Richmond: Virginia’s Capital and Capitol
A single letter makes a big difference in Richmond. The city is Virginia’s capital, the place where the state government is based. Within the city stands the Virginia State Capitol, the building where state lawmakers meet. The two words sound alike, but they name different things.
Richmond lies along the James River in eastern Virginia. The river drops through a rocky area called the fall line, where waterfalls and rapids once made it difficult for boats to travel farther upstream. This location helped Richmond grow as a place where goods could be unloaded, traded, and transported by land. Today, the river remains an important part of the city, with trails, parks, and bridges along its banks.
A place for making laws
The Capitol is a center of Virginia’s lawmaking. Inside, the General Assembly meets to consider bills, or proposals for laws. The General Assembly has two groups, called chambers: the House of Delegates and the Senate. People across Virginia elect members to represent their communities in these chambers.
- upstream:
- Toward the place where a river begins, against the direction of its flow.
- transported:
- Moved from one place to another.
- represent:
- To act or speak for others.
- agencies:
- Government groups that do particular jobs or provide services.
- inland:
- Away from the coast.
- legislature:
- A group of people with the power to make laws.
- landmark:
- A place or building that is important or easy to recognize.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1How are Virginia’s capital and Capitol different?
- 2How did the fall line help Richmond grow as a trading place?
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About this explanatory article passage for Upper Elementary
“Richmond: Virginia’s Capital and Capitol” is a explanatory article reading passage about State government, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 4 minutes to read (531 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.