Andrew Jackson | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Andrew Jackson
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The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was an American soldier and statesman who served as the seventh President of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before being elected to the presidency, Jackson gained fame as a general in the United States Army and served in both houses of Congress. As president, Jackson sought to advance the rights of the common man against a corrupt aristocracy and to preserve the Union.
Born in the colonial Carolinas to a Scotch-Irish family in the decade before the American Revolutionary War, Jackson became a frontier lawyer and married Rachel Donelson Robards. He served briefly in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate representing Tennessee. After resigning, he served as a justice on the Tennessee Supreme Court from 1798 until 1804. Jackson purchased a property later known as The Hermitage, and became a wealthy, slaveowning planter. In 1801, he was appointed colonel of the Tennessee militia and was elected its commander the following year. He led troops during the Creek War of 1813–1814, winning the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. The subsequent Treaty of Fort Jackson required the Creek surrender of vast lands in present-day Alabama and Georgia. In the concurrent war against the British, Jackson's victory in 1815 at the Battle of New Orleans made him a national hero. Jackson then led U.S. forces in the First Seminole War, which led to the annexation of Florida from Spain. Jackson briefly served as Florida's first territorial governor before returning to the Senate. He ran for president in 1824, winning a plurality of the popular and electoral vote. As no candidate won an electoral majority, the House of Representatives elected John Quincy Adams in a contingent election. In reaction to the alleged corrupt bargain between Adams and Henry Clay and the ambitious agenda of President Adams, Jackson's supporters founded the Democratic Party.
Jackson ran again in 1828, defeating Adams in a landslide. Jackson faced the threat of secession by South Carolina over what opponents called the Tariff of Abominations. The crisis was defused when the tariff was amended, and Jackson threatened the use of military force if South Carolina attempted to secede. In Congress, Henry Clay led the effort to reauthorize the Second Bank of the United States. Jackson, regarding the Bank as a corrupt institution, vetoed the renewal of its charter. After a lengthy struggle, Jackson and his allies thoroughly dismantled the Bank. In 1835, Jackson became the only president to completely pay off the national debt, fulfilling a longtime goal. His presidency marked the beginning of the ascendancy of the party spoils system in American politics. In 1830, Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act, which forcibly relocated most members of the Native American tribes in the South to Indian Territory. In foreign affairs, Jackson's administration concluded a most favored nation treaty with Great Britain, settled claims of damages against France from the Napoleonic Wars, and recognized the Republic of Texas. In January 1835, he survived the first assassination attempt on a sitting president.
In his retirement, Jackson remained active in Democratic Party politics, supporting the presidencies of Martin Van Buren and James K. Polk. Though fearful of its effects on the slavery debate, Jackson advocated the annexation of Texas, which was accomplished shortly before his death. Jackson has been widely revered in the United States as an advocate for democracy and the common man. Many of his actions, such as those during the Bank War, proved divisive, garnering both fervent support and strong opposition from many in the country. His reputation has suffered since the 1970s, largely due to his role in Indian removal. Surveys of historians and scholars have ranked Jackson favorably among United States presidents.
