THE ENGLISH IN NORTH AMERICA

AMERICAN COLONIES 6: VIRGINIA

Spanish concluded that Florida adequately protected the heartland of their empire to the south in Mexico and the Caribbean

1616, colonists belatedly discovered their prime commodity in tobacco which lead to an explosive growth in population, territory, and wealth

AMERICAN COLONIES 6: VIRGINIA

Since a war erupted in Spain in 1585, the English queen lacked the means to finance and govern an overseas colony

Richard Hakluyt summarized his goals as “1. To plant Christian religion, 2. To trafficke, 3. To conquer.”

AMERICAN COLONIES 6: VIRGINIA

1585, Sir Walter Raleigh sent colonists to settle on Roanoke

The English colonial promoters had insisted that the diverse attractions of colonization would all work together in perfect harmony

In order to look for English ships, the English mariners dumped colonists

AMERICAN COLONIES 6: VIRGINIA

1604, a peace treaty with Spain reduced the danger of Spanish attack on a new colony

Jamestown lay beside a broad swamp, which was good for defense against Spanish or Indian attack but bad for the health of colonists

AMERICAN COLONIES 7: CHESAPEAKE COLONIES 1676, Virginia erupted in rebellion when the

servants and freed men blamed their destruction on an unqualified class of ruling planters

The colonial Virginians developed the American interdepance of elite rule, popular politics, and white racial supremacy

AMERICAN COLONIES 7: CHESAPEAKE COLONIES The wealthiest planters

dominated the county system of local government

The Chesapeake colonists lived in a political hierarchy with four tiers

The political culture assumed that the health and survival of the larger commonwealths of county, colony, and realm all depended upon the order of commonwealth

AMERICAN COLONIES 7: CHESAPEAKE COLONIES The Chesapeake demanded too much labor

from too many colonies in contrast to England Chesapeake emigrants were a subset of the

many poor people moving around England in search of food and work

The Chesapeake received a minority of free emigrants with the means of pay their own passage and to obtain land immediately

AMERICAN COLONIES 7: CHESAPEAKE COLONIES Health had improved and only one in nine

immigrants died in their first year rather than in four

The Chesapeake farms did not impress English visitors

The common planters’ economic success came at a heavy cost