The Planting of English America

1500 - 1733

Christopher Columbus

Arrived North America in 1492Sailed for Spain – Queen Isabella

Actually arrived in Caribbean

Only 10% of native population survived the next 100 years

From Florida south, Spain controlled

“Sea Dogs”

Francis Drake knighted by Queen Elizabeth for plundering Spanish ships

Resulted in problems for Spain and England

Failed Attempts1583-- First attempt of British colonization failed in Newfoundland

1585 – Sir Walter Raleigh – Roanoke Island

Settlers landed on Roanoke Island, NC settlement VANSIHED!

Spain is Defeated1588- Defeat of the Spanish Armada by England

1604– Treaty of Peace between England and Spain

Early 1600’s – Factors which led to

English colonization Population increase (enclosing of land)

Economic depression

Primogeniture

Joint Stock Company

Religious Persecution

Peace with Spain

Virginia Company 1607

Purpose: seeking gold, conversion of Indians, & passage to the Indies

Received charter from King James I to settle in the New World

guaranteed settlers the rights of Englishmen

Jamestown settled

Virginia Colony

Saved from collapse by:John Smith – Work = Food

starving time

Colonists tried to leave but were turned back by Lord De La Warr

1625 - 1200 out of the 8000 were left

Powhatan

Chief Powhatan – dominated natives in the James River area

Problems arose - colonists started raided Indian food supplies

Lord De La Warr attacked IndiansFirst Anglo-Powhatan War-1614

Second Anglo-Powhatan War - 1644

Virginia: Child of Tobacco

John Rolfe - Saved the colony

• perfected tobacco

Tyranny of “King Nicotine”• Drained the soil & prices fluctuated

African Slaves1619 - African Slaves – Dutch warship sold 20 Black Africans to Jamestown

Representative AssemblyHouse of Burgesses organized in 1619

1st of its kind in the colonies

Upset King James I made Virginia a royal colony

Maryland

1634 – Founded by Lord Baltimoreproprietary colony

Tobacco economy based on white indentured servants

Maryland

A refuge for persecuted Catholics

1649 – Maryland Act of Toleration:Guaranteed religious toleration to all Christians – not Jews or atheists

The West Indies1655 - England claimed Jamaica

Economy based on sugar

Slaves outnumbered white settlers

Depended on North America mainland for food & other supplies

King Charles II1649 - Charles I beheaded

Oliver Cromwell takes over

1660- Charles II restored to the English throne after Cromwell’s 10 year rule

The Carolinas

1670 – settled by 8 lord proprietorsProspered by developing close economic ties with the British West Indies

The Carolinas

Early exports - Indian slaves & rice

Rice cultivation led to import of Africans slaves

Slaves were immune to malaria (but susceptible to sickle cell anemia)

Charles Town - busiest seaport in the south

The Split1712 – “Squatters” from Virginia moved to North Carolina

Great resistance to authority & aristocracy

North Carolina was officially separated from South Carolina

Both became royal colonies

Georgia

1733 – Founded by James Oglethorpe haven for debtors

buffer against Spanish Florida & the French in Louisiana

Only colony to receive subsidies from British gov’t

Restrictions on black slavery after 1750

Common Characteristics of the Southern Colonies

Plantation economy

Profitable staple crops like tobacco & rice

Slavery

Large acreage in the hands of a favored few

“Soil Butchery” led to expansion westward

Establishment of churches & schools difficult

Some religious toleration

Tax-supported church of England dominate