George Washington | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
George Washington
00:02:30 1 Early years (1732–1752)
00:08:04 2 Early military career (1752–1758)
00:10:14 2.1 French and Indian War
00:17:24 3 Marriage, civilian life and political beginnings (1759–1774)
00:22:38 3.1 American Revolution
00:24:44 4 Revolutionary War (1775–1783)
00:27:40 4.1 Quebec, Boston, and Long Island
00:33:08 4.2 Crossing the Delaware
00:35:52 4.3 Trenton campaign
00:38:53 4.4 Brandywine, Germantown, and Saratoga
00:41:55 4.5 Valley Forge, Monmouth, and Southern campaigns
00:45:59 4.6 Sullivan expedition and Hudson River
00:47:24 4.7 West Point espionage
00:49:33 4.8 Yorktown victory, peace treaty
00:52:43 4.9 Resignation
00:56:00 5 Early republic (1784–1789)
00:56:12 5.1 Military retirement
00:57:04 5.2 Constitutional Convention
00:59:16 5.3 First presidential election
01:00:38 6 Presidency (1789–1797)
01:04:00 6.1 Cabinet and executive departments
01:05:32 6.2 Domestic issues
01:06:56 6.2.1 National Bank
01:08:46 6.2.2 Jefferson–Hamilton feud
01:10:43 6.2.3 Whiskey Rebellion
01:12:49 6.3 Foreign affairs
01:15:03 6.4 Indian affairs
01:18:50 6.5 Second term
01:22:43 6.6 Farewell Address
01:26:02 7 Retirement (1797–1799)
01:28:35 7.1 Final days
01:32:38 8 Burial
01:34:18 9 Personal traits
01:36:19 10 Religion and the Enlightenment
01:40:16 11 Slavery
01:43:35 12 Historical reputation and legacy
01:46:33 12.1 Papers
01:47:18 12.2 Monuments and memorials
01:47:46 12.3 Postage and Currency
01:48:16 13 See also
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
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The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799) was one of the Founding Fathers and the first President of the United States (1789–1797). He commanded Patriot forces in the new nation's vital American Revolutionary War and led them to victory over the British. Washington also presided at the Constitutional Convention of 1787, which established the new federal government. For his manifold leadership he has been called the Father of His Country.Washington was born to a successful family of planters and slaveholders in colonial Virginia. He had educational opportunities and at age seventeen launched a successful career as a land surveyor. He then became a leader of the Virginia militia in the French and Indian War. During the Revolutionary War he was a delegate to the Continental Congress which unanimously appointed him commander-in-chief of the Army, leading an allied campaign to victory at the Siege of Yorktown which ended the conflict. Once victory was in hand, in 1783 he resigned as commander-in-chief, declining further authority and power out of his devotion to republicanism.
As the country's premier statesman, Washington was unanimously elected President by the Electoral College in the first two national elections. He promoted and oversaw implementation of a strong, well-financed national government, but remained impartial in the fierce rivalry between Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton. When the French Revolution plunged Europe into war, Washington proclaimed a policy of neutrality while sanctioning the controversial Jay Treaty. He set numerous precedents that have endured, such as the cabinet advisory system, the inaugural address, and his acceptance of the Congressional title The President of the United States. His Farewell Address strongly warned against political partisanship, sectionalism, and involvement in foreign wars.
Washington owned slaves throughout his life from age 11, but became increasingly troubled by slavery and freed his slaves in his will. He was a member of the Anglican Church and the Freemasons, and he urged tolerance for all religions in his roles as general and President. Upon his death, he was famously eulogized as first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen. Washington has been widely memorialized by monuments, art, places, stamps, and currency, and he has been consistently ranked by scholars among the four greatest American presidents.
Vermont | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Vermont
00:03:43 1 Etymology
00:04:39 2 Geography
00:06:53 2.1 Cities
00:07:17 2.2 Largest towns
00:07:33 2.3 Climate
00:09:42 2.4 Geology
00:11:45 2.5 Fauna
00:14:23 2.6 Flora
00:15:39 3 History
00:15:48 3.1 Native American
00:17:00 3.2 Colonial
00:20:34 3.3 Sovereignty
00:22:06 3.4 Revolutionary War
00:23:19 3.5 Admission to the Union
00:24:59 3.6 The Civil War
00:26:08 3.7 Postbellum era to present
00:26:18 3.7.1 Demographic changes
00:27:07 3.7.2 Natural disasters
00:28:17 3.7.3 Political changes
00:29:53 4 Demographics
00:30:02 4.1 Population changes
00:31:50 4.1.1 Birth data
00:32:17 4.2 Population characteristics
00:33:22 4.3 Vermont speech patterns
00:34:52 4.4 Religion
00:35:00 5 Economy
00:38:23 5.1 Personal income
00:39:29 5.2 Agriculture
00:40:20 5.2.1 Dairy farming
00:43:08 5.2.2 Forestry
00:45:40 5.2.3 Other
00:46:47 5.3 Manufacturing
00:47:17 5.4 Health
00:47:59 5.5 Housing
00:50:08 5.6 Labor
00:51:16 5.7 Insurance
00:52:10 5.8 Tourism
00:55:45 5.9 Quarrying
00:56:50 5.10 Non-profits and volunteerism
00:57:21 6 Transportation
00:59:44 6.1 Major routes
01:00:09 6.1.1 North–south routes
01:02:25 6.1.2 East–west routes
