English Colonies

Jamestown

After their failure at Roanoke, the English were not ready to give up.

The English now had the most powerful navy in the world after defeating the Spanish armada in 1588

King James I wanted a colony in the new world for: GOLD GLORY

Attempt at Settlement

King James I granted a charter to the Virginia Company

The Virginia Company hoped to found a colony along the eastern shore where Sir Walter Raleigh had explored and claimed land for England

Investors joined the expedition and would be entitled to 4/5ths of all gold/silver they found

150 passengers left in England in 3 ships, arriving in April 1607 John Smith was their captain

Problems/Mistakes

105 men/boys were the first settlers First resupply brought 70 more men They were gentlemen, bankers, businessmen

Settled on a peninsula uninhabited by the Native Americans Swampy water=mosquitoes!! Contaminated water Limited supply of animals to hunt Poor farming ground

Read- “The Starving Time”

Answer the following: What problems are they facing? Why are they facing these problems? How are the problems solved?

Rather than start building shelter and planting food, they began immediately searching for gold

Remember- their goal was GOLD

“There was no talk, no hope, no work, but dig gold, was gold, refine gold, load gold,” Captain Smith said of the early settlement

The settlers were unaccustomed to work and refused to clear fields, plant crops, or even gather shellfish

They did not encourage friendly relationships with the Indians, they wanted them to work as their slaves

As a result, only 38 of the original 105 were alive by the winter of 1607- First Starving Time

Starving Time (2nd One)

In the Spring of 1609, 600 new colonists arrived

The Powhatan Indians began killing the colonists’ livestock and destroying their farms

By winter, the colonists had to resort to eating roots, rats, snakes, and even show leather

Of the 600, only 60 survived

“You must obey this now for a law that he that will not work shall not eat, except by sickness he be disabled. For the labors of thirty or forty honest and industrious men shall not be consumed to maintain an hundred and fifty idle loiterers.”

-Captain John Smith, quote in William Symonds, ed,. The Proceedings

Captain Smith

He concentrated on survival, not searching for gold/Asia

Tried to work with Powhatan and buy corn and with the help of Pocahontas he avoided war.

Smith made everyone work, gentlemen or not, and he worked along with them.

Divided the rations equally

Jamestown Becomes Permanent

Resupply arrived in the Spring with more colonists, supplies, and new leaders who would hang colonists who neglected their work

1612 John Rolfe figured out how to grow a new strain of tobacco By 1620 Jamestown exported more than 1.5 million

pounds of “brown gold” each year

Introduced the headright system- anyone who paid for their own land or another’s received 50 acres of land- this brought many settlers to America

Women began arriving

House of Burgesses

Held first meeting in 1619 in the church at Jamestown

First form of representative government/elected assembly in the New World Had representatives

elected by members of Jamestown

Began tradition of self-government for the colonies

Continuously operated- known today as the General Assembly of Virginia.

Laborers in Jamestown

Originally tried to use the Native Americans, but this led to backlashes and war with the Natives

Used Indentured Servants: In exchange for passage to North America and food/shelter, the servant agreed to a term of servitude, usually 4-7 years. Usually from the lower classes of English society, but

wanted a chance to make a new start

First Africans arrived in 1619, they were originally indentured servants- they were given land and their freedom Late 1600s colonists began using slave labor

Your Turn

What are the 3 most important things the colonists must do to help the colony survive?

Who will do the work? What will we do to solve our immediate problem-

lack of food? How can we ensure we have adequate food for the

future? How can we be sure that all colonists will do their fair

share of the work? How should we deal with the local Indians? What design is best for the protection against

weather and enemies? In recruiting future settlers, what skills and

occupations does the colony need and should be required?

