Bell Ringer

1. What do you think a cash crop is? (definition or example)

2. What is your definition of slavery?

US-U1-L1 SSUSH1a

SSUSH1a

• Explain Virginia’s development; include the Virginia Company, tobacco cultivation, relationships with Native Americans such as Powhatan, development of the House of Burgesses, Bacon’s Rebellion, and the development of slavery.

Virginia• Location: Chesapeake

region of North America• Settled in 1609 by the

Virginia Company• Many of the settlers were

“gentlemen”• The first English

settlement was Roanoke • The first permanent

English settlement: Jamestown, on the banks of the James River

Video!

The Virginia Company• The Virginia Company was formed

with a charter from King James I in 1606. It was a joint-stock company in charge of settling Virginia. It was in charge of finding people willing to go, supplies needed for the journey, and ships. As people died on the venture and after arrival, support for the Virginia Company decreased. The charter was revoked in 1624 and Virginia became a Royal Colony. Jamestown Video ...

Tobacco Cultivation• The colonists tried to make many products that would

be profitable back in England such as silk making, glassmaking, and lumber, all with no success.

• John Rolfe experimented with tobacco until he made a type that would be profitable for the Virginia Company.

Left: Tobacco

Right: John Rolfe and Pocahontas

Settlers Relations with Native Americans• When the settlers landed they

were met with hostility from the Native Americans, but were soon offered food and became somewhat dependant on the Native Americans because the settlers did not want to plant corn, etc. The settlers wanted to “get rich quick”.

• Captain John Smith helped the colony survive by trading with the Native Americans, but when the Natives didn’t give him what he wanted he took it by force causing hostile feelings.

Settlers Relations with Native Americans, cont.• The Native Americans began

attacking settlers, killing their livestock, and burning plants.

• The settlers attacked back and when Chief Powhatan died hostilities rose.

• Once Powhatan died, his brother, Opechancanough, became chief. He and his tribe waited until 1622, then they fiercely attacked killing 350 colonists. A direct result was that the colony then went under Royal control.

House of Burgesses

• The House of Burgesses was the first elective governing body of the English colonies.

• First time for Democracy in America!!!!

• The House included: a governor, 6 councilors, and 20 representatives, 2 from each colony.

• This representative body was formed to make laws for the colonies.

• Governor Berkeley managed to stay governor of the House of Burgesses from 1661-1676 with no elections. The western planters had where to go to vent their concerns so they began to rebel in other ways.

• Governor Berkeley was threatened at gunpoint and Jamestown was burned in 1776.

• Bacon was upset because the non-landowning class’ did not have a say in government (disenfranchisement)

Bacon’s Rebellion

The House of Burgesses was intimidated by Bacon and passed laws that demanded to be passed. Upon Bacon’s untimely death the laws where repealed.

Berkeley was called back to England by the King, where he later died.

Beginnings of Slavery

• Before slavery there was indentured servitude. Indentured servants often worked on tobacco plantations to pay off their journey to America.

• People who had lived in Barbados and Jamaica and were now working as planters in America, decided to import slaves from West Africa to cultivate rice in South Carolina and the low country of Georgia.

Closing

1. Why did the Virginia Company come to America to colonize?

2. Who helped the settlers survive?

3. What was the most profitable cash crop?