01:04:41 6.2 Rail
01:05:12 6.3 Bus
01:05:20 6.3.1 Intercity
01:06:13 6.3.2 Local
01:08:39 6.4 Ferry
01:09:02 6.5 Airports
01:09:54 7 Media
01:10:03 7.1 Newspapers of record
01:10:47 7.2 Broadcast media
01:11:47 8 Utilities
01:11:56 8.1 Electricity
01:14:22 8.2 Communication
01:15:08 9 Law and government
01:16:18 9.1 Finances and taxation
01:20:10 9.2 Politics
01:20:58 9.2.1 State politics
01:26:22 9.2.2 Federal politics
01:29:48 10 Public health
01:34:48 11 Education
01:36:25 11.1 Higher education
01:37:25 12 Culture
01:39:52 12.1 Sports
01:40:00 12.1.1 Winter sports
01:40:47 12.1.2 Baseball
01:41:15 12.1.3 Basketball
01:41:45 12.1.4 Football
01:42:09 12.1.5 Hockey
01:42:32 12.1.6 Soccer
01:42:56 12.1.7 Motorsport
01:43:50 13 State symbols
01:44:42 14 Notable Vermonters
01:44:58 14.1 Residents
01:46:22 14.2 In fiction
01:47:38 15 Vermont sights
01:47:47 16 See also
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
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The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
Vermont ( (listen)) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the U.S. states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to the north. Vermont is the second-smallest by population and the sixth-smallest by area of the 50 U.S. states. The state capital is Montpelier, the least populous state capital in the United States. The most populous city, Burlington, is the least populous city to be the most populous city in a state. As of 2015, Vermont was the leading producer of maple syrup in the United States. It was ranked as the safest state in the country in 2016.For thousands of years indigenous peoples, including the Mohawk and the Algonquian-speaking Abenaki, occupied much of the territory that is now Vermont and was later claimed by France's colony of New France. France ceded the territory to Great Britain after being defeated in 1763 in the Seven Years' War. Thereafter, the nearby colonies, especially the provinces of New Hampshire and New York, disputed the extent of the area called the New Hampshire Grants to the west of the Connecticut River, encompassing present-day Vermont. The provincial government of New York sold land grants to settlers in the region, which conflicted with earlier grants from the government of New Hampshire. The Green Mountain Boys militia protected the interests of the established New Hampshire land grant settlers against the newly arrived settlers with land titles granted by New York.
Ultimately, a group of settlers with New Hampshire land grant titles established the Vermont Republic in 1777 as an independent state during the American Revolutionary War. The Vermont Republic partially abolished slavery before any of the other states. Vermont then became the fourteenth state to be admitted to the newly established United States in 1791. Vermont ...
Vermont | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Vermont
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
You can find other Wikipedia audio articles too at:
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The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
Vermont ( (listen)) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the U.S. states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to the north. Vermont is the second-smallest by population and the sixth-smallest by area of the 50 U.S. states. The state capital is Montpelier, the least populous state capital in the United States. The most populous city, Burlington, is the least populous city to be the most populous city in a state. As of 2015, Vermont was the leading producer of maple syrup in the United States. It was ranked as the safest state in the country in 2016.For thousands of years indigenous peoples, including the Mohawk and the Algonquian-speaking Abenaki, occupied much of the territory that is now Vermont and was later claimed by France's colony of New France. France ceded the territory to Great Britain after being defeated in 1763 in the Seven Years' War. Thereafter, the nearby colonies, especially the provinces of New Hampshire and New York, disputed the extent of the area called the New Hampshire Grants to the west of the Connecticut River, encompassing present-day Vermont. The provincial government of New York sold land grants to settlers in the region, which conflicted with earlier grants from the government of New Hampshire. The Green Mountain Boys militia protected the interests of the established New Hampshire land grant settlers against the newly arrived settlers with land titles granted by New York.
Ultimately, a group of settlers with New Hampshire land grant titles established the Vermont Republic in 1777 as an independent state during the American Revolutionary War. The Vermont Republic partially abolished slavery before any of the other states. Vermont then became the fourteenth state to be admitted to the newly established United States in 1791. Vermont is one of only four U.S. states that were previously sovereign states (along with California, Hawaii, and Texas), given that the original 13 states were formerly colonies. During the mid 19th century, Vermont was a strong source of abolitionist sentiment and sent a significant contingent of soldiers to participate in the American Civil War.
