AP US HistoryTopic: Early Colonial History

Essential Question: Why did the colonists come to America?

Review

Roanoke Island (Virginia) disappeared, founded by Sir Walter Raleigh (English)

Why did Europeans desire to colonize and come to America?

1) Quest for gold and spices

2) Desire to spread Christianity

3) Desire to utilize new technologies

Why America?

1) Economic reasons (lived in poverty)

2) Religious freedom

The big question: Was it more “push” or “pull” factors that brought the English to America?

Biggest factors to consider:

Gold, slavery, adventure, religious freedom,

VA & MD

In the “Chesapeake” Region

1st 2 successful colonies

The London Company (a joint-stock company) built Jamestown (VA)

3 Biggest problems:

A) Hostile environment

B) Unclear goals

C) Colonists did not work for common good

Historical Background In the late 1580s, Sir Walter Raleigh attempted to plant a colony

for England in present-day North Carolina (Roanoke).

It was not until 1606 that the Virginia Company of London received a charter from the newly-crowned King James I.

The Virginia Company was a joint-stock company, which sold shares.

All who purchased shares shared in the success or failure of the venture.

The Virginia Company was formed both to bring profit to its shareholders and to establish an English colony in the New World.

In December 1606, the Virginia Company's three ships, containing 144 men and boys, set sail. On May 13, 1607, these first settlers selected the site of Jamestown Island as the place to build their fort.

Computer generated view

Jamestown Disasters

1606-1607 - 40 people died on the voyage to the New World.

1609 - another ship from England lost its leaders and supplies in a shipwreck off Bermuda.

Settlers died by the dozens!

“Gentlemen” colonists would not work themselves.

Smith nearly killed by Indians & Powhatan

Settlers wasted time looking for gold instead of hunting or farming.

Enter John Smith

What did John Smith do?

Imposed military order to the town

Had to fight off Indians who were raiding the colonists

"He who does not work, will not eat."

“The Starving Time” 1607: 104 colonists

By spring, 1608: 38 survived

1609: 300 more immigrants

By spring, 1610: 60 survived

1610 – 1624: 10,000 immigrants

1624 population: 1,200

Adult life expectancy: 40 years

Death of children before age 5: 80%

Tobacco as a Cash Crop Saves Virginia

John Rolfe

1618 — Virginia produces 20,000 pounds of tobacco.

1622 — Despite losing nearly one-third of its colonists in an Indian attack, Virginia produces 60,000 pounds of tobacco.

1627 — Virginia produces 500,000 pounds of tobacco.

1629 — Virginia produces 1,500,000 pounds of tobacco.

Flooding the Market?

Virginia is “Bought Out”

It’s a long story but basically the joint-stock company ended in epic failure. There were no real profits, money was owed to everyone, so in 1624 King James I declared Virginia a royal colony

Govt. was established (House of Burgesses)

New system put in place called the “Headright System” where investors and residents were able to acquire land in paying the passage of new settlers

Women were also brought over…for the men

Widowarchy

High mortality among husbands and fathers left many women in the Chesapeake colonies with unusual autonomy and wealth!

For further reading

http://www.nps.gov/jame/historyculture/the-virginia-company-of-london.htm

http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0012122005/student_view0/

Homework for the weekend

Read & take notes on the first 10 pages of Chapter 2

Expect a reading quiz on Monday:

Key Terms:

The end