Gregory MannGregory MannHistory 140 / Spring 2011History 140 / Spring 2011
English Colonies of English Colonies of
North America:North America:
VirginiaVirginia
Chesapeake ColoniesChesapeake Colonies
Chapter 6 – VirginiaChapter 6 – Virginia The 1580’s English colonization began in the mid-The 1580’s English colonization began in the mid-
Atlantic area which had been abandoned by Spain and Atlantic area which had been abandoned by Spain and France.France.
Colonization was privatized as the English government Colonization was privatized as the English government did not have the wealth to colonize the New World on its did not have the wealth to colonize the New World on its own due to the war with Spain so they allowed own due to the war with Spain so they allowed privateers like Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Francis Drake privateers like Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Francis Drake to colonize the New World. to colonize the New World.
The West Countrymen first promoted a plan to export The West Countrymen first promoted a plan to export the poor and vagrants to build wealth for the King and the poor and vagrants to build wealth for the King and clean up London at the same time.clean up London at the same time.
Roanoke, the first colony in Virginia, failed due to Roanoke, the first colony in Virginia, failed due to location which had was unfertile soil and lack of financial location which had was unfertile soil and lack of financial support.support.
In 1606, after James I took the Crown, the Virginia In 1606, after James I took the Crown, the Virginia Company was started by London-based private Company was started by London-based private investors. There first attempt at a colony was investors. There first attempt at a colony was Jamestown 60 miles up the James river. After nine Jamestown 60 miles up the James river. After nine months, only 38 of the original 104 were alive. The months, only 38 of the original 104 were alive. The colonists were dying more rapidly than reinforcements colonists were dying more rapidly than reinforcements could arrive. Jamestown was situated next to a swamp could arrive. Jamestown was situated next to a swamp which was good for defense, but contributed highly to which was good for defense, but contributed highly to disease.disease.
Chapter 6 – VirginiaChapter 6 – Virginia Virginia was home to the Algonquian Indians. Virginia was home to the Algonquian Indians.
Powhatan was their Chief/ruler.Powhatan was their Chief/ruler. Powhatan who was unable to know what lay ahead Powhatan who was unable to know what lay ahead
thought he could rule the whites, but they insisted thought he could rule the whites, but they insisted only on assimilation.only on assimilation.
Preferring to look for gold, the Colonists thought the Preferring to look for gold, the Colonists thought the Indians needed to supply them with food. The Indians needed to supply them with food. The promoters of the colonies had promised the fortune promoters of the colonies had promised the fortune hunters that the locals would welcome them with hunters that the locals would welcome them with open arms, generosity and submission. Violence open arms, generosity and submission. Violence erupted as colonists demanded more and more from erupted as colonists demanded more and more from the Algonquians. the Algonquians.
This is where we get the story of John Smith and This is where we get the story of John Smith and Pocahontas. During a mock execution in which John Pocahontas. During a mock execution in which John Smiths subordinates would submit to Powhatan, Smiths subordinates would submit to Powhatan, Pocahontas stopped the proceedings. John Smith was Pocahontas stopped the proceedings. John Smith was released and proceeded with his bullying of the local released and proceeded with his bullying of the local Indians.Indians.
Powhatan died a year later and his tribe was taken Powhatan died a year later and his tribe was taken over by Opechancanough. He despised the English over by Opechancanough. He despised the English and fought them for many more years.and fought them for many more years.
Chapter 6 – VirginiaChapter 6 – Virginia By 1616, the Virginia Company had transported over 1700 people into By 1616, the Virginia Company had transported over 1700 people into
Chesapeake Bay andChesapeake Bay andhad only 350 diseased and hungry colonists. They needed to make adjustments had only 350 diseased and hungry colonists. They needed to make adjustments as they as they struggling financially and deeply in debt.struggling financially and deeply in debt.
The first thing they did was give control of the land to the laborers allowing them The first thing they did was give control of the land to the laborers allowing them to own land as private property. They also established a system where emigrants to own land as private property. They also established a system where emigrants received 50 acres of land if they could pay their passage across the Atlantic.received 50 acres of land if they could pay their passage across the Atlantic.
