Why didn't the Virginias Get Back Together? (Short Animated Documentary)

[@patchworkfellow]

_“The vote passed, but mostly because those who opposed boycotted the vote...”_ *Mission failed successfully*

[@youngking2503]

It's amazing how often this happens in history

[@drewstaser9726]

I feel like their idea didn't work how they wanted it to

[@phoque121]

Boycotts are the laziest form of protest

[@raceris7309]

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.

[@profesionalshitposter675]

this is gonna happen with the republicans who call fruad

[@FeszVelry]

Everybody gangsta till they make a song about East Virginia.

[@Lado909]

You mean true Virginia

[@nohbuddy1]

East West Virginia

[@sharkronical]

Eastern West Virginia

[@Cjnw]

Normie

[@Manuel-gu9ls]

@tatical kart West Virginia mountain mama, take me home country road ahhhh!!!

[@superluukiee]

I want a special shoutout to James Bisonette and Winston K. Wood for making 2020 bareable.

[@maniac7466]

YES

[@mirzaahmed6589]

I thought it was Winston Kayward.

[@TKUA11]

I don’t know who those people are

[@jamesbissonette8002]

Not sure I did anything but Thanks!

[@rodolfo5022]

What about Kelly Moneymaker, the Pastry Section, Spinning Three Plates, Rashid Ali, Maggie Pawkatzky and Robert Wetsuit? 🤔

[@Gwildor2020]

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.

[@hounddog3476]

Yep they would have never sided with the godless trash of Virginia and the Carolinas.

[@winterwatson6811]

that makes sense. some people scoff at “the mountain state” nickname, especially out west, but the landscape hardly lends itself to easy farming

[@nothanks9503]

@@winterwatson6811 this chick rolled her car off a mountain while I was there once who the fuck is scoffing lol

[@fnsmike]

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.

[@nothanks9503]

@@fnsmike taxes, property and zoning laws

[@M1tjakaramazov]

“You were rebelling so shut up!” For better or worse, best argument ever 😂😂😂

[@antman1001000]

@David McConville It's amazing they didn't instantly realize the self-own.

[@deBebbler]

Loved that part, and found myself forced to agree with wisdom of the ruling.

[@stevemc01]

"Wait. If you seceded from us, then wouldn't that make YOUR argument against West Virginia hypocritical?" "MOTHER FU-" West Virginia: "hehe yeah boi"

[@dalibormilina5714]

bigger stick, diplomacy

[@hoseadavit3422]

@David McConville I mean rebelling in itself is already illegal

[@xanderanderson6673]

The western most point of Virginia is further west than the whole of West Virginia.

[@canadianbigmac3501]

Well northwestern Virginia didn’t sound as good

[@vincentfiestada]

Depends on how you hold the map I guess.

[@I_want_White_Cheddar_Popcorn]

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

[@I_want_White_Cheddar_Popcorn]

Sorry, whenever WV is talked about i go, umm, a teeny bit overboard on the patriotism, MONTANI SEMPER LIBERI

[@Länsi-Virginia]

@@I_want_White_Cheddar_Popcorn its alright im from wv and we dont mind sometimes also yall got a nice motto Sic semper tyrannis

[@TailsIsDisappointed]

Because we need to have a song for a game about Falling out.

[@Maxims1]

it just works

[@obtainedarrow]

Don’t ruin 69 likes

[@kolinmartz]

Except none of the things mentioned in that song exists predominantly in West Virginia

[@Merle1987]

Your name is cool.

[@lookatthisnet462]

The fallout boys made a video game? I don't know, I am not a white girl from West Virginia

[@TheJeremyHolloway]

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.

[@prion42]

Yes. The video answers 'how' but this is 'why'.

[@markthomas6703]

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.

[@ZipplyZane]

@@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.

[@markthomas6703]

@@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."

[@ZipplyZane]

@@markthomas6703 But, again, that last part can itself be repealed, as it is not self-referential.

[@thescousecleaner]

Because "Almost heaven Virginia" doesnt have the same ring to it

[@DaveMiller6042]

Add neither does "almost heaven, western Virginia"

[@neilis2405]

Throw in any short moniker and you good again. "Almost heaven, sweet Virginia", "Almost heaven, my Virginia".

[@ZephLodwick]

Almost heaven, my Kanawha.

[@sharkronical]

Why is it not "North-Western Virginia"?

