England’s First Colonies

Chapter 3, Section 1

“The land yields…(an) abundance of fish, infinite store (endless supply) of deer, and hares, with many fruits and roots…There are hills and mountains making a sensible (offer) of hidden treasure, never yet searched”

England Seeks Colonies

English King shares power with Parliament (lawmaking body)

England begins to establish colonies in late 1500s

Market for goods

Raw materials for England

Who wanted to go to the colonies?

People suffering economic hardship

Production of wool left tenant farmers without land

Unemployment and population on the rise in England

Roanoke

First English attempt at colonies 1st colony: Sir Walter Raleigh, ends up starving and is rescued by Francis Drake2nd colony: John White, establishes colony and returns to England

Delayed, and returns 3 years laterAll settlers goneCROATOAN

The Virginia Company of London

Joint stock company

Printed advertisements to encourage settlers

650 investors

Virginia Company’s charter granted by King James I

Jamestown

1607 Three ships arrive at Jamestown

105 male colonists

Sail into Chesapeake Bay and up James River

Named colony after King James

Problems…

-Most colonists only want to search for treasure

-Few have farming or carpentry skills

-Poor site for settlement: swamp, salty water, mosquitoes

-1608: 38 out of 100 still alive

Captain John Smith

Sent to lead colony in 1608 Military ExperienceForces settlers to plant crops and build better housing“He who works not, eats not.”

Powhatan Confederacy

Alliance of Algonquian Indians

Sometimes bring colonists food

Teach colonists to grow corn

At times colonists steal food, not peaceful relationship

Starving time: Smith leaves around 1609

Summer of 1610 = 60 colonists

1611 New settlers arrive

Tobacco

The “gold” of Jamestown

Grows well in Virginia

John Rolfe introduces West Indian variety

War in VirginiaConflict with colonists and Powhatan

John Rolfe creates temporary peace by marrying Pocahontas (Powhatan leader’s daughter

Pocahontas and her father die

Fighting lasts for 20 years

In 1646 war ends when colonists kill Powhatan leader

London Company unable to help colonists

English crown cancels charter

Virginia becomes royal colony under a governor appointed by the King

House of Burgesses

Representative government

Lawmaking body for Virginia

Pass laws and set taxes

Shares power with governor who could veto acts

Africans come to Virginia

Dutch ships brings slaves from West Indies

Sold to Virginia colonists

Had ability to earn freedom after working a certain number of years

The Pilgrims

Separatists: wanted to separate from Church of England

1st move to Holland

Decide to leave and move to Virginia

Pilgrim: person on a religious journey

The Mayflower CompactSail aboard the MayflowerStorms blow them off course and they land in MassachusettsName their new home PlymouthSign Mayflower Compact because they had blown off course

Thanksgiving

Pilgrims had a difficult first winter, half the colonists dieIn spring receive help from Native AmericansSquanto: brings seeds and teaches Pilgrims to plant, teaches them to fishSet aside a day to celebrate harvest: Thanksgiving