Led by John Rolfe, the colonists started growing tobacco which primarily was a Led by John Rolfe, the colonists started growing tobacco which primarily was a crop grown in the West Indies. The Virginia colonies were soon exporting more crop grown in the West Indies. The Virginia colonies were soon exporting more tobacco to England than the West Indies. As tobacco cultivation grew, so did the tobacco to England than the West Indies. As tobacco cultivation grew, so did the population. They stole more rich soil from the Indians who were forced to migrate population. They stole more rich soil from the Indians who were forced to migrate westward or fight back.westward or fight back.
The Virginia Company soon fell to bankruptcy due to loss of revenue from the The Virginia Company soon fell to bankruptcy due to loss of revenue from the Indian wars and the English government soon took over Virginia as the first royal Indian wars and the English government soon took over Virginia as the first royal colony. colony.
Colonial tobacco farm
Unlike the Spanish and French, the English sent no Unlike the Spanish and French, the English sent no missionaries to convert Indians of Virginia. The missionaries to convert Indians of Virginia. The English thought they could indoctrinate to their English thought they could indoctrinate to their Protestant Christianity through regular church Protestant Christianity through regular church services after making them economic services after making them economic subordinates.subordinates.
The English insisted that their economic self-The English insisted that their economic self-interest served God because they were improving interest served God because they were improving the wilderness into productive farmland.the wilderness into productive farmland.
Just as in Ireland, the English colonial leaders Just as in Ireland, the English colonial leaders maintained a sense of cultural superiority and maintained a sense of cultural superiority and therefore justified their treatment of the Indians therefore justified their treatment of the Indians as for the greater good.as for the greater good.
In 1632, the crown set aside land to the North of In 1632, the crown set aside land to the North of Chesapeake Bay that was named Maryland after Chesapeake Bay that was named Maryland after the Queen of England, Charles I wife. Maryland did the Queen of England, Charles I wife. Maryland did very well as a colony due to its tobacco trade. At very well as a colony due to its tobacco trade. At the cost of many lives, the English had their the cost of many lives, the English had their foothold into the New World and were prospering. foothold into the New World and were prospering. To the Indians though the English were nothing To the Indians though the English were nothing more than foreign invaders that managed to more than foreign invaders that managed to destroy their way of living.destroy their way of living.
Chapter 6 – VirginiaChapter 6 – Virginia
In the Chesapeake Colonies, tobacco farming became the way of life. Since In the Chesapeake Colonies, tobacco farming became the way of life. Since tobacco crops needed to be tended nine months of the year, some tobacco tobacco crops needed to be tended nine months of the year, some tobacco planters bought African slaves. At first, the slaves were not very cost planters bought African slaves. At first, the slaves were not very cost affective due to there mortality rate of five years. English servants comprised affective due to there mortality rate of five years. English servants comprised most of the laborers in the seventeenth century. most of the laborers in the seventeenth century.
Trying to get as much work as possible out of a laborer, the planters Trying to get as much work as possible out of a laborer, the planters commonly resorted to the whipping thinking that fear and pain would commonly resorted to the whipping thinking that fear and pain would motivate servants. Some laborers would bring charges onto the planters, but motivate servants. Some laborers would bring charges onto the planters, but the courts would always side with the elite masters and extend their time of the courts would always side with the elite masters and extend their time of servitude. servitude.
Soon the Chesapeake colonies were prospering again and the people were Soon the Chesapeake colonies were prospering again and the people were acquiring immunities to the local diseases. Freed servants were finally able to acquiring immunities to the local diseases. Freed servants were finally able to acquire land which was becoming available due to peace with local Indians. acquire land which was becoming available due to peace with local Indians. The colonists still had lower life expectancy and had less possessions than The colonists still had lower life expectancy and had less possessions than there English counterparts and During the Tobacco boom of the 1660’s and there English counterparts and During the Tobacco boom of the 1660’s and 1670’s there was not much to complain about from the colonists around 1670’s there was not much to complain about from the colonists around Chesapeake Bay. Chesapeake Bay.
