Explain how West Virginia became a state.
With Virginia having seceded, the Union Army, which was occupying Alexandria, woke up the City Council members in the middle of the night, constituted them the “State Legislature,” and told them if they wanted to get back to bed, they would need to approve the creation of West Virginia. So they did.
The part of the Virginia legislature not participating in the rebellion were recognized as the legitimate state legislature. They voted to partition, Congress agreed.