The Commonwealth of Virginia is a state of the United States of America, one of the original 13 colonies.
In 1781, the British Army, trapped in Yorktown, surrendered to the Continental Army, paving the way for American independence.
Virginia seceded from the Union and joined the Confederate States of America in 1861. Its capital, Richmond, served as the capital of the Confederacy. Most the Eastern Campaign of the War of Northern Aggression centered in Virginia. In December 1862, the Battle of Fredericksburg resulted in 12,000 Union casualties compared to Confederate losses of 5,000. It was at Fredericksburg that the famous Confederate Commanding General Robert E. Lee said "It is well that war is so terrible or else we should grow too fond of it."
In 1863, Virginians in the west seceded from Virginia and rejoined the Union as West Virginia.
On September 11, 2001, during the September 11 attacks, American Airlines Flight 77 was deliberately flown into the Pentagon, situated in Arlington. 189 people, including all 64 people on the plane, were killed. The Pentagon was repaired shortly afterward.
The Arlington National Cemetery is located in Arlington.
Carl Thurston was released from a Virginia prison on March 12, 1997. (L&O: "D-Girl")
Michael Baxter escaped from a prison in Virginia, after being imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit, and made his way to New York to prove his innocence. (SVU: "Escape")
Ayanna Bell and Elliot Stabler's investigation of the murder of Manfredi Sinatra's murder (and subsequently Stabler's wife murder) lead him to Virginia to investigate the murder of Jocelyn Howell. (OC: "Say Hello To My Little Friends")