Eventually the price of tobacco dropped because the English government Eventually the price of tobacco dropped because the English government forced the planters to use only English merchant ships and not Dutch ships to forced the planters to use only English merchant ships and not Dutch ships to export Tobacco to England. This restriction flooded the English market. export Tobacco to England. This restriction flooded the English market.
The New World was no longer a land of opportunity unless you wanted to The New World was no longer a land of opportunity unless you wanted to chance living on the frontier borders.chance living on the frontier borders.
Chapter 7 – Chesapeake Colonies
In 1676, a rebellion forced the establishment to rethink its policies In 1676, a rebellion forced the establishment to rethink its policies after the leading class quickly squashed it. They rapidly switched after the leading class quickly squashed it. They rapidly switched laborers from white indentured servants to African slaves.laborers from white indentured servants to African slaves.
In the Chesapeake Colonies the Royal crown shared power with In the Chesapeake Colonies the Royal crown shared power with the wealthy proprietors. These properties refused to pay taxes the wealthy proprietors. These properties refused to pay taxes unless authorized by their own elected assembly. unless authorized by their own elected assembly.
The Chesapeake colonists had a four tier government with the The Chesapeake colonists had a four tier government with the King at the top, then the Governor, under him was the County King at the top, then the Governor, under him was the County Court and Parish Vestry which was made up of the wealthiest land Court and Parish Vestry which was made up of the wealthiest land owners. On the bottom of the power pyramid was the family owners. On the bottom of the power pyramid was the family household, or actually the man of the house since he was the only household, or actually the man of the house since he was the only one in a family that could own land and vote. This was known as one in a family that could own land and vote. This was known as patriarchal power.patriarchal power.
Chapter 7 – Chesapeake Colonies
Chapter 7 – Chesapeake Colonies
The Chesapeake colony slipped into a The Chesapeake colony slipped into a Plantation society during the 1670’s as Plantation society during the 1670’s as tobacco prices fell and taxes were raised tobacco prices fell and taxes were raised to cover costs of corruption in local to cover costs of corruption in local governments.governments.
The great planters saw this as a time to The great planters saw this as a time to restructure the government to one which restructure the government to one which met the needs of the common person.met the needs of the common person.
Lower taxes and better prices made life Lower taxes and better prices made life more bearable for the common planters.more bearable for the common planters.
The great planters, although still shallow The great planters, although still shallow and materialistic, had begun to respect and materialistic, had begun to respect the common planter and their the common planter and their contribution to colonial society.contribution to colonial society.
Chapter 7 – Chesapeake Colonies
White servants gained freedom, received land and were replaced White servants gained freedom, received land and were replaced by African slaves who were brought to the New World at the end by African slaves who were brought to the New World at the end of the Seventeenth century due to the loss of laborers coming of the Seventeenth century due to the loss of laborers coming from England. They eventually made up 40% of the population.from England. They eventually made up 40% of the population.
In the beginning Black slaves were treated like indentured In the beginning Black slaves were treated like indentured servants. They were freed after years of service. But in the late servants. They were freed after years of service. But in the late seventeenth century, slavery was more defined and thus the seventeenth century, slavery was more defined and thus the rights of Black slaves were severally restricted. Supposedly to rights of Black slaves were severally restricted. Supposedly to insure security, numerous laws were imposed on the blacks insure security, numerous laws were imposed on the blacks resulting in racial differences and leading to a perceived racial resulting in racial differences and leading to a perceived racial superiority by whites.superiority by whites.
The slave trade furthered the wealth of the elite. The wealthy The slave trade furthered the wealth of the elite. The wealthy were able to afford huge labor forces of slaves, while the small were able to afford huge labor forces of slaves, while the small farmer had to rely on his family and common whites without farmer had to rely on his family and common whites without property were pushed into the frontier searching for new property were pushed into the frontier searching for new opportunity.opportunity.
