Interested in a graduate degree in Political Science from a top program within the state of Virginia? We offer rankings of best Virginia Political Science graduate programs. Review the following schools to see requirements for Master and Doctoral degrees in the area of Political Science.
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Rankings | Political Science Programs |
1 | University of Virginia Department of Politics Address: PO Box 400787, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4787 Phone: (434) 924-3192 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.virginia.edu/politics/grad_program/index.html |
2 | George Mason University Department of Public and International Affairs Address: Robinson Hall A, Room 201, Fairfax, VA 22030-4444 Phone: (703) 993-9466 Email: [email protected] Website: http://pia.gmu.edu/grad/polisci/index.php |
RICHMOND
Richmond is the capital of the US state Virginia and was an important city even during the American Civil War. It is considered to be one of the oldest large cities in America and is best known today as a modern economic center.
Fast facts
Richmond is the capital of the American state Virginia and is located about 150 kilometers from the confluence of the James River in the Chesapeake Bay. Around 225,000 people live in the city on an area of 162 km².
The region has an impressive natural landscape to offer, as it lies in the middle of the foothills of the Piedmont Plateau and the highest passable point of the James River.
Richmond is a major economic center in the region. In addition to the seat of parliament, numerous banks, insurance companies and law firms are also based here. The Virginia Commonwealth University is also located in Richmond.
History
The first residents of the region were the Indians of the Powhatan Confederation. In 1607 the first settlers from England came to what is now Richmond. After 1644, trade in fur and tobacco flourished in the region with the newly built Fort Charles.
Founded in 1737 by William Byrd II, what is now Richmond was granted city rights in 1742. At the time, about 250 residents populated the city. It became the capital of the colony and rule of Virginia in 1780, replacing Williamsburg.
Several notable events occurred in the city during the Revolutionary War, including Patrick Henry’s speech at St. John’s Church in 1775, “Give me liberty or give me death,” and the adoption of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, written by Thomas Jefferson.
During the civil war, the city came under heavy fire, so that it finally surrendered in early April 1865. Multiple warehouse fires nearly completely destroyed the city and it took decades to rebuild Richmond, both politically and economically.
However, by 1900 Richmond recovered rapidly and in a relatively short period of time it was able to record a population growth of 100,000 people. In 1888, the first electric tram went into service in Richmond, which was one of the first successful electric tram systems in the world. In 1949, however, the last tram line was replaced by the bus. In 1958, the first Virginia freeway was opened, connecting Richmond with Petersburg.
Economy
The city of Richmond not only has a lot of history to offer, it also makes it into the top 50 metropolitan areas in the USA economically. In 2016, the city’s metropolitan region achieved an economic output of over 80.7 billion US dollars.
The unemployment rate in Richmond is also around 0.8 percent below the American average, with annual income of around 52,000 US dollars, which exceeds the average income of the US population.
The banking and financial sectors in particular contribute to the economic importance of Richmond. However, several law firms and tobacco companies are also based in the city, such as Philip Morris USA.
Tourist Attractions
In addition to a variety of economic and financial institutions, Richmond also has some exciting attractions to offer. Particularly worth seeing are:
- Belle Isle in the James River (small island and city park)
- Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (art museum)
- Maymont (Victorian estate and public park)
- Virginia State Capitol (seat of government)
- St. John’s Church
- Cathedral of the Sacred Heart
- The Valentine (local history museum)
- Science Museum of Virginia
- American Civil War Museum – Historic Tredegar
- Edgar Allen Poe Museum (Literature Museum)
- White House of the Confederacy (museum and former main residence of Jefferson Davis)