Jamestown, Indentured Servants, Life on the

Chesapeake

Objective #1

• Examine the community of Jamestown.

Objective #2

• Examine the social, political, and economic development of the Chesapeake region.

Objective #3

• Describe the cultural and social interaction between English settlers and Indians in Virginia.

English Colonization begins

• Why 100 years behind Spain and Portugal?– Hundred Years War with France– Protestant Reformation– John Cabot’s voyages to Newfoundland

and Nova Scotia in 15th century– Increased production of wool in the 16th

century• Need more markets and resources

Other Factors Influencing England

• Population growth– 3 million in 1550, 4 million in 1600– Poverty– Religious persecution

English Colonization

• Sir Walter Raleigh settled Roanoke in 1585.

• Rich people knew nothing about colonization.

• Disappeared in 1588.

Spanish Armada Defeated (1588)

• English defeat of the Spanish Armada– Dampened Spanish exploration/colonization

movement– Ensured English dominance in the North Atlantic.

• England also more unified under Elizabeth I.• 1600-1640: 80,000 people would leave for

“New World”

The Charter of the Virginia The Charter of the Virginia Company (1606):Company (1606):

Guaranteed to colonists the Guaranteed to colonists the same same rights as Englishmen as if rights as Englishmen as if they had they had stayed in England.stayed in England.

Gave Virginia Co. Gave Virginia Co. permission to settle and permission to settle and have monopoly of trade.have monopoly of trade.

Find gold and find passage Find gold and find passage for trade through Americas for trade through Americas to the Indies.to the Indies.

Spread Christianity to Spread Christianity to Natives. Natives.

English ColonizationEnglish ColonizationEnglish ColonizationEnglish Colonization

May 24, 1607 May 24, 1607 about 100 about 100 colonists [all men] land at colonists [all men] land at Jamestown, along banks of Jamestown, along banks of James RiverJames River

Easily defended, but Easily defended, but swarming with disease-swarming with disease-causing mosquitoes.causing mosquitoes.

Many fell illMany fell ill

England Plants the England Plants the Jamestown “Seedling”Jamestown “Seedling”

England Plants the England Plants the Jamestown “Seedling”Jamestown “Seedling”

Chesapeake BayChesapeake BayChesapeake BayChesapeake Bay

Geographic/environmental Geographic/environmental problems??problems??

1606-1607 1606-1607 40 people died on 40 people died on the voyage to the New World.the voyage to the New World.

Settlers died by the dozens! Settlers died by the dozens!

““Gentlemen” colonists would Gentlemen” colonists would not work themselves.not work themselves...

Settlers wasted time looking Settlers wasted time looking for gold instead of hunting or for gold instead of hunting or farming.farming.

Unsuccessfully tried to make Unsuccessfully tried to make Indians servants.Indians servants.

The Jamestown The Jamestown NightmareNightmare

The Jamestown The Jamestown NightmareNightmare

Captain John SmithCaptain John SmithCaptain John SmithCaptain John Smith

““He who shall not work, shall He who shall not work, shall not eat”not eat”

PocahontasPocahontasPocahontasPocahontas

A 1616 A 1616 engravingengraving

Pocahontas “saves” Pocahontas “saves” Captain John SmithCaptain John Smith

Chief PowhatanChief PowhatanChief PowhatanChief Powhatan

Powhatan ConfederacyPowhatan Confederacy

Powhatan dominated a Powhatan dominated a few dozen small tribes few dozen small tribes in the James River in the James River area when the English area when the English arrived.arrived.

The English called allThe English called allIndians in the areaIndians in the areaPowhatans.Powhatans.

Powhatan probably sawPowhatan probably sawthe English as allies in his the English as allies in his struggles to control other Indian struggles to control other Indian tribes in the region.tribes in the region.

Powhatan ConfederacyPowhatan ConfederacyPowhatan ConfederacyPowhatan Confederacy

Powhatans brought supplies to Powhatans brought supplies to Jamestown.Jamestown.

Powhatans helped them learn to Powhatans helped them learn to plant crops (tobacco and corn)plant crops (tobacco and corn)

Relations between Indians & Relations between Indians & settlers grew worse.settlers grew worse.

General mistrust because of General mistrust because of different cultures & languages.different cultures & languages.

English raided Indian food English raided Indian food supplies during the starving supplies during the starving times.times.

Culture Clash in the Culture Clash in the ChesapeakeChesapeake

Culture Clash in the Culture Clash in the ChesapeakeChesapeake

The Starving TimeThe Starving TimeThe Starving TimeThe Starving Time

The “Starving Time”:The “Starving Time”:

1609: 300 more 1609: 300 more immigrantsimmigrants

By spring, 1610: 60 By spring, 1610: 60 survivedsurvived

Cannibalism, rats, etc.Cannibalism, rats, etc.

Natives actually saved Natives actually saved them again!them again!

Lord De La Warr becomes leader of Lord De La Warr becomes leader of Virginia Co. in 1610.Virginia Co. in 1610.

1610-1614 1610-1614 First Anglo- First Anglo-Powhatan WarPowhatan War

De La Warr had orders to make De La Warr had orders to make war on the Indians.war on the Indians.

Raided villages, burned houses, Raided villages, burned houses, took supplies, burned cornfields.took supplies, burned cornfields.

