The English in America Strangers in a Strange

The English in America Strangers in a Strange Land

A Crowded Island n n Population of England rose 33% in the 1500 s Enclosure movement forced thousands off farms and to cites Decline in wool industry created massive unemployment Many (Richard Hakluyt) saw colonization as a way to remove excess population

The English Method of Colonization n Did not follow the English or French Model of founding colonies ¡ ¡ ¡ n Private efforts No government involvement intended Purpose was individual profit Individuals or groups received a Royal Charter(a license) to start a colony

The First Attempt n n Sir Walter Raleigh received a charter from Elizabeth I for a colony in “Virginia” Settled 114 settlers on Roanoke Island in 1587 ¡ ¡ ¡ n Led by John White Virginia Dare - first English child born in America In modern N. C. “Lost Colony” ¡ ¡ Colony vanished “Croatoan”

A New Method of Colonization n n 1607 London (Virginia) Company receives a charter from James I for a colony in the Chesapeake Region Joint-stock company ¡ Investors pool resources for profit

The First Permanent Settlement n London Company sent 3 ships and 104 men to found a settlement in 1607 ¡ ¡ n n Mostly 2 nd sons of wealthy men Purpose to gain wealth Called Jamestown the Virginia colony

Jamestown Colony n Poorly sited ¡ n Poorly prepared ¡ ¡ n n n On a malarial, swampy island on the James River Lazy unskilled No gold, spices, etc. Nearly starved Saved by John Smith ¡ ¡ Harsh discipline “No work, no food”

John Smith & Pocahontas n Smith tried to trade with Powhatan Indians for food ¡ ¡ n n Led by Chief Powhatan Had Smith sentenced to death Spared & given food after intervention of Pocahontas 38 survived 1 st winter

Jamestown Today

The Starving Time n Smith removed when new settlers arrived ¡ n Explored Massachusetts Coast & wrote a book Winter of 1609 -10 called the “Starving Time” ¡ ¡ Lost discipline 40 of 220 survived

Two Men Save Virginia n Lord de la Ware ¡ ¡ n restored strong leadership Scorched earth warfare against the Powhatans John Rolfe ¡ ¡ Introduced the cultivation of tobacco in 1616 Married Pocahontas

Life in Virginia n Society dominated by growing tobacco ¡ ¡ n n used as money 3 million lbs. shipped to England in 1638 Grown on river-side self-contained plantations Settlement followed the rivers

Hard Lives in Virginia n High mortality rate ¡ ¡ n n n 25% Hard climate/poor water quality/bad sanitation Life expectancy in late 20 s 6 to 1 male to female ratio in 1650 No natural population increase until 1700 s

The Problem n n Small population caused severe labor shortage Several attempted Solutions ¡ Head-Right System n ¡ Indentured servants n ¡ 50 acres of land for every person imported traded 7 years of labor for passage and land in the future Slavery n n first African slaves imported in 1620 Served for life Harder to escape Could handle climate

Popular Democracy n n London Company grants colonists selfgovernment by a “great charter” in 1618 House of Burgesses founded in 1619 ¡ ¡ First legislative assembly in America 22 elected reps. Made laws for colony Could be vetoed by appointed governor

Near Disaster n n Conflict with Powhatans over land Second Powhatan War (1622 -32) ¡ ¡ ¡ Indians under Opechancanough massacre 1/3 of the colonists in a surprise attack Colonist attack Indians food supplies 240 Powhatan poisoned at Peace Conference

The King Takes Over n n n Charles I revokes the L. C. charter in 1624 because of war Sends a Royal governor Become a Royal or Crown Colony

The Pattern of Indian/English Relations n Third Powhatan War (1644 -46) ¡ ¡ ¡ Opechancanough attacks again in 1644 500 killed English stronger than before Powhatans crushed Opech. captured and executed in 1646 Powhatan sign a treaty agreeing to move into the western Piedmont

Southern Social Structure n n Hierarchical society Planters ¡ ¡ ¡ Owned a plantation Grew tobacco with slave labor control wealth & gov. Will eventually extend to entire south called FFV’s in Virginia n Carter. Lee, Harrison, Fitzhugh, Rolfe, Randolph, Jefferson, Washington

The Lower Classes n Yeoman farmers ¡ n n n small white farmers on their own land Landless whites Indentured servants African slaves

Conflict in the Colonies n n n Most colonies experienced east/west conflict Wealthy plantation owners of the east vs. poor small farmers of the west Easterners had the money and dominated the colonial assemblies and the Governor’s office

Bacon’s Rebellion n n Most famous example is Bacon’s Rebellion (1676) Nathaniel Bacon leads a rebellion of western farmers against Gov. William Berkeley

Causes of Bacon’s Rebellion n n Thought Berkeley was soft on Indians Wanted cheap lands ¡ ¡ n n take from Indians Wealthy wanted peaceful relations Falling tobacco prices Under represented in the Burgesses

Events of Bacon’s Rebellion n n Bacon’s followers attack local tribes Berkeley condemns Bacon rebels and captures and burns Jamestown Bacon dies of dysentery Berkeley crushes and executes 20 rebels