England Colonizes England Colonizes AmericaAmerica

Charter:Charter: This document was given This document was given to a person by the King and queen to a person by the King and queen to settle the colonies.to settle the colonies.

Too expensive?Too expensive? joint – stock companiesjoint – stock companies: founding a : founding a

colony was risky and expensive. colony was risky and expensive. These were formed to keep costs These were formed to keep costs low. A person bought a share of low. A person bought a share of stock and then would receive a stock and then would receive a share of the profits. (Beginning of share of the profits. (Beginning of our modern day corporations) our modern day corporations)

Merchant AdventurersMerchant Adventurers London Company:London Company: In 1606, King In 1606, King

James I gave a charter to the London James I gave a charter to the London Company. This grant of land Company. This grant of land extended along the Atlantic coast extended along the Atlantic coast from the Hudson River to present from the Hudson River to present day North Carolina.day North Carolina.

JamestownJamestown Jamestown: Three ships left England in Jamestown: Three ships left England in

1606 – the Discovery, The Susan 1606 – the Discovery, The Susan Constant, and the Godspeed. 104 Constant, and the Godspeed. 104 settlers were on these boats.settlers were on these boats.

April 26, 1607:April 26, 1607: They reached Virginia. They reached Virginia. They sailed up a river that they named They sailed up a river that they named after King James and settled on a after King James and settled on a peninsula jutting out on the river – they peninsula jutting out on the river – they named it named it JamestownJamestown

PurposePurpose: to search for gold, silver, and : to search for gold, silver, and copper. Also, to find a trade route to copper. Also, to find a trade route to east Asia.east Asia.

First settlersFirst settlers: were not prepared.: were not prepared. The site was easy to defend but The site was easy to defend but

swampy and infested with mosquitoes.swampy and infested with mosquitoes. Fresh water?Fresh water? Not enough…. Not enough…. ShelterShelter: They began to build a shelter : They began to build a shelter

but they did not have enough food for but they did not have enough food for the approaching winter.the approaching winter.

They began to search for gold and They began to search for gold and silver. They did not worry about food or silver. They did not worry about food or shelter (greedy?)shelter (greedy?)

Government:Government: King James I King James I appointed a council to rule the new appointed a council to rule the new settlements. Most were settlements. Most were stockholders whom had no idea stockholders whom had no idea what they were facing. They did what they were facing. They did not plant any crops – they were not plant any crops – they were still interested in finding gold and still interested in finding gold and silver.silver.

John SmithJohn Smith John Smith: a soldier of John Smith: a soldier of

fortune. He fought for anybody fortune. He fought for anybody who paid him to fight.who paid him to fight.

Fought in the Eastern European Fought in the Eastern European wars against the Turks.wars against the Turks.

Captured and sold into slavery.Captured and sold into slavery. Escaped captivity by killing his Escaped captivity by killing his

master.master. He managed to get on the first He managed to get on the first

boats to Jamestown as a boats to Jamestown as a merchant adventurer.merchant adventurer.

End of summerEnd of summer: half of the colonists : half of the colonists were dead from starvation and malaria.were dead from starvation and malaria.

Spring 1608:Spring 1608: 38 of the 104 settlers are 38 of the 104 settlers are alive. A new ship arrives with 120 more alive. A new ship arrives with 120 more settlers.settlers.

December 1607: John Smith is captured December 1607: John Smith is captured by Powhatan.by Powhatan.

January - 1608: Smith returns with more January - 1608: Smith returns with more food for the starving. food for the starving.

1608: Smith becomes the President of 1608: Smith becomes the President of the Council. He took charge.the Council. He took charge.

He bargained with the Natives for food.He bargained with the Natives for food. Stopped the searching for gold and put Stopped the searching for gold and put

people to work building shelters and people to work building shelters and planting food.planting food.

He taught the settlement about hard He taught the settlement about hard work and discipline.work and discipline.

Powhatan ConfederacyPowhatan Confederacy This was an alliance of This was an alliance of

10,000 Algonquin Indians. 10,000 Algonquin Indians. Settlers first began to trade Settlers first began to trade

for food.for food. However, they got greedy However, they got greedy

and began to take food by and began to take food by force.force.

John Smith tried to stop this John Smith tried to stop this but the other colonists but the other colonists refused to listen.refused to listen.

1609: 800 more settlers arrived.1609: 800 more settlers arrived. John Smith injures his leg in a John Smith injures his leg in a

powder keg explosion. He returns powder keg explosion. He returns to England.to England.

Result: Indians trusted John Smith. Result: Indians trusted John Smith. When he left all trust was lost. When he left all trust was lost.

““The Starving Time”The Starving Time” 1609-1610: No leadership in 1609-1610: No leadership in

the settlement.the settlement. The settlers , once again The settlers , once again

take food by force.take food by force. The settlement breaks down.The settlement breaks down. They can’t venture outside They can’t venture outside

the colony in fear that the the colony in fear that the Indians would attack them. Indians would attack them.

They are force to eat They are force to eat whatever they can get……whatever they can get……Rats, snakes, roots..Rats, snakes, roots..

Some witnesses even say Some witnesses even say that the colonists began to that the colonists began to eat human remains. eat human remains. (cannibalism)(cannibalism)

Summer of 1610: 60 colonists still Summer of 1610: 60 colonists still alive.alive.

They try to make it through the They try to make it through the summer but when winter summer but when winter approaches they decide to abandon approaches they decide to abandon the settlement.the settlement.

