The First Colonial Settlement
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Companies in which investors pooled wealth
with the hope of gaining a profit
Once they obtained charter – had to maintain colony,
in return they would be entitled to receive back most
of the profit colony earned
 1606 – King James I granted charter to Virginia
Company
 Would receive 4/5 of gold and silver found
 Who do you think got the other 1/5?
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Reached Chesapeake Bay and moved inwards.
Settled by the now-called James River and
founded the colony of Jamestown
Began planting, but many did not like manual
labor
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They wanted to find gold
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Native Americans living in the area at the time
Known as Powhatan Confederacy
Wanted to create fruitful relations with English
at first
Realized too late English didn’t want to be
“friends” with Native americans
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Strong leader
Inflicted strict discipline
“those who did not work shall not eat”
Worked with the Natives
Only 38 of the 105 colonists that came over at
first survived the first 9 months.
Had to sail back to England in 1609 - injured
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Winter of 1609-1610
Many died
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Reason for being
John Rolfe – responsible for the rapid
production of tobacco
He married Pocahontas, not John Smith
Helped ease tensions with English and Native
Americans
http://www.history.com/topics/nativeamerican-history/pocahontas
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Brought over to North America
Received food and shelter
Servitude for 4-7 years
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Anyone who bought a share in the VA
Company or could transport himself to VA
received 50 acres of land and 50 more for any
servants he might send or bring
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“Rights of Englishmen”
7/30/1619 – first General Assembly met
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90 “young maidens” brought over to be sold to
their husband of choice
Group of 20 African Americans brought over
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Do you think they were slaves at first?
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Since 1607
14,000 people had migrated to colony
 In 1624 – only 1,132 people lived there
 King appointed commission to investigate
 How do you think VA’s status changed as a result?
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Natives staged attack in 1644.
English put down attack and it didn’t happen
again
24,000 Algonquians who inhabited this area in
1607 reduced to 2,000 by 1669
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Jamestown’s governor
High taxes – paid by poor settlers
Money not used for public good – where do
you think it went to?
What do you think the settlers wanted their tax
money to go to?
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1675 – fighting between Natives and colonists.
Berkeley would not give colonists military
support
Didn’t sit well with Bacon
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Raised his own army
Marched to Jamestown in 1676 to confront colonial
leaders
Also upset with lack of representation in the House
of Burgesses – VA’s colonial legislature
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Berkeley fled
Bacon died a month later
Charles I became critical of Berkeley’s policies
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Berkeley recalled to England but he died too
Exposed the growing power of former indentured
servants
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1634 founded – ten years after VA
Proprietary colony – what do you think this
means?
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Sir George Calvert – sought religious refuge for
English Catholics (Why would this be
necessary?)
Cecilius Calvert – 2nd Lord Baltimore
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Founded colony in 1634
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1st Legislative Assembly met
Meant to rely upon mixed farming, but like VA
soon came to depend on tobacco
60 manorial estates existed in Maryland by
1676