve into the motivations behind Unionism in the west, the key individuals involved, the differing views on slavery, and the impact of the 1860 election and Virginia's secession on the region.

Here's a breakdown of the main themes and concepts explained in the sources:

• Union Loyalists in Western Virginia: These were individuals residing predominantly in northwestern Virginia who desired to remain part of the United States despite Virginia's secession. Their strongest support was in the northern panhandle, including Wheeling.

  • Motivations for Loyalty: These included a belief in the U.S. government, long-standing cultural, economic, historical, and geographical differences between eastern and western Virginia, a lesser reliance on slavery in the west, and opposition to the act of secession itself.
  • Actions and Organization: Union loyalists voted against secession, held conventions in Wheeling (the First Wheeling Convention where John Carlile first called for a new state, "New Virginia"), established the Reorganized Government of Virginia led by Francis Pierpont, and provided approximately 20,000 soldiers for the Union army.
  • Challenges and Opposition: They faced threats and were considered traitors by secessionists, experienced displacement, and dealt with internal disagreements and the reality of a deeply divided region with significant Confederate sympathies.

• Francis Pierpont's Unionist Strategy: Pierpont played a crucial role in the Unionist movement.

  • He meticulously examined the U.S. Constitution to find a way for western counties to remain loyal.
  • He developed a "carefully worked-out plan" to keep northwestern Virginia in the Union.
  • He advocated for Union loyalty alongside others like John Carlile.
  • He initially urged caution regarding the immediate formation of a new state, preferring to await the outcome of the secession referendum.
  • He actively participated in the First Wheeling Convention, where resolutions against secession were passed.

• The Initial Call for a New State ("New Virginia"): This was primarily motivated by the desire to avoid secession from the United States and to establish a separate political entity from the rest of Virginia.

  • John Carlile prominently made this call at the First Wheeling Convention.
  • Key motivations included opposition to secession, recognition of geographical and cultural differences (Carlile cited the Allegheny Mountains as a barrier), historical grievances between east and west, strong sentiment for Unionism, and fear of Confederate control.

• Key Individuals in West Virginia's Formation: Several individuals played significant roles.

  • Francis Pierpont: Provided strategic and political leadership for the reorganized Unionist government of Virginia.
  • John Carlile: Served as a passionate early advocate for the immediate creation of a new state.
  • Waitman T. Willey: Initially cautious about immediate statehood but eventually supported separation.
  • Arthur Boreman: Presided over the Second Wheeling Convention, signaling the intent to form a new government.
  • Albert Gallatin Jenkins: A Confederate supporter whose actions highlighted the deep divisions.

• Western Virginia: Slavery and Regional Divergence: Western Virginia held a different view on slavery compared to eastern Virginia because slavery was not as economically vital to the region.

  • There was a lower number of slaves in the west.
  • Slaves had a different economic role, often working in more diverse capacities.
  • Sometimes, there were more amicable relationships between owners and enslaved people due to shared labor.
  • While western Virginians generally did not outright oppose slavery, their lesser economic reliance on it contributed to their willingness to remain with the Union.

• Causes of the American Civil War: The war was driven by irreconcilable differences over slavery, states' rights, and southern interests.

  • Slavery was a central point of contention due to moral, legal, economic, and social differences between the North and South. The election of Lincoln, who opposed the expansion of slavery, heightened Southern fears.
  • States' rights, particularly the perceived right to secede, was another key disagreement.
  • Southern interests encompassed the economic reliance on slave labor and the fear of federal interference.

• The 1860 Election: Catalyst for Secession and West Virginia: The election of Abraham Lincoln was a major catalyst for secession and the formation of West Virginia.

  • Southern leaders feared federal interference with slavery.
  • It signaled the perceived end of compromise regarding slavery.
  • It was the immediate trigger for the secession of South Carolina and other Southern states.
  • It put pressure on Virginia to secede, despite initial hesitation.
  • It highlighted the deep divisions within Virginia, as western Virginians reacted differently to Lincoln's election than their eastern counterparts, ultimately leading to separation.

