West Virginia

Born of the Civil War itself: its Unionist Appalachian counties broke from secessionist Virginia and entered the Union as a separate state in 1863. Rugged and mountainous, it became a coal-mining heartland whose history is marked by violent labour struggles like the 1921 Battle of Blair Mountain. Greater Appalachia's culture of independence and grievance runs deep here.

• Existed: 1731 CE – present
• Type: Entity
• Government: U.S. State
• Capital: Charleston