[@orsonwells7997]

West "BY God" Virginia has always had a ring to it..... lol.

[@fdny4891]

When is the James Bisonette episode going to drop? Might be the highest viewed one on the channel.

[@mjcook5280]

Could break the internet...

[@MrCODEmaster00]

Who's James Bisonette??

[@fdny4891]

@@MrCODEmaster00 You cannot be serious

[@zoombini1831]

@@MrCODEmaster00 that one patreon guy that’s at the top of the list every episode

[@Bruce-1956]

And who might he be? Give us a clue.

[@yesod1602]

"you were rebelling now shut up". best thing I've ever heard

[@ragon470]

“The coming revolution was down the hall on the left" is better

[@drewstaser9726]

I wish to use that on all southerners who wave the confederate flag

[@youngking2503]

@@drewstaser9726 I laugh at all people who wave the American flag. A flag of imperialism and tyranny

[@yesod1602]

@@youngking2503 US is like the opposite of tyranny

[@SmallFries01]

@@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.

[@elijahhee]

Ironically, both Virginia and West Virginia eventually went opposite in politics. Virginia turned (somewhat) liberal while West Virginia turned very conservative.

[@CJGuy01]

Though, the Liberal elements of Virginia are bleeding into West Virginia. Fleeing from their own mistakes.

[@barfyman-dm6zx]

We're trying our damndest to stay RED for a while here in VA🤘

[@Cristalack]

Virginia is Liberal?

[@Void7002.]

@@Cristalack unfortunately majority is liberal

[@noticedruid4985]

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.

[@jesseberg3271]

"Because you were rebelling, so shut up." Is basically the answer to the question.

[@nomadMik]

Definitely one of the most easy-to-understand SCOTUS decisions.

[@christopherwebb3517]

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.

[@thomasrinschler6783]

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?

[@axelpatrickb.pingol3228]

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...

[@punkwrestle]

@@axelpatrickb.pingol3228 Nope, when you are killing US troops on the battlefield, you really can’t say much.

[@tylerpedigo2938]

“YOUR LAWS SUCK” Those little hand signs are the best part of these videos lol

[@MonsieurDean]

"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..."

[@taptiotrevizo9415]

"FAIRY GOD PARENTS"

[@MonsieurDean]

@@taptiotrevizo9415 This guy got it.

[@Pikkabuu]

@@MonsieurDean Care to explain the joke to us non-Americans?

[@1996koke]

@@Pikkabuu he's making a reference to a farily godparents episode

[@rakdos36]

@@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.

[@thebenjyman253]

That subtle Brexit reference at 1:07 made me look twice, brilliant! The animations and text really make these videos the best.

[@matthewheald8964]

I missed it what happened?

[@the0ne809]

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

[@the0ne809]

@@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.

[@matthewheald8964]

@@the0ne809what bus?

[@the0ne809]

@@matthewheald8964 Google 2016 Brexit bus 350 million. You will see.

[@thecastiel69]

Oh...I read it wrong

[@nikylemoodley6629]

😂

[@michelewalburn4376]

Yep. Me too

[@timfonteyne]

Lmao me too🙂

[@botyaay1233]

indeed

[@coderr_]

Same here

[@kellymoneymaker3922]

Lived in Virginia all my life. Never learned this. Thank you, History Matters, for filling in all the gaps left from a public education.❤️

[@zigzag3720]

Spinning three plates will defeat you and James bisonnete

[@brandonnewman8135]

Seriously? As you can imagine it's kind of a big deal in West Virginia and is covered prominently in West Virginia history.

[@kellymoneymaker3922]

@@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.🤗

[@charlesshoffner4201]

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.

[@darthbigred22]

I was there a month and picked it up... Pay attention

[@llamabing5215]

Dude, the way your rectangles glare at each other is some of the best content on here

[@shawnwilt7196]

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.

[@509Gman]

Some western Virginian counties were making noises that way after the election a few years ago.

[@celticrebel7]

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.

[@finnl6887]

The only state truly split between both sides in the war in the east, maybe. The population of Missouri was also heavily divided.

[@jordanmascarenhas7974]

I hope both of those proceedings go through and they successfully leave Maryland and Oregon👍🏾

[@zimriel]

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

[@hangkikuta6786]

Seriously as a non-American growing up I ask this question to myself everyday and I finally have the answer, nice

[@sego6277]

Me too

[@The2112Steve]

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.

