By: Victoria Wan and Gabby Weiss
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December 20th, 1606 three ships departed
from Brunswick Wharf, London.
They started down from the Thames River in
London to southern Virginia
The three sailing ships, full of men on the
way to Virginia were the subjects of King
James I.
◦ Susan Constant
◦ God Speed
◦ Discovery
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There were very rough winds on their way to
Virginia.
They were forced to drop the anchor for six
weeks in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean
Many people got sea sick and were anxious
for more supplies.
In April 10th 1607 they departed into the Gulf
Stream towards America, a harsh storm
almost made them turn back to the Canary
Islands, but forced them to go on to Virginia.
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The Virginia Company was formed with a
charter from King James I in 1606
The Company was a joint stock corporation
charged with the settlement of Virginia
When the company’s profited started to be
weak. The leadership resorted to:
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Lotteries
Search for gold
Silkworm production
Increase in Profit
The Virginia Company was finally revoked in
1624
 Virginia became a crown colony
The seal of the Virginia Company
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Jamestown was the first successful colony
Established in 1607
Jamestown was named after King James I
Jamestown was settled on the hunting grounds of
the Paspahegh Indians
Jamestown may be known as James Fort since it
was a fort to protect from the Paspahegh Indians
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Elected President in September 10th of 1608
John Smith brought order into Jamestown
He nearly saved the whole town from hunger
He made people plant crops because many
starved
Jamestown was more
successful after he was
elected
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John Smith visited many Indian villages and
paraded with them
When he came across the village of the Great
Powhatan he was interrogated
Captain was suppose to
be clubbed to death by
the Great Powhatan
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Although Pocahontas;
the Powhatan’s
daughter saved Captain
Smith’s life
Her friendship with
Captain John Smith
made peace for a while
between Jamestown
and the Great
Powhatan
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Tobacco was known as brown gold
Jamestown depended on supplies and funds
from England because the colonists made
several attempts to establish industries.
Tobacco was a popular past time in Europe
but the native tobacco that grew in Virginia
was too harsh and bitter for English tastes.
In 1612, Jamestown settler John Rolfe
obtained some tobacco seeds from the
Caribbean Islands and by experimenting, he
created a more mild tobacco.
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Tobacco has dominated agriculture for nearly
3 centuries
Many colonist believed that tobacco cured
illnesses
John Smith proved that tobacco was bad for
the body in Virginia
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In 1613, Jamestown sent their first shipment
of the new tobacco to England.
Two years later, the Jamestown colony
exported 2,300 pound of the tobacco.
In 1617 the colony exported 20,000 pounds
of tobacco and two years after that, the
export jumped to 45,000 pounds.
The tobacco plant finally made the colony
self-supporting.
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Slaves planted and harvested the tobacco
crop, but tobacco shipping barrels; known as
hogshead, delivered the tobacco crop to the
inspections war.
Slaves would work out on the tobacco
plantation for a long amount of time.
Many of the slaves worked on tobacco
plantations
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In 1618, the Headright system was
introduced as a means to solve the labor
shortage.
Colonists were granted two Headrights,
meaning two tracts of fifty acres each, or a
total of 100 acres of land.
New settlers who paid their own passage to
Jamestown were granted one Headright.
Families were encouraged to migrate together
because every person who entered the colony
received a Headright.
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Development of the Headright System
Virginia had trouble with labor shortage and
needed to resolve it
During this time England had a wipeout of
unemployment
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A Headright is a grant of land, usually fifty to
one-hundred acres to a settler, given by
certain colonies and companies in the 17th
and 18th centuries.
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Rich that paid to settle in America, they
received land as their reward
The rich were favored in this situation
because there were so many indentured
servants that had to serve to pay off the
government for their way to get to
Jamestown.
The rich got a bigger proportion of the land
compared to the indentured servants they
had nothing.
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Rich were called the gentry meaning they
were the top of society.
The gentry included wealthy planters,
merchants, and ministers, and the latest
fashion of London.
The poor were called indentured servants and
did work like hired farmhands and slaves.
There was not many of the higher class but
there was thousands of men, woman, and
children that came to North America as
indentured servants
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People that could not pay for their passage to
Virginia agreed to repay by working as a
servant in Virginia.
A worker looking for a new job in American
were often indentured servants since, they
couldn’t afford the passage to America
Africans were also sold as indentured
servants during the slave trade on their
journey to Virginia.
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Indentured servants got:
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A passage to America
New Job
Provided food and shelter
Better respect than slaves
They usually worked until they paid off their
debts or until the end of their service
If the servant treats their master with respect
they may go to court and were entitled their
own land
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The Headright system was a success to
Virginia because it gave people ambition to
work hard for land ownership.
◦ Like today, school tries to ambition people in
school to work hard for a successful future.
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Many successful servants later became wellknown citizens
◦ Like Oprah Winfrey she was living in proverty but,
now she is a well-known person.
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The settlers captured the naturals; which is
know as the natives, and used them as slaves
Many of
Some of the slaves became skilled labors
such as:
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Blacksmiths
Shoemakers
Unloading and loading the ships
Making houses