It all Started with the Lost Colony… Sir Walter Raleigh given rights to claim land for Queen Elizabeth in August 1587 1st sends Philip Amadas and Arthur Bartlowe to check out sites Find Roanoke Island off coast of NC They depend too much on NA’s, strain relations, 1st attempt fails

2yrs later Raleigh sends John White and more men White has to return to England for supplies and gets stuck there for 3yrs due to war with Spain White left his daughter there and his grand daughter is born– Virginia Dare– 1st English child born in the new world

When White returns, the settlement is abandoned, supplies left, no bodies Only clue is word “Croatoan” carved several places nearby White can’t search because of a hurricane, returns to England No one knows what happened to settlers, Croatan Indians kill them? Live with them? Went and settled in mainland NC?

Lets try it again In 1605, a company of English merchants asked King James I for the rights to create a settlement In 1606, the king granted the request to settle in a region called Virginia. Yes, you may settle in Virginia.

Founding a New Colony The English merchants formed a joint-stock company called the London Company Allowed the group to share the cost and risk of creating the colony 105 colonists arrived in America and founded Jamestown, the 1st permanent English colony in North America.

Location of Jamestown When the settlers first arrived, Jamestown was located on a narrow peninsula bordered on three sides by the James River. Today Jamestown is located on an island in the James River. Jamestown

Reasons for the Location of Jamestown The location could be easily defended from attack by sea by the Spanish. The water along the shore was deep enough for ships to dock. Believed to be a good supply of fresh water.

The colonists were NOT well prepared Most of the colonists who came to Jamestown were adventurers with no farming experience or useful skills By the time winter arrived, 2/3 of the original colonists DIED Many of the colonists died from malaria (mosquito bites)

Primary Source Analysis “Nay, so great was our famine, that a Salvage we slew, and buried, the poorer sort tooke him up againe and eat him, and so did divers one another boyled and stewed with roots and herbs: And one amongst the rest did kill his wife, powdered [i.e. salted] her, and had eaten part of her before it was knowne, for which hee was executed, as hee well deserved; now whether shee was better roasted, boyled or carbonado’d, I know not, but of such a dish as powdered wife I never heard of.” Source: John Smith’s Account of the Starving Time, 1609-10 How did settlers attempt to stave off starvation? (CITE evidence) How did starvation affect the way that settlers treated one another? (CITE evidence)

Captain John Smith As leader of the Jamestown Colony he helped to restore order with one simple rule “He that will not work, will not eat.” He forced settlers to work harder and to build houses Rewarded good workers with food He also initiated trading relationships with the Powhatan Indian tribes lead by Chief Powhatan.

Which was the REAL Smith?

Smith is saved!

John Rolfe married Pocahontas, who was the daughter of the Powhatan leader He began experimenting with growing tobacco, eventually using seeds grown in the West Indies to develop Virginia’s first profitable export. Their marriage helped the colonists form more peaceful relations with the Powhatan natives The couple sailed to England with their infant son in 1616; seven months later, Pocahontas died as they prepared to travel home.

Daily Life In Virginia People lived on farms instead of towns People grew tobacco on plantations (large farms) Tobacco was so valuable that it was sometimes used as money ($$)

The Headright System The headright system: colonists who paid to come to Virginia from England received 50 acres of land A colonist could earn another 50 acres of land for every additional person brought over from England Rich colonists who brought servants or relatives to Virginia were given BIG pieces of land!

Indentured Servants Many colonists were dying, which led to worker shortages Many of the workers in Virginia were called indentured servants These men signed a contract to work for 4 to 7 years for the colonists who paid to come to Virginia

Women Come to Jamestown The first women settlers came Jamestown in 1620. The arrival of women made it possible for the settlers to establish families and a more permanent settlement at Jamestown.

Africans Come to Jamestown Africans arrived in Jamestown against their will in 1619. It is believed that they arrived as baptized Christians and therefore were labeled indentured servants for a period of 5 to 7 years. The arrival of Africans made it possible to expand the tobacco economy.

The first government 1st Representative (elected) Government is formed– House of Burgesses

Virginia House of Burgesses The Virginia house of Burgesses was the first elected legislative body in America giving settlers the opportunity to control their own government. It became the General Assembly of Virginia, which continues to this day.

Everything wasn't perfect though... Colonial officials began to ask for more taxes from the colonists Poor colonists protested the taxes and were mad at the close relationship the colony had with the Native Americans 1676: a group of former indentured servants led by Nathaniel Bacon attacked some Indians This attack was called Bacon’s Rebellion revolution