[@hunterpro9925]

@@The2112Steve Indeed so my fellow West Virginian

[@Luudacris1]

Hello West Virginians, I’m from “east” Virginia

[@BoxStudioExecutive]

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

[@RicardoGonzalez-vl5lq]

"We are never ever ever, getting back together" -West Virginia

[@justacrow9847]

Why they separated? Because West Virginia liked their sisters too much. But Virginia thought only first cousins were kosher.

[@DannyBoi3316]

y'allwould stop being one of the poorest states in the nation if yall did ,go dig out that Coal you Yankee

[@2UNIEK]

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.

[@nickmcgargill6216]

And like most dysfunctional couples after a breakup they still live relatively close to one another. 🙄🤷🏻‍♂️

[@ls200076]

@@DannyBoi3316*Spiderman meme pointing at eachother*

[@natep7079]

“You were rebelling, so shut up” Best quote ever

[@crazy9932]

Not gonna lie i chuckled at that one

[@whafflete6721]

Atun-Shei fans gonna love it

[@IamBHM]

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.

[@crazy9932]

Dont like the courts get a law degree n try it urself

[@USN1985dos]

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.

[@Kieranpokemonsisliterallyme]

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"

[@elcomodo1]

Dont forget about the Appalachian Mountains, geography DOES effect humans as well.

[@nixonhoover2]

*Affect, amigo, affect.

[@punkwrestle]

It causes people from WV to inbreed?

[@dexexmachinatu4151]

European Superpowers in Africa and Middle East: I'm going to pretend I didn't see that.

[@Ash-zm1vx]

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

[@GIboy1990]

@@Ash-zm1vx norva is completely different than 90% of the state.

[@chaosXP3RT]

Virginia: "We want our two counties back" The US Government: "Losers don't get to demand things."

[@MrFarmer110]

My how things have changed since then.

[@greenpeen2870]

Native Americans: "Hold my beer"

[@CrazyGuyoftheWest]

You gotta love how they essentially just told Richmond to stop being a crybaby.

[@monangagustian3564]

Vae Victis!

[@smrtfasizmu7242]

@Harry Flashman tell that to the Trumpists now

[@jamesbissonette8002]

Happy New Year to History Matters! Thank you for all work and helping get everyone through this ridiculous year

[@jamesbissonette8002]

@DurianHP yep yep

[@zigzag3720]

Spinning three plates will defeat you

[@dan-phone4665]

@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

[@sashavonspakovsky311]

I’m Virginia born and raised and loved this video! Thanks for bringing your characteristic grace and levity to another touchy topic!

[@KINGUMANZOR-8997]

Hi Virginia

[@thepaintingbanjo8894]

"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.

[@mathewkelly9968]

As someone from a country where voting is compulsory that always cracks me up

[@Sandlin22]

Flawed as America might be almost everything you use on a daily basis was invented by an American so credit where credits due 🇺🇸

[@ProjectEkerTest33]

@@Sandlin22 Not really. A lot of it was invented by the British.

[@thomasrinschler6783]

​@@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.

[@MrWadeSnow]

@@Sandlin22 that's not true at all lol

[@aldotorres1983]

1:40 "Spoiler alert: the Union won the war." You jerk! I still haven't gotten to that part of the movie.

[@drewstaser9726]

Germany loses the great war

[@gamer228r]

@@drewstaser9726 Germany loses ww2 too , but as they say , third time the charm

[@LamZL1]

@tatical kart nah, just EU 😆

[@timesnewlogan2032]

Spoiler Alert: The hero dies shortly after.

[@gamer228r]

@tatical kart Yes , for fun sarcifice of lives is required

[@iamthad1546]

I cannot explain how hard “well, no” made me laugh. I love this channel so much

[@thedudeabides3138]

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.

[@jakubsmelka3458]

If virginia had James Bisonette I am sure they would be able to reunite

[@coolthefool1]

I thought it was visonette

[@TheDavid22]

If they did they never have split in the first place, why leave james' state?

[@Liphted]

No it's Kelly Money Maker.

[@planetkc]

SPINNING TWO PLATES

[@asaniwater8192]

Yes

[@hemsinghpanwar6470]

0:40 lol can you image if they really named it "Best Virginia" just to give a middle finger to Virginia.

