The Battle of Hampton Roads was the most noted and arguably most important naval battle of the American Civil War from the standpoint of naval technology. It was fought over two days, March 8–9, 1862, in Hampton Roads. The battle was a part of the effort of the Confederacy to break the Union blockade, which had cut off Virginia's largest cities from international trade.

On the first day, the Confederate ironclad ram CSS Virginia (built from the remnants of the USS Merrimack), opposed only by conventional, wooden-hulled ships, destroyed two ships and damaged a third. During the night, the USS Monitor arrived. The two ironclads fought for about three hours, with neither being able to inflict significant damage on the other. The duel ended indecisively, the ships did not fight again, and the blockade remained in place.

The major significance of the battle is that it was the first meeting in combat of ironclad warships. It received worldwide attention; Great Britain and France halted further construction of wooden-hulled ships, and others followed suit. The use of a small number of very heavy guns, mounted so that they could fire in all directions, was first demonstrated by Monitor, and soon became standard in warships of all types.

George Washington (1732 –1799) was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, serving as the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. After victory had been finalized in 1783, Washington resigned as Commander-in-chief rather than seize power, proving his opposition to dictatorship and his commitment to American republicanism. He also presided over the convention that drafted the Constitution, which replaced the Articles of Confederation. The Constitution established the position of President of the United States, which Washington was the first to hold, serving two terms in office.

At his death, Washington was hailed as "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen". As the leader of the first successful revolution against a colonial empire in world history, Washington became an international icon for liberation and nationalism. He is consistently ranked among the top three presidents of the United States, according to polls of both scholars and the general public.

• February 3, 1865: The Hampton Roads Conference is held, attempting to end the American Civil War
• February 9–10, 1864: Overnight, 109 Union prisoners of war escape from Libby Prison (pictured) in Richmond via a tunnel
• February 17, 1882: Gov. Cameron leads an unsuccessful raid against oyster pirates.
• February 16, 1961: Satellite Explorer 9 is launched aboard a Scout X-1 rocket at Wallops Island.
• February 22, 1732 (N.S.): George Washington is born at a plantation in Westmoreland County; celebrated annually as Washington's Birthday

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George Washington Masonic National Memorial, Alexandria, Virginia, designed after the ancient Lighthouse of Alexandria

• ... that the 28th Virginia battle flag is stored at an undisclosed location in the Minnesota Historical Society, and has not been returned to Virginia despite multiple requests across three centuries?
• ... that in the span of three days, a Florida man was approved by bankruptcy courts to buy TV stations in Roanoke and Lynchburg, Virginia, and then arrested on charges of laundering millions in drug money?
• ... that the first exhibit of the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame came from founder Michael Lipton's record collection?
• ... that enrollment at a school for African-American students in Virginia grew from 14 pupils to 1,300 in its first ten years?
• ... that West Virginia lawyer Arthur G. Froe served as D.C. Recorder of Deeds under three presidents and was appointed by President Wilson as a draft board legal advisor during World War I?
• ... that a neighborhood in Virginia lost its public park because its city government did not build a fence?

• Capital: Richmond, Virginia
• Total area: 110,862 sq.mi
• Highest elevation: 5,729 ft (Mount Rogers)
• Population (2010 census) 8,001,024
• Date Virginia joined the United States: June 25, 1788

State symbols:

• Flower:Dogwood
• Motto:Sic semper tyrannis (Thus always to tyrants)
• Slogan:Virginia is for Lovers
• Nicknames:"Old Dominion", "Mother of Presidents", "Mother of States"
• Dance:Square dance
• Bird:Cardinal
• Fish:Brook trout
• Domestic Mammal:American Foxhound
• Fossil:Chesapecten jeffersonius

Government

• Governor: Glenn Youngkin (R)
• Lieutenant Governor: Winsome Sears (R)
• Attorney General: Jason Miyares (R)
• Senators: Tim Kaine (D), Mark Warner (D)
• Representatives: Rob Wittman (R-1st), Elaine Luria (D-2nd), Bobby Scott (D-3rd), Donald McEachin (D-4th), Bob Good (R-5th), Ben Cline (R-6th), Abigail Spanberger (D-7th), Don Beyer (D-8th), Morgan Griffith (R-9th), Jennifer Wexton (D-10th), Gerry Connolly (D-11th)