Winter of 1610: colonists decide to Winter of 1610: colonists decide to leave Jamestown. No supply ships leave Jamestown. No supply ships were arriving.were arriving.

They leave Jamestown but they They leave Jamestown but they return when they meet up with return when they meet up with supply ships that were headed to supply ships that were headed to Jamestown.Jamestown.

Thomas De La Warr: the new Thomas De La Warr: the new Governor arrives in Jamestown Governor arrives in Jamestown and restores order after the and restores order after the “Starving Time”. He imposes “Starving Time”. He imposes strict discipline inside of strict discipline inside of Jamestown. Jamestown.

He imposes a death penalty – He imposes a death penalty – for laziness. He also imposed for laziness. He also imposed the death penalty for colonists the death penalty for colonists who did not relieve themselves who did not relieve themselves a half mile away form the a half mile away form the encampment. encampment.

1611: De La Warr returns to 1611: De La Warr returns to England.England.

Thomas Dale:Thomas Dale: Arrives in Arrives in Jamestown in 1611. He Jamestown in 1611. He becomes the governor of becomes the governor of Jamestown. Hard work Jamestown. Hard work and Discipline return.and Discipline return.

He becomes a tyrant. He becomes a tyrant. Nobody likes him. He is Nobody likes him. He is to stern, tough and has to stern, tough and has too many strict laws.too many strict laws.

Example:Example: someone stole someone stole oatmeal so he tied him to oatmeal so he tied him to a tree and starved him to a tree and starved him to death.death.

John RolfeJohn Rolfe

Arrives in Jamestown around 1610. Arrives in Jamestown around 1610. He brought tobacco seeds from the He brought tobacco seeds from the

Spanish Indies, a sweeter variety than Spanish Indies, a sweeter variety than what was native from Virginia.what was native from Virginia.

He only wanted to grow the tobacco for He only wanted to grow the tobacco for his smoking habit. However, it becomes his smoking habit. However, it becomes very popular and addictive.very popular and addictive.

In 1613 the first shipment is sent to In 1613 the first shipment is sent to England.England.

It becomes popular in England and a It becomes popular in England and a cash crop is born.cash crop is born.

Indentured servants: Indentured servants: Now that tobacco is the Now that tobacco is the chief economy they chief economy they need people to work on need people to work on the plantations. the plantations. Indentured servants Indentured servants agreed to work from 4 to agreed to work from 4 to 7 years in return they 7 years in return they get a free voyage to get a free voyage to America and when their America and when their service is completed a service is completed a plot of land and tools.plot of land and tools.

Instead of finding gold, Instead of finding gold, the settlers are growing the settlers are growing tobacco as a staple, or tobacco as a staple, or cash, crop making huge cash, crop making huge profits.profits.

1614: Rolfe marries 1614: Rolfe marries Pocahontus.Pocahontus.

1616: Both move to 1616: Both move to England.England.

1617: Rebecca 1617: Rebecca (Pocahontus) dies of (Pocahontus) dies of smallpox in England. smallpox in England. Her body is never Her body is never returned to Virginia.returned to Virginia.

Population Explosion!Population Explosion! 1618-23: “The Great 1618-23: “The Great

Migration”. The Colony of Migration”. The Colony of Virginia grows from 400 to Virginia grows from 400 to 4,500 people.4,500 people.

1618: Powhatan dies. A new 1618: Powhatan dies. A new Chief takes over the Powhatan Chief takes over the Powhatan Confederacy. Confederacy. (Opechancanough)(Opechancanough)

1619: 90 women arrive in 1619: 90 women arrive in Jamestown. They are sent to Jamestown. They are sent to become wives of the settlers. become wives of the settlers.

Each wife cost approximately Each wife cost approximately 150 pounds of tobacco.150 pounds of tobacco.

1619: A passing Dutch ship stops and sells 1619: A passing Dutch ship stops and sells the first 20 Africans, sold as indentured the first 20 Africans, sold as indentured servants. (slaves)servants. (slaves)

1622: Chief Opecancanough wants revenge 1622: Chief Opecancanough wants revenge for the thousands of settlers who are arriving for the thousands of settlers who are arriving in their native lands.in their native lands.

March 1622: Opecancanough launches March 1622: Opecancanough launches The The Indian Massacre of 1622Indian Massacre of 1622. 350 colonists are . 350 colonists are killed in a surprise attack. Jamestown is killed in a surprise attack. Jamestown is spared. Colony goes from 1,400 to 1,050 spared. Colony goes from 1,400 to 1,050 people.people.

Disease reduces the population even Disease reduces the population even further. Only 500 colonists remain.further. Only 500 colonists remain.

Indians and settlers are now bitter Indians and settlers are now bitter enemies.enemies.

1623: Colonists attempt to trade with 1623: Colonists attempt to trade with the Indians to smooth relations. 20 the Indians to smooth relations. 20 settlers are killed.settlers are killed.

1623: one month later the settlers 1623: one month later the settlers wanted revenge.wanted revenge.

They set up peace negotiations and They set up peace negotiations and secretly poison 200 natives. 50 more secretly poison 200 natives. 50 more were slaughtered.were slaughtered.

1624: Jamestown loses its official 1624: Jamestown loses its official charter. King James I does not like charter. King James I does not like all the killing between the natives all the killing between the natives and the colonists. He believes that and the colonists. He believes that the settlement is not worth all the the settlement is not worth all the deaths.deaths.

1606 – 16241606 – 1624Jamestown SettlementJamestown Settlement