VIRGINIA AND REBELLION
Settling the New Colonies
Unit 1, Journal #3
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6SrZ-6cGVA
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When watching, determine the GOALS of the following:
John Smith
 Pocahontas
 Governor Ratcliffe

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What about these distinct goals created many of the
problems that the Jamestown settlers encountered?
Survival

For Jamestown to survive, many unstable conditions had to
be overcome.

A clash of cultures existed between the Englishmen and the Native
Americans with whom they soon found to need to trade as well as
to Christianize.

Settlers were unprepared for the rugged frontier life in a
wilderness.

Many settlers intended to remain in Virginia only long enough to
make their fortune and then return home to England.
WHAT
NEEDED TO BE CHANGED?
 HOW COULD THEY ACCOMPLISH THESE GOALS?
Fast Forward: 1619
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
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We know that the Jamestown settlers arrived in 1607 and
faced many severe hardships, yet somehow survived.
By the year 1619, many things were about to change.
These changes were the foundation for why Jamestown turned
their failures into successes.
What was missing?



If you recall, the early settlers of Jamestown were
all male.
“...it was thought that women had no place in the
grim and often grisly business of subduing a
continent...”
The omission of women in the first group of settlers
was due to the fact that they were not yet
“necessary.”
WOMEN AND CHILDREN
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Providing the stability needed for Jamestown's
survival was the indispensable role played by
Virginia women.
Lord Bacon stated in 1620 that, "When a plantation
grows to strength, then it is time to plant with women
as well as with men; that the plantation may spread
into generations, and not be ever pieced from
without.“
Women indeed would provide these generations.


The bachelors in Jamestown would be held down to
the soil of Virginia because women would be a
stabilizing factor.
Women helped the settlers see Virginia not just as a
temporary place for profit or adventure, but as a
country in which to forge a new home.
WOMEN AND CHILDREN

When women arrived in
Jamestown, they also helped
create the "Peace of Pocahontas,"
which for several years,
appeased the clash between the
two cultures.

Pocahontas was introduced to
English culture and was married to
Captain John Rolfe as a formal
connection between the Powhatan
and the settlers.
What was missing?


The tobacco crop, or cash crop, of the growing settlement
in Jamestown would not be successful without hard work.
This hard work required labor workers.
1) Englishmen
 Englishmen
who came to Virginia came here via the headright
system and indentured servitude


Headright System: Each new arrival received 50 acres and another 50
acres for each family who migrated
Indentured Servitude: Pay for voyage to America, food and shelter, must
pledge 4-7 years of servitude.
2) Africans
WHY WOULD AFRICANS BE PREFERRED?
AFRICANS
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As early as 1619, Africans were being brought
onto American soil…
At Point Comfort, these men and women were
traded for provisions and became part of the
work force at Jamestown.

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Because tobacco farming required much labor, the
Africans were a useful addition to the colony as they
made possible the expansion of the tobacco
economy.
It is not clear whether they were treated as
servants or slaves upon their arrival at Jamestown.
Less slaves, more servants.

However, they were in a condition of forced
servitude in which the English extracted their labor
and demanded their absolute obedience.
GOVERNMENT

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Recall “Lawes Divine, Morall, and Martiall…”
Because the Virginia Company was concerned that the
colony’s severe martial code would discourage people
from immigrating and investing, it instructed the
governor to introduce “just laws for the happy guiding
and governing of the people.”
Two new councils were created:
A council of state, whose members were selected by the
Virginia Company of London, to assist the governor in his
duties,
 and A “generall Assemblie” that included the Council and two
“Burgesses” from every town and particular plantation,
“Chosen by the [free] inhabitants.”

GOVERNMENT

This new political structure reduced the power of the
governor, who previously had been appointed for life
and who had the option to appoint or replace members
of the council at will.
Under the new rules, Council decisions were made by
majority vote.
 The General Assembly was to be the voice of the people of
Virginia, providing a check on the power of the governor
and council.

What can this political structure tell us about the colonies?
GOVERNMENT

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Thus began the first representative government in
the European colonies.
It had set a pattern for political life in Virginia that
endured long after it was instituted.
 The
idea of a system of checks and balances was later
embodied in the United States Constitution.
THINK - PAIR - SHARE
Does our government cater to a certain
class of people?
If so, who and why? Are you a part of this
group or not?
 If not, how does our government successfully
balance class differences?

Splitting Virginia

By 1670- ¼ of free white men were former
indentured servants
 Had
little money to purchase land
 Could not vote, had almost no colonial rights
 Lived on the Western outskirts, left open to Native
American attack
Splitting Virginia

1675- Bloody clash between settlers and Native
Americans
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Upper white class landowners vs. lower class
Settlers begged Virginia governor for militia support
Governor Berkeley supported the wealthy class and refused
to finance a war for poor frontier settlers
 Berkeley was not opposed to fighting Indians who were
considered enemies, but attacking friendly Indians, he
thought, could lead to what everyone wanted to avoid: a
war with "all the Indians against us."

Bacon’s Rebellion

Nathaniel Bacon gets very angry
"[We must defend ourselves] against all Indians in generall, for
that they were all Enemies."
 Raised his own army in 1676 to fight the natives on the Western
frontier

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They marched to a fort held by a friendly tribe, the Occaneechees, and
convinced them to capture warriors from an unfriendly tribe. The
Occaneechees returned with captives. Bacon's men killed the captives;
they then turned to their "allies" and opened fire.
Berkeley declared Bacon a rebel and charged him with
treason.
Bacon marches to Jamestown to confront leaders about many
grievances.
Bacon’s Rebellion

Grievances:
Lack of representation in House of Burgesses
 Lack of support from militia
 Disparity between treatment of classes


March turned violent
Set fire to the town
 Governor Berkeley fled

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Bacon dies, Berkeley returns to Jamestown to stop the
rebellion
Bacon’s Rebellion

Why is Bacon’s Rebellion a success despite its’
failure?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Exposed Virginia to the growing power of the former
indentured servants
First battle over misrepresentation/taxation
Rebellion is possible
Spurred planter class to retake the power of the
colony
Demonstrated that poor whites and poor blacks could
be united in a cause.
Exit Slip

How will the history of Jamestown and the
settlement of Virginia “pave the way” for
future endeavors? (Foreshadowing!)
 Think
about:
 Hardships
and struggles
 Government
 Expectations
 Class Struggles