Let America Begin!!!Get your Colonies

On…..WORD!

Why did the English settle Here?

• The first permanent English settlement in North America was Jamestown.– founded in 1607 by the Virginia Company of

London– purpose: economic opportunity (to make

money)• Settlers (all men) were looking for gold and riches• Settlers weren’t planning to stay in the New World

Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems• no one wanted to work -- too busy

looking for gold• location made people sick --

mosquitoes, malaria• John Smith took charge in winter of

1607 – forced men to work (“He who does not work, shall not eat”)

• “starving time” (winter 1609) -- all but 60 settlers died before spring

“Starving Time”“And one amongst the rest did kill his wife,

powdered [salted] her, and had eaten part of her before it was knowne, for which hee was executed, as hee well deserved; now whether shee was better roasted, boyled or carbonado'd [grilled], I know not, but of such a dish as powdered wife I never heard of.” – John Smith

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssS6UoBoiuc

Problems Solved• 1610 -- Lord De La Warr became new

governor, set up strict martial law• 1612 -- John Rolfe developed new

strain of tobacco – colony now has a way to make money

• women and children arrived• 1640s – Virginia House of

Burgesses established– first elected assembly in the New World

Relationships• Powhatan Indians were indigenous to the region

• Colonists would take food and land, Natives would raid colonist establishments

• Marriage between Rolfe and Pocahontas helps for a while

• Opecancaunoh’s war – Surprise attack of many colonial outposts.– Killed 300+ settlers (possibly including John Rolfe)

Location, Location, Location• The settlers moved into three different

areas for various reasons– Southern Colonies - seeking economic

opportunity– New England Colonies - seeking freedom

from religious persecution–Middle Colonies - seeking both religious

freedom and economic opportunity

Southern Colonies• settled by people seeking economic opportunity

– Cavaliers – English nobility who received large land grants in eastern Virginia from the King of England

– Headright System – Anyone who paid for passage of another would receive 50 acres.

– indentured servants – poor immigrants who agreed to work for 7 to 10 years in exchange for their passage to the New World

– other poor immigrants became small farmers or artisans • settled in the Shenandoah Valley or western Virginia

• Bacon's Rebellion - Frontier settlers sought support against native Americans from Governor. He refused and rebellion became violent. Showed differences between wealthy landowners and poorer frontier settlers.

New England Colonies• Colonies were settled by Puritans

seeking freedom from religious persecution in Europe– Puritans were very religious – often

intolerant of those who didn’t follow their religion

–Very Ironic…..

We’re not done with NE yet.• 1620 – Pilgrims (one group of Puritans) arrived at

Plymouth – wrote the Mayflower Compact

• no government in the area, so must create their own• formed a “covenant community”

– brought their families, planned to stay forever• 1630 – more Puritans came to Mass. Bay – John Winthrop (leader) wanted to create a “City on a

Hill” – set an example for the rest of the world • town meeting – a form of direct democracy (all men

of the town discuss and vote on issues)

Yup, more NE, I know seriously• one problem – religious dissent – Puritans wanted the freedom to practice

their religion but did not want others to practice a different religion -- people who went against Puritan teachings were punished

– Roger Williams – banished from Massachusetts, started new colony of Rhode Island

– Anne Hutchinson – banished

No love for the Middle Colonies• settled chiefly by English, Dutch, and

German-speaking immigrants • seeking religious freedom and

economic opportunity

• No bells and whistles, they’re just not worth it.

Do your homework!• And be nice to your teacher….