 Virginians were instrumental in writing the United States Constitution . James Madison drafted the Virginia Plan in 1787 and the Bill of Rights in 1789 . Virginia ratified the Constitution on June 25 , 1788 . The three @-@ fifths compromise ensured that Virginia , with its large number of slaves , initially had the largest bloc in the House of Representatives . Together with the Virginia dynasty of presidents , this gave the Commonwealth national importance . In 1790 , both Virginia and Maryland ceded territory to form the new District of Columbia , though the Virginian area was retroceded in 1846 . Virginia is called " Mother of States " because of its role in being carved into states like Kentucky , which became the 15th state in 1792 , and for the numbers of American pioneers born in Virginia . 