[@marcowulliampopirers2216]

@Luís Andrade no shit sherlock

[@cfv7461]

@Luís Andrade they rebelled, so they were oficially worst virginia

[@Shark87211]

They should have been best Virginia

[@roadent217]

@@cfv7461 But Virginia also rebelled. So West Virginia rebelled against the rebels.

[@daveb.4268]

There's a New Mexico, wonder if this makes Mexico feel old?

[@scarsandammunition]

1:07 The subtle Brexit reference actually got me hahahaha

[@shadowfan982]

It was legendary

[@ixlnxs]

Yes! That was hilarious. But not subtle at all.

[@danielthompson5840]

One of the funniest things I've seen this year.

[@rogerwilco2]

Yeah. I noticed it as well.

[@wendylogan4020]

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!

[@SMichaelDeHart]

Even tho I'm a WEST Virginian, at least I know Virginia is a COMMONWEALTH, not a state.

[@barry2629]

⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠@@SMichaelDeHartthen riddle me this; why is it called the fifty states and not the 46 states and 4 commonwealths?

[@jessetorres9502]

​@barry2629 if you know there are 4 commonwealths in this country then you riddled your own riddle

[@barry2629]

@@jessetorres9502riddleception

[@exercisethemind]

​@@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.

[@SamAronow]

"No way. Why should I change? He's the one who sucks." -West Virginia

[@mirzaahmed6589]

"You know you can just go by Kanawha?"

[@speedy01247]

@@mirzaahmed6589 honestly why they went with west virginia was dumb, best virginia is clearly the superior choice.

[@jaredchinchello1760]

@@speedy01247 As a Best Virginian myself, I wholeheartedly support this.

[@yogatonga7529]

Hello there

[@spongemanicecone5445]

אז אני לא הישראלי היחידי שצופה ב- History Matters

[@brucebelvin2058]

♬ Country roads, take me home To the place I belong Kanawha, mountain mama Take me home, country roads ♩ ♪ "Ummm. No. Doesn't work"

[@williamhuynh869]

Left Virginia

[@samerm8657]

😂😂😂

[@stevemc01]

Fallout 76?

[@macaroon_nuggets8008]

I think it works pretty well, tbh.

[@gamebawesome]

I think it’s works, you just gotta extend the A at the end like “KanawhaAA”

[@ecmorgan69]

"On the basis of... 'you were rebelling, so shut up.'" LOL

[@shizzletts]

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!

[@caligjl]

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?

[@talhahhussain5603]

Virgexit means Virgexit!

[@najaB76]

He gets full marks for that reference!

[@Suppiluliuma_1]

James Bizonette was a West Virginians Millionaire

[@caseblue2232]

Was?

[@fandemusique4693]

"You where rebelling, so shut up" frankly, it is quite the fair argument .

[@CbsOmegaOmniX]

If that countie was in fact taken from them after the war and with troop intimidation not really!

[@fandemusique4693]

@@CbsOmegaOmniX pro slavery peoples have as much rights to complain as they wanted Black peoples to have.

[@owenparris7490]

​@@CbsOmegaOmniXThey were rebellious slavers. Their opinions don't matter.

[@TheAtkey]

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?"

[@Gotnoscents]

3. Where’s the beach?

[@stevejones8660]

Short answer: You can’t put toothpaste back in the tube.

[@freddy4603]

I bet I could

[@DarkReptilian]

Not with that attitude

[@Aresydatch]

You could if you are brave enough

[@Steve_Johnson_]

It’s not impossible

[@tremedar]

It got in there once, and anything you can do once, you can do _again_

[@ordinary_magician]

I was going to do my winter vacation homework rn but this seems more important.

[@jasonmarusic5695]

Wise decision weeb

[@jesusjimenez3766]

Woah. You get homework on vacation?? Doesnt seem like a vacation

[@Stallander]

@@jesusjimenez3766 Only during the summer vacation I have no homework. So it sounds completely normal to me.

[@jesusjimenez3766]

@@Stallander do you live in the states?

[@Stallander]

@@jesusjimenez3766 No I live in The Netherlands

[@Siptom369]

A seperated couple just doesn't get back together after several years apart

[@supremturtle4491]

West Germany and East Germany: Bruh

[@Alpha-nj8gn]

North and South Korea agree whole heartedly with that

[@Johann_Gambolputty_of_Ulm]

North and South Koreas: nod approvingly

[@user-njyzcip]

@Corps the case of vietnam is more like one person breaking into the other person's home and refusing to move out

[@jasdeepsingh7874]

India and Pakistan agree.

