Colonial America 1587 to 1770 Chapter Three

Roanoke and Jamestown Section One

A) The Mystery of Roanoke

Catholic Spain

King Phillip II

Protestant England

Queen Elizabeth I

Protestants vs. Catholics King Phillip and Queen Elizabeth had major religious differences. Phillip supported the Catholic Church while Elizabeth supported the Protestant religions (Lutheranism, Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, etc.)

The Prize

Sir Francis Drake Sir Francis Drake and his Sea Dogs had been attacking Spanish ships and ports secretly for England. It angered King Phillip of Spain that the Queen did nothing to stop them. (He already despised her for being Protestant and not marrying.)

“Sea Dogs”

“Spanish Armada” (1588) In 1588, King Phillip II sent his enormous Spanish Armada (fleet of ships) to conquer England and remove Queen Elizabeth I from power. However, the English ships bombarded the seven mile long line of Spanish ships from a safe distance. The Spanish retreated to the North Sea and hit severe storms. The Spanish lost over half of their ships and more than 15,000 men!

“Spanish Armada” (1588) The loss of the Spanish Armada meant that Spain could no longer keep England (and France) from sharing the wealth in the Americas. This event changed the course of the future of the United States!

Spain vs. England No one predicted that England would actually defeat the Spanish Armada!

ENGLAND WINS!!!! Queen Elizabeth’s decisive defeat of the Invincible Armada made England a world-class power and introduced effective long-range weapons into naval warfare for the first time, ending the era of boarding and close-quarter fighting.

England Move On America

Why did the English go to America? Many English settlers hoped to find religious freedom, their own land, and the chance to have self-rule in the new colonies.

Sir Walter Raleigh In 1585, Sir Walter Raleigh traveled to the Carolinas to establish a colony off of Roanoke Island . He sent 100 men, but they returned to England.

“Roanoke Island” In 1587, Raleigh sends 117 new colonists, including 26 women and children, to Roanoke Island to try again.

John White This expedition was led by John White. The colony had problems and White had to return to England for supplies. He left his wife and daughter, Virginia Dare.

Virginia Dare Virginia Dare White was the first English colonist born in America.

White’s Return to England White was delayed for three years and returned to find the colony abandoned and everyone gone including his wife and child.

“Croatoan” The only clue was the word “Croatoan” scratched on a post. None of the colonists were ever seen again!

White’s Final Search White searched for the colonists to no avail. Roanoke Island will forever be known as the “Lost Colony.” It remains one of the great mysteries in history.

“The Lost Colony”

B) Jamestown Colony

The “Virginia Company” In 1606, the Virginia Company, a joint stock company, received a charter from King James I to create a colony in America.

“Joint-stock company” A joint stock company means that investors bought stock in a company in hopes of a profit.

On to Virginia Three ships with 140 settlers headed for America and were chased into the James River by Spanish ships. They landed in present day Virginia and created the colony of Jamestown. Named for King James I.

“Jamestown” The area chosen for the colony was good for defense, but it was too swampy and had poor soil for growing things. The colonists also encountered mosquitoes that carried diseases.

Problems:

Arrival in Jamestown Many colonists did not want to work, they wanted to search for gold and riches. They refused to do what was necessary for the colony to survive. Those that did do the work were not able to grow enough food for everyone.

Refusal to Work By 1608, only 38 colonists survived due to the leadership of John Smith who arrived at the colony and created a “No work, No eat” policy.

“No Work, No Eat”

Captain John Smith Real Disney

Captain John Smith

“Starving Time”

During the winter of 1609-1610, the “Starving Time” saw the colony almost collapse due to the lack of leadership - John smith was called back to England. There were wars with the Native Americans, lack of food and freezing storms. Only 1in 10 survived! There is evidence of cannibalism during this time as well.

Powhatan The Jamestown Colonists made peace with Chief Powhatan and the natives helped the remaining colonists survive. Pocahontas, daughter of Chief Powhatan, took great interest in the new arrivals to America.

Pocahontas

Tobacco By 1614, Jamestown began making money with the tobacco that John Rolfe send back to England. Tobacco was a Native American crop. Rolfe proposed the idea of individual work – the more you work, the more you can make!

John Rolfe Real Disney

John Rolfe and Pocahontas marry after she converts to Christianity John Rolfe and Pocahontas marry after she converts to Christianity. Pocahontas takes the English name – Rebecca. This marriage eases the tension between the English and the Native Americans. Lady Rebecca and her husband go to England where she is a big hit.

“Headright System” As a result of the better relations, colonists began to rent out land to grow cash crops to sell back in England. Colonists who paid their own way to America were given 100 acres of land. The “Headright System” gave 50 acres of land for each family member who traveled to America. This caused thousands of British citizens to move to America.

“House of Burgesses” In 1619, the towns in Virginia were allowed to create the “House of Burgesses” to institute self government free from the Virginia Company. This was the first representative government in America.

Women Arrive at Jamestown In 1619, 90 women were brought to the Jamestown Colony to marry the men. They were called tobacco brides and it cost 120 pounds of tobacco to purchase a wife.

African “Indentured Servants” Arrive Also in 1619, 20 African “indentured servants’ were brought to Jamestown. They were sold to plantations for a period of time to work off their indenture. This is the prelude to African slavery in the American colonies.

William Tucker

Royal Colony The fact that the Virginia Company was losing money and that Native American attacks persisted King James was forced to take over the colony. Therefore, Virginia becomes a Royal Colony.