The flag of Virginia was introduced on 30th of April in 1861, following the secession from the USA on 17th of April in 1861. It is a plain blue buntinng and shows the seal of the state in the centre. The seal dates from 1776, was created by George Mason, reworked by Charles Keck around 1930, and shows an allegorical scene (a theme from ancient Roman mythology) in which a Greek dressed woman (liberty, virtue, Virginia itself) places her foot victoriously on the chest of a man dressed in Roman clothes lying on the ground, holding a scourge (a whip) and a chain in his hand. A golden crown lies on the ground behind the man's head. This figure stands for tyranny in general, but also for United Kingdom and its King George III. This symbol is intended to emphasise the importance of civic virtue. Below the scene is placed the country's motto: "Sic semper tyrannis" → "Thus always the tyrant". The seal is surrounded by a wreath of red Virginia creepers (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) and green leaves. The seal has remained virtually unchanged over the years. Changes were rarely made to a few details, such as the wreath or the clothing of the "Virginia", and the tyrant also had a broken sword lying next to him at times. The flag was reintroduced on 28th of March in 1912 and was precisely defined and standardised on 1st of February in 1950. Officially, the flag has a differently designed reverse (this is not used in industrial production). The seal shows the goddesses Libertas (freedom), Ceres (agriculture) and Aeternitas (eternity), each holding a magic wand with a Phrygian cap (cap of freedom), a cornucopia (prosperity) and a golden sphere (authority) with a phoenix (immortality). The word "Perseverando" → "Persevering" (endurance, perseverance) appears in a curved line above the scene.
early times/antiqutiy · settlement by Indians (Powhatan, Nottaway, Meherrin, Monacan, Saponi)
1497 · the Spanish navigator Sebastian Cabot discoveres the coast
1584–1586 · the English sailor and adventurer Sir Walter Raleigh received from Queen Elizabeth I. the permission to found a colony on the coast of America
1585 · first attempt to establish an English settlement at the coast by Sir Walter Raleigh (Wocokom Island?)
1587–1590 · second attempt to establish an English settlement at the coast, on Roanoke Island, "Lost Colony" (in today's North Carolina)
26th of April 1607 · landing of settlers of the Virginia Company at Cape Henry under the leadership of Christopher Newport, Jamestown was founded just a little later
24th of May 1607 · founding of the Colony of Virginia as possession of the London Company, Capital: Jamestown
1612 · first planting of tobacco
24th of May 1624 · Virginia is an English crown colony
1699 · Williamsburg is capital
18th century · immigration of Germans
1775–1783 · War of Independence of the colonies against United Kingdom: 9th of December 1775 Battle of Great Bridge, expulsion of British troops
15th of May 1776 · declaration of independence of Virginia
4th of July 1776 · declaration of independence (of the USA), Virginia is one of 13 founding colonies
5th of July 1776 · proclamation of the Commonwealth of Virginia
1790 · Virginia recognizes the separation of Kentucky
1792 · Kentucky becomes the 15th state of the USA
17th of April 1861 · Virginia declares its withdrawal from the USA, in consequence of Abraham Lincoln's request to US troops to invade the state of South Carolina
27th of April 1861 · the northwestern counties of Virginia declare the secession from Virginia and the remain as part of the USA (today's West Virginia)
June 1861 · the northwestern counties are occupied by troops of the USA
1861–1865 · Civil War: the country is the scene of numerous battles, until 1865 the north and east of the country are conquered by US troops
31st of December 1862 · Abraham Lincoln, the President of the USA, breaks the constitution and calls on the north-western districts to appoint their own government in Alexandria, and in this way, and in breach of the constitution (there was no approval from Richmond), to achieve statehood and admit another state to the Union
20th of June 1863 · the northwestern districts become as West Virginia the 35th state of the USA
9th of April in 1865 · General Lee surrenders at Appomattox (Virginia) as commander of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, the other CSA Armies capitulate gradually until July 1865
1865–1877 · "reconstruction", forced return of the CSA states in the USA
26th of January 1870 · Virginia's reentry into the USA
Virginia got its name given by the English sailor and colonist, Walter Raleigh, who received in 1584 by Queen Elizabeth I. the permission to found a colony on the coast of America. He wanted to honor the "Virgin Queen" Elizabeth I. Once the name of Virginia, included much larger areas, the present states of Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee and even Ohio.
