English Colonization of English Colonization of the Chesapeakethe Chesapeake

Jamestown Colony (1607)Jamestown Colony (1607)Virginia Company of London - 104 Virginia Company of London - 104

gentlemen adventurers & poor servantsgentlemen adventurers & poor servantsJoint Stock ColonyJoint Stock Colony

April 1607, land along James RiverApril 1607, land along James River

First Colonists - ProblemsFirst Colonists - ProblemsMalarial swampMalarial swampThere to find riches – goldThere to find riches – gold

No gold – economy in shamblesNo gold – economy in shamblesDid not plant food – hoped to trade with Did not plant food – hoped to trade with

IndiansIndians

John SmithJohn Smith• 38 of the 104 remained nine months later - disease or starvation38 of the 104 remained nine months later - disease or starvation

• John Smith, the colonial leader, begins to make changesJohn Smith, the colonial leader, begins to make changes• Colonists largely unmotivatedColonists largely unmotivated• Smith leaves Jamestown in 1609Smith leaves Jamestown in 1609

How was Jamestown Saved?How was Jamestown Saved?Tobacco – John Tobacco – John

Rolfe – 1616Rolfe – 1616Right climateRight climateDemand in EuropeDemand in Europe

How to replace the How to replace the people? people? Headright SystemHeadright SystemIndentured ServantsIndentured Servants

Population of the LandPopulation of the LandPlantationsPlantations

Spread out Spread out along riversalong rivers

Towns did not Towns did not developdevelopPlantations Plantations

self-sufficientself-sufficient

Business BoomsBusiness Booms Tobacco production increasedTobacco production increased

from 200,000 lbs/yr in 1624from 200,000 lbs/yr in 1624 to 3 million in 1638to 3 million in 1638 to 10 million in 1660to 10 million in 1660

Tobacco became the economic engine for Tobacco became the economic engine for the Virginia colonythe Virginia colony

This This plantation economyplantation economy developed developed throughout the Chesapeake and eventually throughout the Chesapeake and eventually into the deep south and remained the core into the deep south and remained the core industry of the south through the Civil War.industry of the south through the Civil War.

Labor Source of the ChesapeakeLabor Source of the ChesapeakeLandowners needed someone to Landowners needed someone to

perform manual labor of planting, perform manual labor of planting, tending and harvesting cropstending and harvesting cropsIndentured servants – 1610s – late Indentured servants – 1610s – late

1600s1600sAfrican slaves – late 1600s – 1865African slaves – late 1600s – 1865

First slaves - 1619First slaves - 16191650 – 300 slaves1650 – 300 slaves1700 – 13,000 slaves1700 – 13,000 slaves

Jamestown Religion & Jamestown Religion & EducationEducation

Not a priority in the culture of VirginiaNot a priority in the culture of VirginiaLack of towns and widespread Lack of towns and widespread

populationpopulation

Religion: Most folks were AnglicansReligion: Most folks were AnglicansEducation Education

Wealthy hired tutors or sent to EuropeWealthy hired tutors or sent to EuropePoor worked as apprentices Poor worked as apprentices

Jamestown Government Jamestown Government Colonial legislature Colonial legislature

- - House of House of BurgessesBurgesses (est. (est. 1619)1619)First legislative First legislative

body in North body in North AmericaAmerica

Controlled by Controlled by aristocracyaristocracy

Vote - white, male, Vote - white, male, landownerlandowner

Maryland - 1632Maryland - 1632Proprietary ColonyProprietary ColonyLord George Calvert – Lord George Calvert –

debt from Crowndebt from CrownHaven for CatholicsHaven for Catholics

Acts of TolerationActs of Toleration

Maryland EconomyMaryland EconomyPlantation economy very much like Plantation economy very much like

JamestownJamestownProduced tobaccoProduced tobaccoPracticed slaveryPracticed slavery

Southern ColoniesSouthern ColoniesSingle cash crop – plantation Single cash crop – plantation

economieseconomiesCarolinas – Proprietary colonyCarolinas – Proprietary colony

Rice and indigoRice and indigo