Guide to Lecture 3 (Captain John Smith & Jamestown)
English Settlements in New World
1580s—Roanoke Island, Virginia—failed colony of Sir Walter Raleigh
1607—critical date—founding of Jamestown in Virginia—first permanent
English colony in New World—rise of Virginia, first colony in South,
distinctively different development from rest of British America
Captain John Smith played central role in establishment of Virginia, yet
there less than 3 years
Early life: born in England in 1580, son of yeoman farmer—
determined to rise above his class, become a gentleman
Joined the military in 1596—age of religious warfare—Catholic vs. Protestant
To Eastern Europe to fight against Muslim Turks, employed by Prince
of Transylvania, part of Romania
Captured and enslaved in Tartary. Escaped and walked to Russia
Returned to England in 1604—capable of leading men—English
interest rising in New World—why so late this interest?
1493—England wracked by internal strife
Rise of Tudors—strong monarchy—Elizabeth and Spanish Armada
in 1588
Late 1500s—propagandists for Empire such as Richard Hakluyt
Military purpose—raid Spanish treasure vessels
Religious purpose—fresh recruits to Protestantism
Economic purpose—provide mother country with raw materials
and market for finished goods
“Safety valve” theory—scum of England could be shipped to
New World for labor
1606—King James I—two joint-stock companies
Virginia Company of Plymouth (Plymouth Co.)—northern half of
Atlantic coast
Virginia Company of London—southern half
Expectation—quick killing—precious minerals as in south—profit
motive—fundamental difference between Virginia and New England
Smith and 150 men sailed in late 1606, toward Chesapeake Bay,
arriving 06 May 1607
Smith and 104 settlers—peninsula 35-40 miles up James River-Jamestown
Ideal for defense
Badly situated in other respects—swampy (malaria), ocean tides
(brackish water, wastes never flushed)—dysentery and salt
poisoning
January, 1608—ships returned with provisions—38 still alive
Indian Relations
Mutual suspicion—some trade
December 1607—Smith and exploring party—Northwest Passage
Attacked, all killed but Smith
Powhatan—powerful Indian chief—Powhatan’s Confederacy
Pocahontas, his daughter—saved life of Smith, per his account
John Smith as Leader
September 1608—elected to lead Jamestown—dictatorial
Greatest concern—unwillingness of English to do labor. Why this
aversion?
Social composition—too many gentlemen
Physical shape of settlers
Communal organization—no incentive
Image of the New World—myths and tales—hard labor not imperative
No work, no eat policy
Work gangs—in fields 6 hours a day
Smith held keys to storehouse
Laggards eventually to be banned from fort—certain death
Only a handful died under his leadership
August 1609—Company officials arrived, removed Smith—wounded in
gunpowder explosion—sabotage?
October 1609—back to England to recover
May 1610—of 500 left behind in colony, only 60 still alive—Starving Time
Smith never returned to Virginia, though in 1614 visited “Northern Virginia” for
Plymouth Company. Named it New England
Wrote and published book about this voyage—encouraged colonization—
Pilgrims in Holland—New England ideal site for their religious settlement
Pocahantas, John Smith and John Rolfe
John Smith and Pocahontas—mutual fascination, probably no affair
1610—John Rolfe arrived in Jamestown via Bermuda
1613—Pocahontas abducted by colonists for ransom, married John Rolfe
Introduction of West Indian tobacco into Virginia—extremely important
development
1615—Rolfe and Pocahontas to England with son Thomas
Smith met Pocahontas once during her stay
Pocahontas died in England of disease in 1617
Smith died in bed in 1631
Effects of Jamestown on Indian Nation
Managing the landscape
Fencing
Crops
Livestock
Disease, especially malaria