BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Notes: Unit 2: Exploration & Colonization

#3 The First British Colonies

Important Information

1588 – Spain intends on going to war with England. They send the Spanish Armada to attack England. The Spanish Armada sails into a hurricane and is almost completely destroyed.

This opened the door for British colonization of North America and established England and France as the two major powers in Europe.

I. The First British Colonies- Made up of the east

coast of present U.S.A.

1. Jamestown Colony (1607): First Permanent British Colony:

- Located in present day Virginia (Atlantic Coast).

a. Reasons Jamestown Was Developed:- Paid for by the Virginia Company (London)- Investors in the company hoped the settlers

would find gold in America.- Results: Settlers arrived in a Jamestown, Virginia in

1607 (East Coast of N. America) Became the first permanent British colony.

b. Jamestown is Almost Destroyed:- Original settlers made several poor decisions.

1. Chose swampy/marshy land to settle on.

Result = There were lots of mosquitoes that spread

malaria.

2. Chose to settle an area on the James River very close to the Atlantic Ocean.

Result = Water was too salty to drink.

3. Spent time and energy searching for gold.

Result = Settlers did not plant crops and run out of

food.- The Harsh Winter of 1609-1610: Colonists eat lizards,

rats, and dogs to survive.

c. Jamestown Survives:- Captain John Smith established the work or

starve rule.- Jamestown (John Rolfe) began to cultivate

(grow) tobacco.- Results: Tobacco became very popular in Europe. Tobacco is so profitable it is grown on the

streets of Jamestown. Virginia (Jamestown) became the first British

colony.

d. The Virginia Colony Establishes Democracy in America:

- The people of Virginia elect representatives to make laws for the colony.

- Results: The House of Burgesses (Representatives)

became the 1st elected assembly in America. Virginia was divided into 11 districts with 2

Burgesses (Representatives) from each district. The House of Burgesses formed a Legislature

(a group of people elected to make laws).

2. Plymouth Colony (1620): Second Permanent British Colony:

- Located in present day Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

a. Reasons Plymouth Was Developed:

- Religious Freedom- Pilgrims (aka: Puritans or Separatists) left

England to separate from the Church of England (religious freedom).

- Results: Pilgrims crossed the Atlantic on the

Mayflower. Pilgrims founded Plymouth for religious

freedom.

b. Mayflower Compact (Agreement):- Before making landfall, Pilgrims

signed the Mayflower Compact.- The agreement established the rules

and laws for the Plymouth Colony.- Results: 41(men) of the 101 passengers voted

and signed the contents of the Compact.

First time common people (men) made their own laws.

Another early example of democracy in America.

c. Pilgrims Established American Traditions:

- The North American tradition of Thanksgiving.

- The initial belief of religious freedom in America.

3. Birth of Democracy in America:

- The House of Burgesses (Virginia) & Mayflower Compact (Plymouth) are considered the earliest forms of American self-government or representative government (democracy).

- Actually…The Iroquois were the first to use democracy in America.

- The House of Burgesses & Mayflower Compact was the first time Europeans used democracy in America.