Today in history, on December 31, 1862, the new state of West Virginia joined the Union. After much deliberation and a split decision from his cabinet, President Abraham Lincoln signed the bill granting West Virginia statehood. Years of conflict between Virginia’s eastern and western portions had finally come to a head during the Civil War. 

Virginia’s two halves were at odds from the beginning. The eastern side mainly consisted of slave-holding plantations, while the western side consisted of self-sufficient farms. Those farmers often felt ignored by the Virginian government. Geographically and economically, the western counties were more oriented toward Ohio and Pennsylvania than toward the rest of the state.

When the Civil War began in 1861, Virginia fractured even more. Eastern residents favored secession, while most Western residents wanted to remain in the Union. After a vote, Virginia officially joined the Confederacy on May 7, 1861. The western counties immediately planned their separation from Virginia. They formed the “Restored Government of Virginia” and reorganized the offices abandoned by the Confederates. 

Many opposed Lincoln’s signing of the bill in December of 1862. Some believed it was unconstitutional to separate West Virginia without consulting Virginia’s government. In addition, West Virginia was divided on the issue of slavery. They initially wanted to be excluded from the Emancipation Proclamation but eventually compromised with gradual emancipation. West Virginia was officially admitted to the Union as the 35th state on June 20, 1863.