JAMESTOWN
� The first colony in the new world
VIRGINIA COMPANY OF LONDON
� Stock organization � Given a charter to colonize the new world
CHARTER
� A document from the king granting rights to colonize the new world
� Given by King James I � Granted English rights to all those in the colony
REASONS FOR COLONIZING
� Hoped to find resources to bring back to England � Gold � Silver � Lumber
VIRGINIA COMPANY OF LONDON
The settlers send what they find
To the Virginia Company of London For them to sell and make money
And pay the stockholders their share of the profits
Virginia Company of London
sells shares or stock for money
Virginia Company uses That money to pay for
Supplies, ships and crew members
TRAVEL
� The Susan Constant � The Godspeed � The Discovery
JAMESTOWN
� Primarily an economic venture � First permanent English settlement in North
America in 1607 � Named for King James I
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
� Selected an peninsula because: � It was easy to defend � Water was deep enough for ships � Believed to have plenty of clean fresh water � River provided a path for exploration and
source of food
PROBLEMS
� Swampy � Unsafe Water � Mosquitos
JAMESTOWN TODAY
� An island � Site of archeological research
LIMITATION OF A CHARTER
� Ruled by the Virginia Company of London � Could not own land
CHANGES IN JAMESTOWN
� 1619 King James said the colonists could make their own laws
� Colonists could own land � Began the idea of government by the
people
DIFFICULTIES AT JAMESTOWN
� Environment � No Safe Water � Disease from Mosquitos
� Lack of Skills � No Knowledge of Farming � Not Prepared for Manual Labor
FIXING THE PROBLEMS
� Arrival of supply ships � John Smith
� “He who does not work, will not eat.” � Grow food for their own families � Trading relationships
� Chief Powhatan
FIXING THE PROBLEMS
� Trade � Natives -> Food, Tobacco ($), Corn � English -> Tools, pots, copper, jewelry
� Pocahontas helped foster good relations
FIXING THE PROBLEMS
� Arrival of supply ships � Leadership of John Smith � Trade with American Indians
BECOMING PERMANENT
� Arrival of African Americans � 1619 � Against their Will � Slaves � Worked on Plantations
BECOMING PERMANENT
� Arrival of Women � 1620 � Bride Ship � If a man married a woman from the
bride ship, had to pay for her travel � Began Families
BECOMING PERMANENT
� Tobacco � Cash Crop � Sold in England � Caused Plantations � Required Slave Labor
MOVING THE CAPITAL
� Jamestown � 1st Capital � Original Settlement � Drinking water was contaminated by salt
water � Mosquitos Spread Disease � Fire destroyed many buildings in
Jamestown
MOVING THE CAPITAL
� From Jamestown to Williamsburg � Fewer Mosquitos � Better Water � Williamsburg is at a higher elevation
MOVING THE CAPITAL
� From Williamsburg to Richmond � Population was moving West � Richmond is more centrally located � Richmond’s location was better for trade � Richmond is more difficult to attack by
sea
ECONOMIC VOCABULARY
� Money: A medium of exchange � Barter: Trading or exchanging goods
or services without the use of money � Credit: Buying a good or service now
and paying for it later � Debt: A good or service owed to
someone
ECONOMIC VOCABULARY
� Credit: Buying a good or service now and paying for it later
� Debt: A good or service owed to someone
� Savings: Money put away to save or to spend at a later time
ECONOMIC LIFE - THEN
� Jim wants to buy the latest version of Minecraft
� The cost is $19.95 � Jim has no money � If Jim is a farmer, he can buy it on credit
ECONOMIC FACTS - JAMESTOWN
� Few people had paper money or coins to use to buy goods and services
� There were no banks in Colonial Virginia
� Barter was commonly used instead of money
ECONOMIC FACTS - JAMESTOWN
� Barter was commonly used instead of money
� Tobacco was used as money. � A tobacco farmer could use his tobacco
to pay for goods and services.
ECONOMIC FACTS - JAMESTOWN
� Farmers and other consumers could also buy goods and services on credit and pay their debts when their crops were harvested and sold.
LIFE IN JAMESTOWN
� People living in Jamestown depended on three types of resources: � Natural � Human � Capital
LIFE IN JAMESTOWN
� The settlers had to use these resources to provide everything they needed, including food, housing, and clothing
LIFE IN JAMESTOWN
� Food � Food choices were limited � Meals were made of local produce and meats
� Housing � Most people lived in one-room houses with dirt
floors � Some plantation owners lived in large houses
LIFE IN JAMESTOWN
� Housing � Most people lived in one-room houses with dirt
floors � Some plantation owners lived in large houses
� Clothing � Households made their own clothes � Most clothing was made of cotton, wool, and/or
leather
LIFE IN JAMESTOWN
� Life was also different depending on which social class you were in
� Most white Virginians made their living from the land as small farmers. A few owned large plantations.
� Most enslaved African Americans worked tobacco, other crops, and livestock. Enslaved African Americans had no rights.
LIFE IN JAMESTOWN
� Most enslaved African Americans worked tobacco, other crops, and livestock. Enslaved African Americans had no rights.
� There were a few free African Americans. Many of them owned their own businesses and property but were denied most rights.