[@1oolabob]

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!

[@stevelopez372]

Yes, I even like the fact that my Home Security system speaks in English. Lol.

[@mrscaryfox3955]

Yeah y’all real proud of civilization Africa right fkin monsters

[@est9949]

As a foreigner in Asia, British is worse than American. They're the opposite of classy.

[@Swordmaster-em3zg]

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.

[@jiioannidis7215]

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? :-):-):-) )

[@KonradvonHotzendorf]

You get what you deserve 😎😂

[@MatthewChenault]

Silence, soon-to-be-reunited Virginian!

[@StarTheKid16]

"Oh, you're from West Virginia? I have family in Richmond!" Every. Single. Time.

[@andreabennington]

@@StarTheKid16 Or my brother is stationed in Norfolk, LOL.

[@Darkred28]

We need West Virginia to exist so we have a nice round number of 50 states. Who would take us seriously with only 49?

[@Toonrick12]

Just give Puerto Rico statehood.

[@chaosXP3RT]

Nobody takes the US seriously. Not since 2016

[@IHeliosI]

Just annex Canada.... they're essentially the 51st state anyway. Also PR doesn't want to be a state because they already get to be US citizens without the hassle that states have to go through.

[@abogaymer69]

@@chaosXP3RT 1993*

[@trajan75]

@@chaosXP3RT All those immigrants trying to get in do.

[@ryanlumsden305]

That cart about giving the US $350 a week was so smooth, I love it xD

[@joedonohue1424]

I love Lincoln adding a star to the American flag like he’s in an elementary school classroom.

[@WriteInAaronBushnell]

I love the legal terminalogy: "you were rebelling so shut up"

[@Soundwave119]

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.

[@simonsaysdie3038]

I love how the characters hold up signs to talk its so funny

[@neilreid2298]

Perfect vid. Succinct, fun graphics, and you end up with the essential points. Well done!

[@Halal_Lettuce]

I thought the title said, “ Why didn’t the Virgins reunite?” I was like wtf?

[@PaulMcElligott]

“We’re they, like, a band or something?”

[@jaybird1229]

@@PaulMcElligott Gangsters!!

[@KonradvonHotzendorf]

Because Virginity is cool 😎

[@leinbajr]

I lived in one of the bonus two counties of WV (Berkeley (and Jefferson)) for 3 years and had never heard about this history. Great episode as usual!

[@I_Have_The_Most_Japanese_Music]

Did you own any slaves?

[@charlessaint7926]

Confederates in 1865, "You took all my things!" US Government, "You were rebelling, so shut up."

[@jjhrkel]

Still true today without confederacy or rebelling

[@jordandino417]

And also their rights. >:c

[@brandonlyon730]

@@pyromike7237 What right? There is nothing in the Constitution that says anything about succession. Such a thing would have to be a constitutional amendment with most of the state's agreeing on it, as well as the senate, house, president, and Supreme court. But such a thing never happened with succession, South Carolina and the other Southern states were acting like whiny babies because a candidate they didn’t like was voted in as president and took an action that was never stated anywhere on the Constitution in the first place and didn’t go through any sort of legal process to be official in any capacity.

[@graceneilitz7661]

@@pyromike7237Nah. There is no right to succeed anywhere in the U.S constitution, and that is the type of thing that would need to be explicitly said. Also the Southern States threw a hissy fit after losing an election and over the vague possibly of Lincoln pushing for a unilateral abolition of slavery.

[@pyromike7237]

@graceneilitz7661 you're so right I can't believe I unironically used to think like this 😭🙏

[@lomax117]

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!

[@ICRangerT]

true for a lot of people who served in the virginia military

[@agentcoxack7368]

America: Leaves British Empire America: Has Civil War Britain: “That’s my boy.”

[@EspanishAlB]

USA leaves British empire Virginia leaves USA West Virginia leaves Virginia ... To be continued?

[@siyacer]

Now all US needs to do is start colonizing again. A few islands isn't imperial enough for me.

[@tremedar]

@@siyacer I say we colonize Colombia and RE-colonize Africa along the equator and seize all the coffee for ourselves!

[@SethWolf900]

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!