Pilgrims & Puritans

Background Information

Growing group in England began to disagree with the Church of England. They wanted to SEPARATE from the Church of England

and create their own religion. Became known as separatists

Because of their beliefs, they were persecuted and discriminated against

To escape the persecution, a group of separatists went to Holland to live in the countryside there Were isolated, their children were not growing up as

Englishmen, couldn’t speak the language, and still suffered some discrimination

Coming to America

After the relative success of Jamestown (this is 13 years later), they decided to leave Holland and settle near Jamestown

They would create their own colony, but close enough to Jamestown they could follow their rules and benefit from Jamestown’s success

Wanted RELIGIOUS FREEDOM- the freedom to practice their beliefs without discrimination

Unexpected Changes

Had to change boats before they crossed the Atlantic- switch from Speedwell to the Mayflower

Got caught in a possible hurricane that blew them completely off course Considered turning around

Rather than settle in Jamestown, they end up in present-day Massachusetts, and name their settlement Plymouth

As a result, they could not use the established laws and government from Jamestown, so they had to make their own

Wrote the Mayflower Compact before they landed and came ashore

Everyone on board agreed to the document and in the document they pledged to work for the good of the colony and abide by the agreed upon rules

Government by consent

Has been called the first written constitution

Beginnings of American democracy

Plymouth

Decide on John Carver as their first governor But dies a year later- William Bradford takes over

Religious beliefs- Separatists, a form of protestants SEPARATE from the Church of England

Government: Based on consent with the Mayflower compact, beginning of democracy in America Had a meeting house where the men in the colony met

to discuss issues and make decisions for the colony

Social structure: families lived together and had small farms, community revolved around the church

Puritans

Wanted to create a model society- a “City upon a hill”

Did not agree with the Church of England, they wanted to PURIFY it Known as Puritans

Wanted to create a society where they could create the model for the Church of England Religious Freedom

Create Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1629

Massachusetts Bay

Leader: John Winthrop

Religious beliefs: PURITANS- want to purify the Church of England (Anglican)

Government: Made no attempt to create a democracy, but did allow more men to vote than in England- 40% could vote Created a Theocracy- The church and state were

completely linked Everyone was required to go to church on Sunday,

had to wear all black, no dancing was allowed, drinking, swearing, and laziness were all crimes

Social Structure

Unlike Jamestown- the Virginia Company, the New England colonies (Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay) were founded for religious freedom, so more families crossed the Atlantic

Their colonies were largely comprised of small families who worked together to survive

There were not many indentured servants

The church watched the families and stepped in parents were not strict enough or husbands and wives fought too much

Daily Life

No religious freedom- if you disagreed with the Puritan church you could be punished or banished

Life revolved around surviving- subsistence farming, everyone had to grow food in small gardens to help supplement their diets

Everyone was required to go to church on Sunday

These strict religious laws caused other colonies to be formed as settlers left Massachusetts Bay for their own religious freedom and to create their own more welcoming societies.

Pilgrims vs. Puritans

Pilgrims

Did not agree with the Church of England, so they wanted to SEPARATE from the church and create their own Became known as

separatists

Create Plymouth

Use the Mayflower Compact as their government

Puritans Believed the Church of England

had kept too much of the Catholic ritual and traditions Wanted to PURIFY the Anglican

church by removing all traces of Roman Catholicism

Stay in the Anglican (Church of England) church

Create Massachusetts Bay

Governed by a Theocracy- strict religious laws

New England Colonies

Rhode Island

Settled by colonists searching for religious freedom Freedom from Massachusetts- they were forced out

Roger Williams is the leader Believed in religious freedom Separation of church and state Thought it was wrong to take

land from Natives

Banished from Massachusetts Bay in 1635

Bought land from Natives

Received charter in 1644

First place in America where people of all faiths could worship freely

New Hampshire

Created in 1638 by John Wheelwright

Dissenters from Massachusetts Disagreed with the Puritans

Self Governing, but become Royal

Connecticut

Better farming than Massachusetts Bay

Thomas Hooker was not happy with the way Winthrop and Puritan leaders ran the colony

1636 Hooker left Massachusetts Bay and moved south to Connecticut

Adopted a plan of government- Fundamental Orders of Connecticut First written constitution in America

New England

Groups of Settlers:

95% English immigrants Pilgrims- Separatists Puritans

Reason for Settlement:

Religious Freedom Puritans- “City Upon A Hill”

New England

Religious Groups:

Protestants- Pilgrims (separatists)- NOT Anglican (Church of

England) Puritans-Anglican

Economy:

Lumber, shipbuilding, trade, molasses, fur trade, fishing, subsistence farming

New England

Social Structure

Comprised mostly of families

Based on religious standing

Puritans were intolerant of dissenters.

