European Colonies in America
Europeans in America
• Europe became heavily invested in settling
“The New World” because of its vast wealth of
natural resources including gold and silver.
Most monarchies saw more potential in the
New World than the old trade routes
dominated by Italians, Portuguese, and Asian
Powers. The 4 main countries to take an
interest in the New World were Spain,
Portugal, France, and England
The English In Virginia
• King James Charter
– Plymouth Company and London Company allowed
to establish colonies
– Both were “Joint-Stock Companies”
• The 1st Corporation ever established
– Companies must:
• Colonize the territory, maintain it, and govern the area
• In return: King allowed all profits to flow to investors
instead of him
The English in Virginia
Jamestown
• 1606: London Company
sent 3 ships to Virginia
(144 settlers)
• 100 made it to America
• LOCATION, LOCATION,
LOCATION!!
– Picked the middle of a
swamp (Malaria)
– Picked the middle of
powerful Indian
Confederacy (Powhatan)
The English in Virginia--Jamestown
• Colony was led by John Smith
• English Settlers:
– Upper-middle class gentlemen not used to
manual labor
• 1608: Group 2 arrives from England
– By this time only 38/100 still alive
• John Smith: Savior of Jamestown (leader in 1608)
– Traded goods with N.A. Pocahontas story is real
(but not Disney real)
– Led raids against other natives to steal food
– Imposed military rule in colony
• “Those who don’t work, don’t eat”
The English in Virginia
Jamestown
• John Smith: Savior of Jamestown
– Became leader in 1608
– Traded goods with N.A.
– Pocahontas story is real (but not Disney real)
– Led raids against other natives to steal food
– Imposed military rule in colony
• “Those who don’t work, don’t eat”
The English in Virginia
Jamestown
• Tobacco:
– Seeds Stolen from
Spanish merchants (John
Rolfe)
– Tobacco made the
colony Profitable and
sustainable
• Could trade tobacco for
food, etc
The English in Virginia
• Virginia was unprofitable – King revokes the
charter and makes it a “Royal Colony”
– Owned by the crown and pays taxes to the crown
• The Headright System: 50 acre grants to
anyone who travels to Virginia and settles
– 50 more acres if you complete certain tasks or
bring family (or slaves) with you
– Drove many English to move to America
Virginia—establishment of
a political system
• The House of Burgesses
– July 1619: All
settlements in Virginia
meet via representatives
– Had the power to tax,
make laws with approval
by Royal Governor
– Americas first taste of
democracy
Did You Know:
The Iroquois League has a similar system to the
H.O.B. many historians believe that the colonists
borrowed the idea from the Iroquois
Virginia
Colonial Workers
• Indentured Servants: hired English people
who worked a # of years. The employer would
grant food, shelter, and passage to America.
– At the end of the term Servants were supposed to
receive a small piece of land
– Some indentured servants became successful,
most did not receive land and joined a growing
group of unemployed in America
Virginia
Colonial Workers
• 1619: Dutch Ship trades the first African slaves
to Jamestown
• Indentured servants declines & slaves became
popular…Why?
1.Servants had rights as English, slaves did not
2. Slaves could not run away like servants or N.A.
3. No pay, land grants, or freedom for slaves
4. If escaped, could not blend into population
5. Slaves less likely to rebel
Massachusetts
The Puritans
• Anglican Church in England
• Puritan: Wanted to purify the church by making
further reforms
• Dissent in England meant you would be persecuted
Massachusetts
Plymouth Colony
• 100 People ventured
– Were blown off course
(or poor navigation)
and landed at Plymouth
Rock
– The Mayflower
Compact - 1620
• Thanks-Giving Or
Thanks-Taking?
Massachusetts
Boston
• Success of Plymouth inspired other Puritans to
move
• Massachusetts Bay Company:
– Establish Massachusetts Colony
– 1630: John Winthrop: 11 ships / 700 colonists
– Established Boston, Salem, Watertown, Concord,
and many others
• Great Migration: 1620-1643
– 20,000 English move to “New England”
Massachusetts
Puritan Life
• Strict rules governed Massachusetts according
to Puritan law
– Citizens expected to attend church weekly
– Pay taxes to support the church
– Belief was that if one citizen turned against god,
the entire colony was lost
• Government and Church were closely linked
– Dissenters were expelled often establishing new
towns or colonies
Massachusetts
Puritan Life
• Puritan Ethic: The belief that the soul shall be
cured and purified through hard work while
living.
– Hard work was a requirement of salvation
– hard work = salvation = wealth
– Puritans were willing to do the hard work
– NO Leisure time allowed
– cited as part of the reason why Americans are so
industrious, hard working people…even today