 First expedition 1585 – Sir Walter Raleigh – expedition but failed at settlement  Second expedition 1587 with captain John White Captain refused to go farther the river and landed in Roanoke White goes back to England for supplies 1590 came back, no colonists found. “Croatoan” carved in a tree – Native American Tribe

 1600 Helped Hungarian defeat Turks – “Vincere est vivere”  1606, he approached Virginia Company – group of merchants who wanted to found a colony in North America

 Unlike Spanish’s colonies which were funded by Spanish rulers, English were originally funded by joint-stock companies: Allowed several investors to pool their wealth in support of a colony that would yield them profits King James granted a charter to the Virginia Company – explored earlier by Sir Walter Raleigh – “Virginia” after Elizabeth I – “The Virgin Queen” Entitled to receive 4/5 of the profits, King 1/5 Three ships – Susan Constant, Discovery and Godspeed – with 150 passengers reached the Virginia shores in April 1607 Slipped into a broad coastal river and sailed inland into a small peninsula, Jamestown, after the river James – in the king’s honor.

 Only looking for gold – nobody wanted to farm  Nobody would listen to the arrogant Smith – leadership problem  Disease from contaminated river water  Hunger followed  Refused to clear fields, plant crops or even gather shellfish  On the winter 1607, only 38 remained alive – “he that will not work shall not eat”  Powhatan people persuaded to provide food.  Smith accidentally got burned, leaving Jamestown to fend for themselves.  Spring of 1609, 300 new colonists  The Powhatan, killed their livestocks and destroy their farms.  Next winter, famine, “starving time” – colonists ate roots, rats, snakes and boiled shoe leather.  Of these 600 colonists, only 60 survived.

 1996 archaeologists discovered the remains of the original fort built in ,000 artifacts and skeleton of male in his twenties with a bullet in his leg.  Triangular trenches, rounded bulwarks,

During the “starving times” Jamestown colonists must have bitterly recalled the promises made in those advertisements.

 Remaining colonists decide to flee  Met a new English ship that convinced them to turn around  Under new leaders, who threatened to flog or hang those who would not work, Jamestown stabilize and began to expand  Key to their survival– new crop - tobacco

 1612 – Jamestown colonists John Rolfe experimented by cross-breeding tobacco from Brazil with a local weed from Native Americans - citizens of England soon demanded. “brown gold”. By 1620 colonists exported 1,2 million pounds of “brown gold” to England.  Headright System – 1618 – Efforts of Virginia Company to attract field owners to lure English settlers, offered 50 acres of land to any who would pay for their voyage  Indentured servants – to attract field labor imported servants who would work as servants in Jamestown in exchange for passage to North America, room and board on their arrival. Identured servants agreed to a term of servitude in America, usually 4-7 years

 1619 Africans first arrive in a Dutch vessel, treated as indentured servants. In a few years, most received freedom and land.  By late 1600’s shortage of indentured servants, led to import of slaves, from then on condemned to a life of harsh labor.

 No intermarriage – law forbade it.  Demanded tributes of corn and labor  Soldiers kidnapped hostages – Pocahontas, daughter of a Powhatan’s chief, married John Rolfe in Half-hearted peace.  1622 Chief Openchancanough, lead attack that killed 340 colonists around villages along the James River.  Forced Virginia Company to bring more troops, nearly bankrupt.  1624, King James, revoked the charter and made it a “royal colony” – under direct control of the King.  Sent more troops and resources.  By 1644, 10,000 English colonists and much less Powathans.

 Former indentured servants – no land, from to the western outskirts of Virginia, no rights, no protection, entered into conflicts with Native Americans for land.  1670’s poor and opressed rebelled against governor Sir William Berkerly.  Berkerly imposed taxes for the benefit of the “planters” or Grandees.  Did not help frontier settlers fighting against Native tribes.  1676 Bacon raises army to fight Native Americans.  Bacon marches on Jamestown, captures colony but soon dies.  Berkely comes back with more abuses.  King Charles commissions investigation on Berkely’s government.  Berkely’s policies criticized in England, forced him to return to England.  The old governor died before meeting the King.

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