Early Colonies

EARLY COLONIES

EQ: What factors influenced the start and development of the early

colonies?

Native American Life at the Time of Contact with Europeans

There were over 30 different tribes in North Carolina at the time Europeans came

They varied in size from tribes of only a few villages to tribes of thousands

The Algonquin Culture Lived along coastal North Carolina

Tribes were held together by a common language

Largest tribes = Pasquotank and Waccamaw

Algonquin Culture Location allowed

for abundant fishing

Ate fruits, melons, walnuts, cucumbers, peas, and roots

Tuscarora Dominated the coastal plain region

The group had about 15 villages with 300 to 500 people in each village

Related to the Iroquois Nation of New York

Catawba Lived along the Catawba river in

a group of towns

They were distinguished by their burnt black pottery

The Cherokee The Cherokee controlled 40,000 sq. mi. of

territory – including parts of Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Alabama

One of the largest tribes in the US (approx. 30,000 members)

Tribal Organization Communities were led by Chiefs Chiefs controlled several towns

(chiefdom)

Tribal Councils – advised the chief

Chiefs served as political, spiritual and military leaders, also distributed food

Belief System No one unified Native American spiritual

belief system

Great respect for nature

Common legends and folklore to explain natural events

English aristocrat and explorerFunded his own voyagesSupported by Queen

Elizabeth I

1584 - Landed at Roanoke Island Made connections with

local Native AmericansDecided to bring settlers

back

Sir Walter Raleigh & the Roanoke Colony

Jamestown and Roanoke colonies

Roanoke Voyages

1585 – 108 soldiers come to Roanoke to establish first colony

1586 – Colonists and Native Americans at “war,” and colony is abandoned

1587 – Second settlement attempted117 colonists come to Roanoke

Governor John White

Roanoke Colony, cont.

1590 – White returns to Roanoke, but finds the colony has disappeared

Roanoke, cont.

• 1587 – John White returns to England to get supplies

1st Permanent English Colony

After the Roanoke Colony failure, the English established their permanent colony at Jamestown in VA

Colony became wealthy due to the sale of tobacco

Jamestown

The “Jamestown” Colony

1606 Virginia House of

Burgesses – 1st Representative Democracy in New World

1st Permanent English Colony

Jamestown Timelinehttp://www.virtualjamestown.org/timeline2.html

1. 1606King James I issues a charter to the Virginia Company for land on the mid-Atlantic Coast

2. 1607• May 13: 104 male settlers arrive

at Jamestown, the first permanent England settlement in the New World

• May 26: Indian attacks• December 10: Capt. John Smith

is captured• December 29: John Smith is

saved by Pocahontas before Powhatan

http://www.virtualjamestown.org/timeline2.html



3.1608Settlers at Jamestown die in great numbers (38 of 104 remain)

4. 1609• 500 more

settlers come to Virginia

• Relations with Native Americans grow tense

5. 1610September-May: The “Starving Time” reduces population to 60 (from 500-600)



6.1612John Rolfe tries a crop of tobacco to help save the Jamestown settlement

7. 1614John Rolfe marries Pocahontas

8. 1618-1623

The “Great Migration” increases Jamestown’s population from 400 to 4,500



9. 1619VA House of Burgesses meets for the first time


Consequences of Jamestown’s Success

While VA grows (NC history to be continued)…

• A new colony to the north will start as well… Plymouth! But why?

Religion in the Colonies

What is religion? Why does religion exist? Where have we seen religion in the colonies so far?

The Anglican Church “Church of

England” Split from

Catholic Church as part of the Protestant Reformation

Henry VIII - Divorce

Church of

England

Hierarchy

Puritans & Pilgrims Desired reforms in

the Church of England

Settled in Massachusetts Bay

Pilgrims desired a split from the Church of England

Very devout

Quakers Society of Friends George Fox – founder

Established numerous congregations 1672 – Fox made a pilgrimage to

“the north of Carolina” Shocked by violence of Puritans

and PilgrimsSalem Witch Trials

Dominated early Carolina

Moravians

Originated in Czech Republic Started as an objection to the

Catholic Church Pacifists – Came to escape war and

religious repression Settled in Winston-Salem

Named the land Wachovia

Moravians – Bethabara, Bethania & Old Salem

Catholics in English Colonies

Fled England due to discrimination of Anglicans

Settle in MarylandCatholics will be the most hated religious group in the 13 colonies until well after the American Revolution. (tell GA story, Mr. Arzillo)

Religious Freedom

Roger Williams Broke away from Plymouth

(for his “dangerous “ ideas, forms Rhode Island Colony

Desired “separation of church and state”

May have been 1st abolitionist in English colonies… forbade any type of slavery and was friendly to natives.

Plymouth Colony Puritans 1620 Massachusetts Mayflower

Compact – direct democracy, social contract

Mayflower Compact, 1620 In the name of God, Amen. We, whose names are underwritten, the

Loyal Subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord, King James, by the Grace of God, of England, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, e&. Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the Honour of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia; do by these presents, solemnly and mutually in the Presence of God and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation, and Furtherance of the Ends aforesaid; And by Virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions and Offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the General good of the Colony; unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In Witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names at Cape Cod the eleventh of November, in the Reign of our Sovereign Lord, King James of England, France and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Domini, 1620

Salem Witch Trials

What is a colony? Land Usually has a desired resource Ruled by a country in another location

Mercantilism and the Triangle Trade

What was the purpose of mercantilism?

System used by nations to ensure wealth Examples:

Triangle Trade Navigation Acts Stamp Act Townshend Acts (Lead, Glass, Tea, Paint) Tea Act Molasses Act Sugar Act

Mercantilism Mercantilism is economic nationalism for the

purpose of building a wealthy and powerful state. Seeks to enrich the country by restraining imports

and encouraging exports. Dominated Western European economic thought

and policies from the sixteenth to the late eighteenth centuries.

The goal of these policies was, supposedly, to achieve a “favorable” balance of trade that would bring gold and silver into the country and also to maintain domestic employment.

the mercantile system served the interests of merchants and producers such as the British East India Company, whose activities were protected or encouraged by the state.http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/Mercantilism.html

http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/Mercantilism.html

Organization of Colonial Governments

1. Joint Stock Company – self governing colony – operated under shared ownership (like a company) Jamestown (invest capital, enjoy returns)

2. Proprietary Colony – owned by wealthy landlords (PA, MD, DE) and nobles, recognized by king

3. Royal Colony – royal governor appointed by king with elected representative assembly NY, NC

Why did people risk leaving their homeland to come to North America? Economic Opportunity

Cash Crops (sugar, indigo, tobacco, cotton) Indentured Servants (poor English peasants)

Forced African Slaves Plantation System (large farm system) Middle Passage (slave route to Americas)

Religious Freedom

Charter Document granted from English king,

granting sovereignty

Questions: What is sovereignty? What powers are gained through a charter? Why were charters necessary?

King Charles I Colonies of Maryland,

Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts created under his rule

1628 -- Granted charters to colonize lands south of Virginia, named for himself – Carolina

The Carolina charter, known as the “Heath Patent” granted to Sir Robert Heath

King Charles II

Due to lack of population, Charles II sold Heath Patent to the “8 Lord Proprietors”

Proprietor = owner Promoted

populating the colony through profit incentive

The 13 Colonies

What do they have in common? Self Government Legislatures

w/elected members

Governor (elected or appointed by king)

Salutary neglect- King not enforcing strict laws

Documents

Early Colonies