[@wizardpepe7039]

Hearing anyone try to pronounce "Monongahela" if funny too. Our state has some weird names

[@theshlauf]

@@wizardpepe7039 Is it something like Mon-on-gay-la?

[@wizardpepe7039]

@@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

[@emilsitka7590]

@@wizardpepe7039 Mo-non-ga-HE-la River (live within sight of). Not to be confused with Monongalia (Mon-on-GAY-lee-ah) County.

[@bobsnow6242]

As an occasional visitor to WV, am I at least close if I pronounce it "Kun-WAH"?

[@ilufex9794]

I’d like to thank you for your great videos man I’ve been watching you all year and you never fail to enlighten my day all these wacky historical events seem so interesting on the ways you portray them great work I binged watched lots of your videos the night before my birthday lol

[@BoMwarriorVlog]

Your voice just brings a smile to my face. 😁 Especially when I remember how you animate, and the little jokes you put in.

[@coreytbay]

cause virginia was acting the mickey

[@grangermontag1824]

SC: Bro, this is my second time. What level of secession are _you_ on? VA : My secession movement has a secession movement

[@floydlooney6837]

Sec-ception

[@grangermontag1824]

@@floydlooney6837 Nioce

[@Lapran3]

Georgian nationalists: “I’m on a level of rebellion you couldn’t even comprehend”

[@grangermontag1824]

@@Lapran3 Because Georgia almost left the Confederacy? Or are talking about the country of Georgia?

[@Lapran3]

@@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

[@shivangoes]

The "we give the United states $350 a week, lets buy some slaves instead" was brilliant

[@Bloodlyshiva]

Did it turn out then that that was a lie?

[@HughNeylan]

In a “bus” no less!

[@wsleet]

As someone in Wheeling, I feel incredibly impacted by the fact that my city was mentioned.

[@aprilrapunzel5318]

Go Wheeling 😂🎉

[@Cedarlick]

Hasn't happened since Chris on Northern Exposure.

[@ingsnaut_7006]

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.

[@namingisdifficult408]

That’d be really interesting!

[@killjoy4895]

Yes! It is a country with rich history that does get overlooked.

[@onlinefriend3889]

Hehe Montenegro

[@kecmil2643]

I am from Montengro.Odakle si brate moj?

[@mountainmamma1643]

Negrolol mountanegro

[@heathlilly294]

This is a really good short explanation of these events! I was Born and Raised in Princeton, WV the history of this state doesn't often get accurately stated.

[@hot88s23]

Hey, you got a pretty cool tunnel.

[@TheLocalLt]

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

[@fletchbg]

Fun fact: before Kanawha/West Virginia, they tried it at least twice. Look up "Vandalia" and "Westsylvania"

[@Egilhelmson]

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.

[@TheLocalLt]

@@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.

[@dougdouglas2112]

Good stuff, like always. Thanks for the video

[@Lawnmower737]

Getting the Virginia’s back together is like getting the band back together, everyone gets drunk and realizes why they hated each other in the first place. Happened with the Carolinas and the Dakotas back in the day.

[@I_Have_The_Most_Japanese_Music]

I need videos on this.

[@JeffrevinYT]

Because they realized that West Virginia is almost Heaven.

[@drewstaser9726]

Which kinda is an insult to heaven

[@PaperclipClips]

Life is old there, older than the trees

[@abush325ix]

@Joseph Norm With a lot of people addicted to opiates. I’ll never move back.

[@maikotter9945]

sky: exists "heaven": not

[@mattdavis9601]

Because it's next to Kentucky, which is Heaven. ;-)

[@tencorgmail4075]

Because they forgot to get the economic assistance of James Bissonnette.

[@rogersledz6793]

Thank you so much for uploading this video. It is helping me get through the pandemic!

[@Carlo-zk2cy]

2:36 There's no coming back after this.

[@terminallumbago6465]

I feel like this channel would be very effective for use in schools. It answers common historical questions and teaches about historical events in a clear way. The language is very easy for students to understand, and the animations would probably be very engaging to them.

[@lalehiandeity1649]

Totally. But schools are notorious for banning anything that would legitimately encourage children to learn.

[@mrscaryfox3955]

@@lalehiandeity1649 yea they want to”educate” not learn or bring interest into knowledge

[@리주민]

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.

[@adamkerman475]

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.

