Chapter 3: The English Colonies

Section 1: The Southern Colonies

English Interest in the Americas

Began with Sir Walter Raleigh and Roanoke Colony in 1587. Why North America?
Overcrowding in England Competition between the Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch and French Religious freedom

Settlement in Jamestown
1606 The Virginia Company of London was granted a charter by King James I to settle an English colony in North America. What is a charter? VA company was a joint stock company.
What is a joint-stock company?
Group of multiple investors instead of a single investor. Less risk of losing a lot of money.

Settlement in Jamestown
April 26, 1607 105 colonists arrived in America. May 14, 1607 Jamestown is founded on James River
Jamestown in the first permanent English colony in North America. Who had already established colonies in North America?
Spanish (St. Augustine), French (Montreal & Quebec) and the Dutch (New York).

Settlement in Jamestown
First colonists were wealthy adventurers who had no experience farming or building houses. Jamestown surrounded by marshes and disease carrying mosquitoes. By winter, two-thirds of the colonists had died.

John Smith
Before joining the Virginia Company to colonize America, Smith made a living as a mercenary soldier. He had been kidnapped and sold into slavery by a Turkish leader but eventually escaped back to England. He was chosen as one of seven to govern the colony.

John Smith Disney Version

John Smith Real Version

John Smith Takes Control of Jamestown

John Smith takes control of Jamestown in 1608.
He built a fort and forced the remaining settlers to work harder by instituting the no work-no food policy. Smith makes an agreement with the Powhatan Confederacy. Powhatans assist colonists with farming.

The Starving Time

1609
over 400 new settlers arrive in Jamestown. John Smith returns to England due to an injury received in a gunpowder accident

By the end of winter only 60 of 400 new colonists remained alive.

Colonists died because of disease and famine.

Jamestown, at this point, was a complete failure.

John Rolfe Introduces Tobacco

John Rolfe introduced tobacco to Virginia in 1611. It quickly became a very profitable cash crop and saved Jamestown and Virginia. It also caused many land disputes between colonists and Powhatans.

War with Powhatan Confederacy

The Powhatan Confederacy and the English colonists had good relationship for a while. However, disagreements over leadership and land ownership caused them to fight. This resulted in English capturing the chiefs daughter, Pocahontas and holding her until Powhatans released settlers.

Pocahontas Disney Version

The only known portrait of Pocahontas created during her lifetime is this engraving.

Pocahontas (Matoaka)
Pocahontas changed her name to Rebecca, converted to Christianity, and married John Rolfe. She became sick in England, most likely pneumonia or tuberculosis, and died before ever returning to Virginia.

Daily Life in Virginia

Headright System
Started by the Virginia Company of London. Colonists who paid their own way to Virginia were granted 50 acres of land. For every person they brought with them they received an additional 50 acres.

Indentured Servant
People exchanged servitude if someone else paid for their passage to America. Normally lasted 4-7 years.