Increased number of settlements causing Increased number of settlements causing fear amongst Native Americans.fear amongst Native Americans.

Relations with Natives Relations with Natives Grow WorseGrow Worse

Relations with Natives Relations with Natives Grow WorseGrow Worse

Jamestown Colonization Jamestown Colonization Pattern:Pattern:1620-16601620-1660

Jamestown Colonization Jamestown Colonization Pattern:Pattern:1620-16601620-1660

1614-1622 1614-1622 peace between peace between Powhatans and the English.Powhatans and the English.

1614 peace sealed by the 1614 peace sealed by the marriage of Pocahontas to marriage of Pocahontas to Englishman John Rolfe.Englishman John Rolfe.

1622-1644 1622-1644 periodic attacks periodic attacks between Indians and settlers.between Indians and settlers.

• Caused by the murder of Nemattanew, the Powhatan war captain

• 1/4 of English killed

1622 1622 Indians attacked the English, Indians attacked the English, killing 347 [including John Rolfe].killing 347 [including John Rolfe].

Virginia Co. called for a “perpetual war” Virginia Co. called for a “perpetual war” against the Native Americans.against the Native Americans.

Culture Clash in the Culture Clash in the ChesapeakeChesapeake

Culture Clash in the Culture Clash in the ChesapeakeChesapeake

Powhatan UprisingPowhatan Uprisingof 1622of 1622

Powhatan UprisingPowhatan Uprisingof 1622of 1622

1644-1646 1644-1646 Second Anglo- Second Anglo-Powhatan WarPowhatan War

Last effort of natives to Last effort of natives to defeat English.defeat English.

Peace Treaty of 1646Peace Treaty of 1646

Removed the Powhatans from Removed the Powhatans from their original land.their original land.

Powhatan Confederacy destroyed.Powhatan Confederacy destroyed.

Formally separated Indian and Formally separated Indian and English settlement areas!English settlement areas!

Culture Clash in the Culture Clash in the ChesapeakeChesapeake

Culture Clash in the Culture Clash in the ChesapeakeChesapeake

End of Virginia Co.

• Virginia Co. went bankrupt due to mismanagement.

• Virginia becomes a royal colony under James I.– Crown wanted more control– Wanted to take power from Virginia’s

House of Burgesses (established in 1619)

Indentured ServitudeIndentured ServitudeIndentured ServitudeIndentured Servitude

Headright System:Headright System:

Each Virginian got 50 acres for each Each Virginian got 50 acres for each person whose passage they paid.person whose passage they paid.

80% of immigrants came this way.80% of immigrants came this way.

Indenture Contract:Indenture Contract:

5-7 years.5-7 years.

Promised “freedom dues” [land, £]Promised “freedom dues” [land, £]

Forbidden to marry.Forbidden to marry.

Early Colonial TobaccoEarly Colonial TobaccoEarly Colonial TobaccoEarly Colonial Tobacco

16181618 — Virginia produces 20,000 pounds of tobacco.16221622 - Virginia produces 60,000 pounds of tobacco.16271627 — Virginia produces 500,000 pounds of tobacco.16291629 — Virginia produces 1,500,000 pounds of tobacco.1638 - Virginia produces 3,000,000 pounds of tobacco.

More Tobacco More Tobacco Means…Means…

More Tobacco More Tobacco Means…Means…

First Africans arrived in Jamestown in First Africans arrived in Jamestown in 16191619..

Their status was not clear Their status was not clear perhaps slaves, perhaps slaves, perhaps indentured servants.perhaps indentured servants.

Slavery not that important until the end of Slavery not that important until the end of the 17the 17cc..

MarylandMarylandMarylandMaryland

A royal charter wasA royal charter wasgranted to Georgegranted to GeorgeCalvert, Lord Calvert, Lord Baltimore,Baltimore,in 1632.in 1632.

Catholic haven.Catholic haven.

Huge tracts of land Huge tracts of land granted to his granted to his Catholic relatives.Catholic relatives.

The Settlement of The Settlement of MarylandMaryland

The Settlement of The Settlement of MarylandMaryland

Wanted to duplicate VA’s success Wanted to duplicate VA’s success with tobacco.with tobacco.

Most colonists who came were Most colonists who came were given small farms and were given small farms and were Protestant.Protestant.

Conflict between Catholic large Conflict between Catholic large farm owners and Protestant small farm owners and Protestant small Protestant farmersProtestant farmers

A Haven for CatholicsA Haven for CatholicsA Haven for CatholicsA Haven for Catholics

Baltimore permitted high degree Baltimore permitted high degree of freedom of worship in order to of freedom of worship in order to prevent repeat of persecution of prevent repeat of persecution of Catholics by growing number of Catholics by growing number of Protestants.Protestants.

Toleration Act of 1649Toleration Act of 1649 Supported by the Catholics in MD.Supported by the Catholics in MD.

Guaranteed toleration to all Guaranteed toleration to all CHRISTIANS.CHRISTIANS.

Decreed death to those who denied Decreed death to those who denied the divinity of Jesus [like Jews, the divinity of Jesus [like Jews, atheists, etc.].atheists, etc.].

A Haven for CatholicsA Haven for CatholicsA Haven for CatholicsA Haven for Catholics