The geography of the state is marked by the Green Mountains, which run north-south up the middle of the state, separating Lake Champlain and other valley terrain on the west from the Connecticut River valley that defines much of its eastern border. A majority of its terrain is forested with hardwoods and conifers. A majority of its open land is in agriculture. The state's climate is characterized by warm, humid summers and cold, snowy winters. Its largest city, Burlington, had fewer than 50,000 residents, as of 2010. Demographically, the state was 94.3% white, as of 2010. At that time, Protestants (30%) and Catholics (22%) made up the majority of those reporting a religious preference with 37% reporting no religion. Other religions individually contributed no more than 2% to the total.
Vermont's economic activity of $26 billion in 2010 caused it to rank 34th in gross state product. It has been ranked 42nd as a state in which to do business. Politically, Vermont transitioned from being a reliably Republican state to one more liberal starting in 1960. It alternates between Republican and Democratic governors, but has sent only Democrats (or independents) to Congress since 2007. Voters have consistently chosen Democrats for president since 1992. The state became the first to recognize unions for same-sex couples through legislative action with the introduction of civil unions in 2000.
German Americans | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
00:02:44 1 History
00:03:29 1.1 Colonial era
00:04:49 1.1.1 Palatines
00:06:49 1.1.2 Louisiana
00:08:47 1.1.3 Southeast
00:10:49 1.1.4 New England
00:11:23 1.1.5 Pennsylvania
00:13:54 1.2 American Revolution
00:14:53 1.3 19th century
00:16:09 1.3.1 Jews
00:17:09 1.3.2 Northeastern cities
00:17:25 1.3.3 Cities of the Midwest
00:19:08 1.3.4 Deep South
00:19:22 1.3.5 Texas
00:21:29 1.3.6 Germans from Russia
00:24:18 1.3.7 Civil War
00:25:53 1.3.8 Farmers
00:28:05 1.3.9 Politics
00:30:20 1.4 World Wars
00:30:28 1.4.1 Intellectuals
00:31:41 1.4.2 World War I anti-German sentiment
00:33:56 1.4.3 World War II
00:35:47 1.5 Contemporary period
00:37:35 2 Demographics
00:38:17 2.1 German-American communities
00:38:47 2.1.1 Communities with highest percentages of people of German ancestry
00:40:45 2.1.2 Large communities with high percentages of people of German ancestry
00:41:38 2.1.3 Communities with the most residents born in Germany
00:45:22 3 Counties by percentages of Germans
00:54:17 4 Culture
00:55:39 4.1 Music
00:58:24 4.2 Turners
00:59:31 4.3 Media
01:02:03 4.4 Athletics
01:02:55 4.5 Religion
01:06:27 4.6 Language
01:09:01 5 Assimilation
01:09:10 5.1 Introduction
01:09:29 5.2 The apparent disappearance of German American identity
01:22:22 5.3 Factors making German Americans susceptible to assimilation
01:31:32 5.4 Persistence of unassimilated German Americans
01:34:12 6 German-American influence
01:38:24 7 Education
01:38:55 8 Notable people
01:42:46 8.1 German-American presidents
01:43:32 9 See also
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
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Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
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Speaking Rate: 0.9867405261179203
Voice name: en-AU-Wavenet-C
I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
German Americans (German: Deutschamerikaner) are Americans who have full or partial German ancestry. With an estimated size of approximately 44 million in 2016, German Americans are the largest of the self-reported ancestry groups by the US Census Bureau in its American Community Survey. German-Americans account for about one third of the total ethnic German population in the world.None of the German states had American colonies. In the 1670s, the first significant groups of German immigrants arrived in the British colonies, settling primarily in Pennsylvania, New York, and Virginia. Immigration continued in very large numbers during the 19th century, with eight million arrivals from Germany. Between 1820 and 1870 over seven and a half million German immigrants came to the United States. By 2010, their population grew to 49.8 million German Americans, reflecting a jump of 6 million people since 2000.
There is a German belt that extends all the way across the United States, from eastern Pennsylvania to the Oregon coast. Pennsylvania has the largest population of German-Americans in the U.S. and is home to one of the group's original settlements, Germantown (Philadelphia), founded in 1683 and the birthplace of the American antislavery movement in 1688, as well as the revolutionary Battle of Germantown. The state of Pennsylvania has 3.5 million people of German ancestry.