Government

Puritans: Theocracy- religion and government tied together.

Direct democracy through town meetings.

Pilgrims- Set up a “covenant community” with Mayflower Compact.

Colonial Government

Self-Governing- Colonists governed themselves, received the grant from the King

Proprietary/Corporate- Got charter from the King, sere founded to make money, and had to give part of their profits to the King

Royal Colony- King controlled the colony, allowed the colonists to play a role in the government, but appointed a governor who was the head of the colony

By 1776 all colonies except for Rhode Island and Conneticut were Royal Colonies

Middle Colonies

Maryland

1634 by Lord Baltimore

Settled by Catholics who were searching for Religious Freedom Wrote the Acts of Toleration in 1649 to help preserve

the religious freedom

Grew tobacco like Virginia

Proprietary, but become Royal

Delaware

Founded in 1638

Originally started by the Dutch and was called New Sweden Started as a way to make money & expand Renamed Delaware when the English took it

over

Major industry is fishing & selling lumber

Royal Colony

Pennsylvania

Founded in 1682 by William Penn

Created for Religious Freedom for Quakers Named for his father

who’s death allowed him to buy the land

Means “Penn’s Woods”

Befriended the Indians believed in nonviolence

Becomes the 3rd biggest and richest colony

Gave EVERYONE religious freedom

Had representative government

Economy was based on growing wheat and trading

Proprietary Government

New Jersey

Settled originally by the Dutch and the Swedish Was called New Netherland and New Sweden

Taken over by the British in 1664 by Lord Berkley and George Carteret

Settled originally for trade & profit

Offered religious freedom as a way to get more settlers

Made money from trading & manufacturing

Royal Colony

Middle Colonies

Groups of Settlers:

English, Dutch, and German settlers

Quakers: England

Huguenots: France

Reason for Settlement:

Economic opportunity & Religious freedom

Middle Colonies

Religious Groups:

Quakers (in Pennsylvania)

Huguenots (French protestants)

Jews (in New York)

Presbyterians (in New Jersey)

Economy:

Shipbuilding, farming (especially wheat), Trading

Big cities like New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore grew as seaports and commercial centers.

Middle Colonies

Social Structure

More equal than other colonies

Large middle class built around artisans, entrepreneurs (business owners), and small farmers

Government

Many democratic principles- representatives elected to colonial government

Bottom Line: Most diverse of the three regions in economy and settlers

Southern Colonies

Virginia

1607

John Smith/Virginia Company

Founded to make money/get gold

Saved by Tobacco

Proprietary Colony, but becomes Royal

South Carolina

1663

Leaders: Lords Proprietors (8 friends of the King)

Settled to make money

Proprietary, but becomes Royal

Make money with cash crops like rice and indigo

North Carolina

1729

Founded with the King of England split South Carolina and North Carolina

Founded to make more money and attract settlers

Made money by selling tobacco

Royal Colony

Georgia

1732

Settled by George Oglethorpe

Settled to protect SC from the Spanish in FL and to provide a place send debtors from England

Originally did not allow slavery

Made money by growing rice

Royal Colony

Southern Colonies

Groups of Settlers:

Poor English and Scots-Irish immigrants

Debtors and other prisoners: England

Noblemen: England (Cavaliers)

Indentured servants: England

Enslaved persons: Africa

Reason for Settlement:

Economic opportunity (make money)

Southern Colonies

Religious Groups:

Protestants- usually Anglican (Church of England)

Economy:

Along the coast: plantations, slave labor, cash crops rice, indigo, tobacco

Inlands/Mountains: small scale subsistence farming, hunting, trading

Southern Colonies

Social Structure

Plantations- large farms/self sufficient

Very divided- rich planters, poor farmers, slaves

Government

Representative government dominated by large landowners (planters) First in America- House of Burgesses in 1619

Your Turn

Explain why the settlers came to your region

Explain how the climate affected your settlers- include their housing and economy

Include the people living there- origin & religion

Draw a symbol or symbols to represent the region