[@aubreyhuff46]

​@@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

[@questioneverything2488]

This answers a question that I've been asking for many years thank you so much for this video

[@akramgimmini8165]

2:00 *That joke ... But a smile on my face*

[@tillisstill3126]

I love watching your videos, and I’m from West Virginia. So I got very excited to see a topic about my state. Great summary but I have to point out something. Kanawha is more pronounced as “kuh-NAW.” We have a county and a river named like this.

[@arisen7163]

Ya but he's British so they say things differently

[@RiseOfThePhoenix30]

From a canal of the same name mapped out by George Washington?

[@UrpleSquirrel]

​@@arisen7163 The correct pronunciation of a place is how the locals pronounce it. Being British doesn't mean he isn't saying it wrong. You can always tell an out-of-towner in the Kanawha valley if they say it with three syllables.

[@davidnicholas7624]

My West Virginia born and raised wife laughed at me the first time I said "Kan-now-hah." Never could quite say it to suit her.

[@blobsndrees]

2:39 Can't really argue against that.

[@timgrounds]

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.

[@Darkblender5]

As a West Virginian, that pronunciation of "Kanawha" will haunt my dreams.

[@asmith1022]

Same

[@db3536]

So how is it pronounced? Can-ah-wah?

[@Darkblender5]

@@db3536 It's a Native American word, not really pronounced how it looks. It's Cuh-gnaw.

[@cadengrace5466]

@@Darkblender5 It is Shawnee and it is not pronounced Cuh-gnaw. In its original form it is KUH-naw-HA, it has been morphed over the decades to Ka-naw-wha, just like it is spelled.

[@Darkblender5]

@@cadengrace5466 Then we've bastardized it, but either way, I've never actually heard anyone from around here pronounce it like that. I guess it's a Apple-atcha vs. App-a-lay-sha thing. ...And History Matters still pronounced it horribly.

[@chrisza9782]

“The debate ended when John Denver adjusted his glasses and the room fell silent”

[@zibythides5523]

We need to ask James Byzonette to fund a referendum to reunite Virginias

[@Alusnovalotus]

He was the one whom backed Piedmont or whatever to divide it in the first place

[@aloneredwoodtree2353]

West Virginia dislikes Virginia, and really likes being West Virginia. So that would never pass.

[@SamBrickell]

Where the hell will country roads take us in that case?

[@mattdavis9601]

Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus and his name is James.

[@oliversherman2414]

I love your channel keep up the great stuff!!!!

[@politicalbandwagon4989]

I accidentally read the title as “why didn’t the virgins get back together” lol

[@AshGamer007]

Me too lol

[@janicechristiedenton0451]

Because they decided absintance only.

[@rowengarcia3852]

I thought it said why didn't the vaginas get back together

[@firstconsul7286]

@@rowengarcia3852 Because they decided monogamy and heterosexualism was their preference

[@terrypennington2519]

fun fact, Virginia got its name in honor of queen Elizabeth the first of England, who was in fact, a virgin.

[@fabiandolch1505]

Can you imagine a world where the song goes: "Kanawha, mountain mama, take me home, country roads..."

[@Warsie]

they changed the name because they recognized so much of their population was illiterate so they wanted something recognizable

[@FeszVelry]

This might be the first time he actually put the stars on the US flag lol

[@squirrelonmapletree]

I'm okay with the usual "stars, yo", but this was good too.

[@punkwrestle]

You forget all the Southern States he kept from falling off.

[@Exotic3000]

Thanks for posting!

[@cw269]

“How secedy should we be?” Best referendum question ever

[@Steamybmxproductions]

As a British person I appreciate the brexit bus reference at 1:09

[@moremoor8295]

They couldn't agree on where James Bisonette should live when they wanted to reunite.

[@wesmerald]

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. 😉

[@answermenow1160]

So basically, Virginia hadn't seen West Virginia in a month when they said they needed space, but then after the civil war, they told West Virginia that they swore they were going to change, but it only lasted for a day, and so now West Virginia is telling them that they're never ever ever getting back together?

[@Longshanks1690]

Because they are never, ever, ever getting back together?

[@miangel02]

Wow I just visited last week West Virginia and then suddenly there is a video about it

[@ixlnxs]

KZbin algorithms mi hijo.

[@ryanbrace7411]

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.

[@dalecogar3269]

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.

[@FawleyJude]

@@dalecogar3269 This has always been my understanding of the reason for the split as well.

[@nicksowards7772]

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".

[@andreabennington]

@@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.