They were pulled by the attractions of land and religious freedom, and pushed out of Germany by shortages of land and religious or political oppression. Many arrived seeking religious or political freedom, others for economic opportunities greater than those in Europe, and others for the chance to start fresh in the New World. The arrivals before 1850 were mostly farmers who sought out the most productive land, where their intensive farming techniques would pay off. After 1840, many came to cities, where Germania—German-speaking districts—soon emerged.German Americans established the first kindergartens in the United States, introduced the Christmas tree tradition, and introduced popular foods such as hot dogs and hamburgers to America.The great majority of people with some German ancestry have become Am ...
Richmond, Virginia | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
00:03:14 1 History
00:03:23 1.1 Colonial era
00:04:19 1.2 Revolution
00:05:17 1.3 Early United States
00:08:04 1.4 Civil War
00:12:57 1.5 Postbellum
00:14:23 1.6 20th century
00:17:56 2 Geography and climate
00:19:37 2.1 Cityscape
00:23:23 2.2 Climate
00:27:59 3 Demographics
00:31:44 3.1 Crime
00:33:59 3.2 Religion
00:40:42 4 Economy
00:45:40 4.1 Fortune 500 companies and other large corporations
00:48:28 4.2 Poverty
00:49:22 5 Arts and culture
00:49:31 5.1 Museums and monuments
00:53:19 5.2 Visual and performing arts
00:54:05 5.2.1 Murals
00:54:23 5.2.2 Professional performing companies
00:57:50 5.2.3 Other venues and companies
01:02:07 5.3 Literary arts
01:03:33 5.4 Architecture
01:09:12 5.5 Historic districts
01:10:05 5.6 Food
01:10:39 6 Parks and outdoor recreation
01:14:38 7 Sports
01:18:11 8 Media
01:20:06 9 Government and politics
01:23:55 10 Education
01:25:15 10.1 Colleges and universities
01:26:32 11 Infrastructure
01:26:42 11.1 Transportation
01:30:22 11.2 Major highways
01:30:30 11.3 Utilities
01:32:53 12 International relations
01:33:03 12.1 Sister cities
01:33:33 13 See also
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
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- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
Listen on Google Assistant through Extra Audio:
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Speaking Rate: 0.90601071634439
Voice name: en-US-Wavenet-D
I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
Richmond () is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. It is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) and the Greater Richmond Region. Richmond was incorporated in 1742 and has been an independent city since 1871.
As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 204,214; in 2016, the population was estimated to be 223,170, making Richmond the fourth-most populous city in Virginia. The Richmond Metropolitan Area has a population of 1,260,029, the third-most populous metro in the state.
Richmond is located at the fall line of the James River, 44 miles (71 km) west of Williamsburg, 66 miles (106 km) east of Charlottesville, 100 miles (160 km) east of Lynchburg and 98 miles (158 km) south of Washington, D.C. Surrounded by Henrico and Chesterfield counties, the city is located at the intersections of Interstate 95 and Interstate 64, and encircled by Interstate 295 and Virginia State Route 288. Major suburbs include Midlothian to the southwest, Chesterfield to the south, Varina to the southeast, Sandston to the east, Glen Allen to the north and west, Short Pump to the west and Mechanicsville to the northeast.
The site of Richmond had been an important village of the Powhatan Confederacy, and was briefly settled by English colonists from Jamestown in 1609, and in 1610–1611. The present city of Richmond was founded in 1737. It became the capital of the Colony and Dominion of Virginia in 1780, replacing Williamsburg. During the Revolutionary War period, several notable events occurred in the city, including Patrick Henry's Give me liberty or give me death speech in 1775 at St. John's Church, and the passage of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom written by Thomas Jefferson. During the American Civil War, Richmond served as the second and permanent capital of the Confederate States of America. The city entered the 20th century with one of the world's first successful electric streetcar systems. The Jackson Ward neighborhood is a national hub of African-American commerce and culture.
Richmond's economy is primarily driven by law, finance, and government, with federal, state, and local governmental agencies, as well as notable legal and banking firms, located in the downtown area. The city is home to both the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, one of 13 United States courts of appeals, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, one of 12 Federal Reserve Banks. Dominion Energy and WestRock, Fortune 500 companies, are headquartered in the city, with others in the metropolitan area.