First English Settlements

England plans colonies merchants supported plan for colonies charter- written contract giving certain rights to persons or groups

Jamestown founded in 1607 charter from the Virginia Company hoped to make money

Difficult at first because… swampy land poor water Natives greed for gold low on food (2/3 starved) no trade cold winter

Jamestown succeeds adapted to land tobacco brought in money 1619: brought slaves to help work House of Burgesses (Representatives) established

House of Burgesses first representative assembly in America elected reps met once a year to make laws

Plymouth *Separatists 1620 wanted to escape religious persecution in England and worship as they pleased (Pilgrims)

Mayflower ship that brought them to America

Mayflower Compact document signed aboard the Mayflower to ensure order in the colonies

Difficult at first because… starving disease Natives no trade, originally women were chattel (little freedom)

Plymouth succeeds Native Americans help them to raise crops First Thanksgiving land ownership fishing/whaling, and hunting

Famous People of the English American Colonies Captain John Smith – established 1st permanent colony in Jamestown, VA befriended Pocahontas & Powhatan Chief William Penn – Quaker; founded Pennsylvania Roger Williams – created Rhode Island colony; practiced religious tolerance & dealing fair with Natives; Religious Leader Anne Hutchinson – pioneer settler of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, & New Netherlands; because she believed you could directly talk to God, they banned her from the colony; Religious Leader John Winthrop – led Puritans to the New World, joined Massachusetts Bay Colony; Religious Leader

People in the New World Property Owners – well off; men given property by the governor (person in charge of the colony) African Americans – slaves; 1st brought here by the Dutch women – inferior; were not men’s equal Native Americans – “savages”; not real people Indentured Servants – in exchange for being brought to the new world, a person would work their fee off (approximately 5 years); free people, not slaves