• First Wheeling Convention: Responding to Virginia Secession: The primary goal was to determine a political course for northwestern Virginia if Virginia voters ratified secession.

  • Delegates aimed to figure out how to respond to potential secession they opposed.
  • They passed resolutions urging people to vote against secession and planned for a future convention if it passed.
  • John Carlile proposed the creation of "New Virginia".

• Western Virginia Unionism: Motivations and Origins: This sentiment arose from differing regional interests, the distinct nature of slavery in the west, and a strong loyalty to the United States.

  • Long-standing disparities in various aspects of governance and infrastructure created a sense of separation from eastern Virginia.
  • The lesser economic importance of slavery in the west influenced allegiances.
  • A strong belief in the principles of the Union was a key motivator.
  • Opposition to Virginia's secession was significant, demonstrated by the votes of western delegates.
  • The Wheeling Conventions were a direct result of this Unionist sentiment.

• West Virginia: Divergent Views and Statehood: Differing viewpoints, stemming from regional distinctions and conflicting loyalties over slavery and the Union, were crucial to West Virginia's creation.

  • Regional differences in culture, economy, history, and geography existed.
  • Views on slavery differed significantly between east and west.
  • Conflicting loyalties to the Union and Confederacy emerged during the Civil War, with prominent figures on both sides in western Virginia.
  • The Wheeling Conventions were a direct consequence of these divergent views, leading to the reorganization of a Unionist government and the eventual formation of a new state.

• Western Virginia Slavery: Regional Differences: Slavery in western Virginia differed from the east in economic importance, scale of slaveholding, nature of work, and sometimes in the relationships between owners and the enslaved. However, it's crucial to remember that enslaved people were still considered legal property.

By understanding these interconnected themes, a comprehensive picture of the factors leading to the Unionist movement in western Virginia and the eventual establishment of West Virginia emerges from the sources.

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 20 Question Completion Guide

 

Here are 20 completion test questions based on the provided sources, along with an answer key and explanations for each:

1. Union loyalists in the context of these sources primarily resided in northwestern Virginia.

   • Answer Key: northwestern Virginia
   • Explanation: The sources consistently state that the strongest base of Union loyalty was in northwestern Virginia, particularly in the northern panhandle where Wheeling is located.

2. Many Union loyalists in western Virginia desired to remain part of the United States despite Virginia's secession.

   • Answer Key: remain part of the United States
   • Explanation: The core desire of the Union loyalists was to not follow the rest of Virginia into the Confederacy.

3. A key geographical feature that historically separated the interests of eastern and western Virginia was the Allegheny Mountains.

   • Answer Key: Allegheny Mountains
   • Explanation: John Carlile explicitly cited the Allegheny Mountains as a "formidable barrier" that contributed to the differing interests of the two regions.

4. During the Virginia convention on secession, 29 delegates from what is now West Virginia voted to remain with the Union.

   • Answer Key: 29
   • Explanation: The sources highlight that a significant number of delegates from the western part of the state opposed secession.

5. The First Wheeling Convention took place in May 1861.

   • Answer Key: May 1861
   • Explanation: The sources specify the timing of the initial convention organized by Unionists.

6. At the First Wheeling Convention, John Carlile first called for the creation of a new state, "New Virginia".

   • Answer Key: John Carlile
   • Explanation: Carlile is identified as the individual who initially proposed the idea of a separate state.

7. The Reorganized Government of Virginia was based in Wheeling and recognized by the Union.

   • Answer Key: Reorganized Government of Virginia
   • Explanation: This government was established by Unionists in the west as a way to maintain loyalty to the United States.

8. Francis Pierpont played a crucial role in planning for the western counties to remain loyal to the Union and became the head of the Reorganized Government of Virginia.

   • Answer Key: Francis Pierpont
   • Explanation: Pierpont is consistently portrayed as a key leader in the Unionist movement in western Virginia.

9. An estimated 35,000 western Virginians voted against the Ordinance of Secession.

   • Answer Key: 35,000
   • Explanation: The sources provide an estimate of the number of western Virginians who opposed secession through their vote.

