Early History of Virginia Indians

By Inez Ramsey

Virginia After the Ice Ages
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Virginia After the Ice Ages

Virginia underwent many physical changes after the ice ages. As the glaciers which had covered much of North America retreated about 14,000-15,000 years ago, the oceans began to rise. The climate changed. Climate is the average weather over many years. During the ice ages, the climate of Virginia would have been cooler and wetter than it is today. By 11,000 years ago the climate became similar to what we know today. Change took place over thousands of years. Grasslands were replaced by forests. You will see that Virginia falls in the forest area on this map of plant life from 8,900 years ago. Plant life also began to change about 10,000 years. Oak trees, mixed with other trees like hickory, maple or pine, became the most common kind of tree in Virginia.

Look at a topographical map which shows the mountains, hills and large lakes of Virginia. You will need to space all the way to your right on the map to see Virginia. You will see three different regions. To the left of the Blue Ridge mountains [purple color] is the Mountain and Valley Region. In the middle is a broad area called the Piedmont Plateau [green looks bumpy on the map]. At the far right near the Atlantic Ocean is the Coastal Plain Region [flat green color]. The Chesapeake Bay is in the Coastal Plain Region. The map at Virginia Geology shows these areas as well. This site has lots of information on the geology of our state. Evidence of Paleo-Indians who lived on the Coastal Plain in Surry County are being studied today.

The Appalachian and Blue Ridge Mountains were already very old during the ice ages. They had been formed many millions of years earlier. The mountains were thrust up as a result of the movement of the continents, called plate tectonics. Scientists have found rock older than 650 million (650,000,000) years near Charlottesville. Scientists have also found volcanic rock in the Piedmont Area of Virginia.

It was not until about 3,000 years ago that the Chesapeake Bay area of Virginia became what it is today. What had been land with a river, called the Susquehanna River, filled with water to become the present large bay. A giant crater had been formed there by a meteor over 35,000,000 years earlier.

Wetlands around the Chesapeake Bay and other coastal areas provided a home for migrating birds. Fish, oysters and other marine life forms were abundant. (1) The Chesapeake Bay was so full of shellfish that the Algonquin Indians called it Chesepiooc, "Great Shellfish Bay."

In the state, many land animals, such as white-tail deer, wolves, wild cats (bobcats), wild turkey and bears were plentiful.(3)

Do you have questions about geology? Ask A Geologist from the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

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How Do We Know about Early Peoples?

Related Sites

Most sites on this topic are techical. Good professional resources, however.

North Carolina's First Colonists: 12,000 Years Before Roanoke by Stephen R. Claggett. Vocabulary level higher but very readable.

Virginia Facts and Figures

List of native trees and animals

The Holocene; The Last 11,000 Years From U. of Berkeley. Great site

North Carolina Archaeology Information; lots of links

Geologic Time Information; charts. From National Park Service

Thomas Jefferson and Virginia Geology Describes mountains, cascades and caverns; minerals and springs of Virginia and West Virginia. From Virginia Geography page at George Mason. Great page.

An Atlas of the Ice Age Earth By Jonathan Adams. Technical; maps. Includes Holocene (present)

Hunter-Gatherer Adaptations to the Terminal Pleistocene and Early Holocene Environments of Northeastern North America Technical

West Virginia Geology Most information is technical, but good information.

Appalachian Bear Center

Organization cares for bears and re-releases to the wilds; photo gallery

NatureServe Explorer - An Online Encyclopedia of Life

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Lesson Plans

Lesson Plans

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Button gif courtesy of Rutgers

See Dent

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