Jamestown: The first permanent English settlement in America

Reasons for English presence in North America Hoped to find riches in America, as Spain had done in Mexico & South America Decided to establish American colony Roanoke: 1585 Jamestown: 1607

Jamestown’s Founding Began as an economic venture for the Virginia Company of London Hoped to make a huge profit Planned to create a trade network between England & Virginia Virginia would send raw materials to England Lumber Tobacco England would send manufactured goods to Virginia Furniture Tools Needles Muskets

King James’ Charter King James issued a charter to the Virginia Company of London Charter: legal document giving certain rights to a person or company Gave right to settle lands between present-day North Carolina & Potomac River Guaranteed that colonists would have same rights as English citizens

Location The Jamestown colony was located on a peninsula in present-day Virginia. The peninsula was bordered on three sides by a river, which the colonists named the James River for their king. The settlers chose the site at Jamestown for the following reasons: The location could be easily defended from attack by sea. The water along the shore was deep enough for ships to dock.

Struggles Location Swampy land Unhealthy water Disease from mosquitoes Governing The Virginia Company chose a council of 13 men to rule the settlement Members quarreled & did little planning Starvation Colonists searched for gold & did not originally plant enough crops Powhatan Native Americans supplied colonists with corn & taught them how to plant

Representative Government •Jamestown’s government was originally run like a strict military outpost •The government was reformed in 1619 Created House of Burgesses Male settlers elected burgesses (government representatives) Burgesses met with Virginia’s governor to make laws Began representative government in the English colonies

Women and Slaves Jamestown was originally settled by 105 men In 1619, The Virginia Company of London sent 90 women to Jamestown The arrival of women made it possible for the settlers to establish families & a more permanent settlement Africans came to Jamestown as early as 1619 The Dutch sold Africans to Jamestown, which was in need of tobacco laborers The arrival of Africans made it possible to expand the tobacco economy By the late 1600s, Jamestown set up a system for whites to enslave Africans