Ch 2/ Sect 2: English Settlement at Jamestown

Joint-Stock Company too expensive for one to finance colony stock sold to investors  money pooled - share profit or divide losses investors = nobles and religious dissenters charter (contract) granted by monarch to establish a colony earliest ones failed (Roanoke the 1st)

Jamestown Settlement (in Virginia) 1607: Jamestown colony settled by Englishmen must generate wealth or lose financial support spent most of time searching for gold  little time farming - food supplies decrease - malaria - harsh winter after first year, 38 of original 144 survived

“Work or Starve” John Smith (leader) strict discipline on colonists - must farm 4 hours/day 1609-1610 = “Starving Time” - Smith back to England (gunpowder burn) - supply ship sank King takes control of colony from investors

Tobacco Trade start growing tobacco  export to England labor force grew - indentured servants = free voyage if work for 4 to 7 years - headright system = 50 acres of land for every inhabitant brought Jamestown thrived

Powhatans (Native Am tribe) at first helped colonists during “starving time” colonists raided NA food supply - responded by attack cultural differences - colonists believed in land ownership - NA land owned by all, not individuals brutal fighting ended in 1645

The Virginia House of Burgesses expected same rights as in England  raising own representative assemblies VA H of B = first popularly elected legislature in the colonies - met once a year with local governor (overseer of colony)

Bacon’s Rebellion (1676) poor, landless opposed wealthy wanted to fight NAs for land and lower taxes  denied by governor took control of H of B and burned Jamestown governor hung colonists angering King H of B passed law to prevent governors from ever assuming power  (1st step to end tyranny)