Colonial America Chapter 3

L1: Roanoke – The Failed Colony England set out to colonize North America in the late 1500s The first English settlement is Roanoke Colony Queen Elizabeth had given Sir Walter Raleigh twice sent settlers to Roanoke Island off the coast of what is now North Carolina. First in 1585 and again in 1587. John White led the second group of settlers trying to establish the colony. • White left he colony to returned to England for supplies. But by the time he arrived back to Roanoke, the colonists had disappeared.

Success at Jamestown The Virginia Company was a Joint Stock Company, in which investors bought/owned shares of the company. The King of England, James I , gave the Virginia Company a Charter in 1606. The Charter gave the Company the right to settle Jamestown. England’s next attempt at establishing a colony was at Jamestown in Virginia. Jamestown was settled in 1607. Jamestown’s leader was Captain John Smith. He forced settlers to work. He built ties with the Powhatan people and their leader, also named Powhatan. Jamestown suffered through a difficult winter where many died of starvation.

Jamestown – continued … The Virginia Company sent women to Jamestown, giving settlers the chance to get married and have children. The Headright was established and gave a grant of 50 acres to settlers who paid their way to the colony (from England). The settlers at Jamestown grew tobacco as a CASH CROP. The company gave settlers the right to form a government. So they elected Burgesses (representatives) to a local colonial government. The House of Burgesses was the 1st legislative government in North America.

The Virginia Colony Grows Despite success and growth as a community, the colony was NOT producing enough money for the Virginia Company shareholders. In 1624, King James I revoked the company Charter and established Jamestown and Virginia as a Royal Colony, completely under the control of the Government in England. Jamestown, Virginia is now the first successful colonial settlement of the English in the Americas.

L2:New England Colonies The search for religious freedom played a large role in England’s colonization of North America. Unhappy with the Anglican Church, many English people became Puritans who wanted to reform it. Others became Separatists and chose to leave it. In 1620, a group of Separatists left for North America – they were known as Pilgrims. The pilgrims left on a ship called the Mayflower. When they reached the shores near what is today Boston, they settled a the colony of Plymouth. During their time on the Mayflower, the pilgrims wrote and signed the Mayflower Compact – this document set up an organized local government for their new colony. The Wampanoag – a Native American tribe – and 2 of their people, Squanto & Samoset helped the Pilgrims survive in their new colony.

The Colonies Grow In 1629, Puritans established the Massachusetts Bay colony in Boston . John Winthorp was chosen as their Governor. In the 1630s, more than 15,000 Puritans journeyed to Massachusetts to escape religious persecution and economic hard times in England. This movement is called the Great Migration. Ironically, Puritans in Massachusetts did not tolerate religious dissent of any kind. In 1636, Minister Thomas Hooker led dissenters from Massachusetts and founded the colony of Hartford, Connecticut. The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut , 1639 – was the first written constitution in America. Roger Williams led his followers from Massachusetts and in 1636 founded the colony of Providence, Rhode Island. Rhode Island was the first place in America that allowed all faiths to worship freely. John Wheelwright led dissenters out of Massachusetts and in 1638 founded Exeter colony in New Hampshire.

Natives American Relations Native American tribes like the Wampanoag, Narragansett, and others lived in the areas around New England. Because the colonies keep expanding, the Natives and the Colonists were competing for land and conflict begins. In 1675, Wampanaog leader Metacomet – known as King Philip, waged war against the New England colonies. King Philip’s War lasted 14 months until the natives were defeated by the colonists. This war diminished the power of the Natives over their land. Now, Colonial settlements began to expand throughout the region

New Netherland – New York L3: The Middle Colonies The English created New York and New Jersey from former Dutch territory. New Netherland – New York Dutch founded New Netherland in 1613 as fur trading post New Amsterdam was center of Trade Peter Stuyvesant led the colony from 1647-1664 English captured colony in 1664 and renamed it New York New Jersey English divided land after New York takeover. Proprietors controlled colony of New Jersey. Had diverse population, including Dutch, Swedes, Finns, and Scots. Also many of different religions. Proprietors offered large tracts of land and religious freedom to new settlers. Became a Royal Colony in 1702

Pennsylvania & Delaware William Penn founded Pennsylvania, a colony for Quakers in 1680 Quakers were a religious group that supported nonviolence and religious tolerance. In 1701 Penn limited his power and established an elected assembly - the Charter of Privileges Groups of non-Quakers settled in an area that became Delaware. Penn allowed these counties to function with limited autonomy.

L4: The Southern Colonies Jamestown was the 1st successful English settlement in the Americas, later becoming part of Virginia. Land owners helped meet the demand for labor by using enslaved Africans. The first Africans were brought as slaves in 1619. Increased need and the falling cost of slaves led colonists to use more slave labor. Many workers were also indentured servants: people who came to America for free by agreeing to work without pay for a set amount of time.

Maryland English Catholics came to America to escape religious persecution. In 1634, Maryland was founded as a refuge for Catholics by Lord Baltimore. In 1760, Charles Mason & Jeremiah Dixon mapped the Mason-Dixon Line, a line separating Maryland & Pennsylvania. The Maryland Assembly passed the Toleration Act of 1649 to support religious tolerance. By 1692, Maryland was a Royal Colony.

Virginia – Bacon’s Rebellion In 1640, the governor of Virginia William Berkley made peace with the local tribes promising not to push further into their territory. Colonists in Virginia grew upset because they felt entitled to settle in Native territory. Nathaniel Bacon was a planter who led a rebellion against the governor’s policies in 1676. They attacked native villages and almost took control of the colony, but Bacon died of illness and the rebellion ended. This proved that the government could NOT ignore the demands of its people.

The Carolinas Carolina was founded in 1663 by 8 Proprietors. Philosopher John Locke wrote its Constitution. Most colonists in North Carolina were farmers. South Carolina had large plantations with many slaves; slave labor became an important part of the agricultural economy. Grew major crops like Rice and Indigo, a blue flower used for dye. It was divided into 2 Royal Colonies, North and South Carolina in 1729.

Georgia Becomes a Colony Georgia was founded by James Oglethorpe as a refuge for debtors in 1733. Served as an important barrier from the Spanish, who controlled La Florida. He wanted small farms, so he outlawed slavery and limited land grants. Settlers were unhappy with these laws and Oglethorpe eventually gave in to their demands. Georgia became a Royal Colony in 1751.