10. Union loyalists in western Virginia were considered to be committing treason against the state of Virginia by those who supported the Confederacy.

    • Answer Key: treason
    • Explanation: The differing allegiances led to Unionists being viewed as disloyal by secessionists.

11. Pierpont initially urged caution regarding John Carlile's early call for a new state.

    • Answer Key: caution
    • Explanation: Pierpont preferred a more measured approach and wanted to see the outcome of the secession vote first.

12. The primary and immediate motivation for the initial call for a new state was the strong desire to avoid secession from the United States.

    • Answer Key: avoid secession from the United States
    • Explanation: The creation of "New Virginia" was seen as a way to remain within the Union.

13. In 1860, western Virginia had a significantly lower number of slaves compared to eastern Virginia.

    • Answer Key: lower
    • Explanation: The sources provide specific numbers illustrating the disparity in the enslaved population between the east and west.

14. The Civil War in 1861 was driven by irreconcilable differences over slavery, states' rights, and southern interests.

    • Answer Key: slavery
    • Explanation: Slavery is consistently presented as the central cause of the conflict.

15. The 1860 election of Abraham Lincoln was a major catalyst for secession.

    • Answer Key: Abraham Lincoln
    • Explanation: Southern fears following Lincoln's election directly led to the first wave of secession.

16. South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union in response to Lincoln's election.

    • Answer Key: first
    • Explanation: The sources clearly state South Carolina's role in initiating secession.

17. The primary goal of the First Wheeling Convention was to determine a political course for northwestern Virginia if secession was ratified.

    • Answer Key: political course
    • Explanation: The convention aimed to strategize a response to potential secession.

18. Long-standing tensions between eastern and western Virginia existed regarding issues such as taxation and representation.

    • Answer Key: taxation
    • Explanation: Financial and governmental representation were key areas of disagreement.

19. Approximately 20,000 Union soldiers came from what is now West Virginia.

    • Answer Key: 20,000
    • Explanation: The sources provide an estimate of the military support for the Union from the region.

20. At the Second Wheeling Convention, Arthur Boreman presided and his opening declaration signaled the intent to institute a government for themselves.

    • Answer Key: Arthur Boreman
    • Explanation: Boreman's role in the Second Wheeling Convention marked a significant step towards forming a new state.
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Basic Research

20 completion test questions based on the provided sources and our conversation history, without the answer key:

1. Union loyalists in the context of these sources primarily resided in __________.
2. Many Union loyalists in western Virginia desired to __________ despite Virginia's secession.
3. A key geographical feature that historically separated the interests of eastern and western Virginia was the __________.
4. During the Virginia convention on secession, __________ delegates from what is now West Virginia voted to remain with the Union.
5. The First Wheeling Convention took place in __________.
6. At the First Wheeling Convention, __________ first called for the creation of a new state, "New Virginia".
7. The __________ was based in Wheeling and recognized by the Union.
8. __________ played a crucial role in planning for the western counties to remain loyal to the Union and became the head of the Reorganized Government of Virginia.
9. An estimated __________ western Virginians voted against the Ordinance of Secession.
10. Union loyalists in western Virginia were considered to be committing __________ against the state of Virginia by those who supported the Confederacy.
11. Pierpont initially urged __________ regarding John Carlile's early call for a new state.
12. The primary and immediate motivation for the initial call for a new state was the strong desire to __________.
13. In 1860, western Virginia had a significantly __________ number of slaves compared to eastern Virginia.
14. The Civil War in 1861 was driven by irreconcilable differences over __________, states' rights, and southern interests.
15. The 1860 election of __________ was a major catalyst for secession.
16. __________ was the first state to secede from the Union in response to Lincoln's election.
17. The primary goal of the First Wheeling Convention was to determine a __________ for northwestern Virginia if secession was ratified.
18. Long-standing tensions between eastern and western Virginia existed regarding issues such as __________ and representation.
19. Approximately __________ Union soldiers came from what is now West Virginia.
20. At the Second Wheeling Convention, __________ presided and his opening declaration signaled the intent to institute a government for themselves.