Settling Virginia and New England Chapter 2 Section 2 Settling Virginia and New England

I. Introduction England jealous of Spain’s American empire England formed join-stock companies to pay for expeditions. Investors share in risk and reward 1606-King James I gave a charter to the London Company Gave permission to establish colony in North America Three ships landed in present day Virginia Called the new settlement Jamestown

II. The English Settle Virginia Jamestown had problems from the beginning Land was swampy and unhealthy Few settlers had skills necessary to build colony Instead, searched for gold Did not have enough food for the winter Nearly 2/3 of settlers died in first winter

II. The English Settle Virginia Captain John Smith’s leadership saved the colony Visited the neighboring natives, made friends With help from Powhatan and Pocahontas, obtained enough food for colony to survive Made settlers cut trees, plant crops, fish He that will not work, will not eat

II. The English Settle Virginia Hard times returned when Smith was burned and had to return to England New settlers arrived without food Winter of 1609, 60 of 500 settlers died Starving time A New Cash Crop Survival uncertain until settlers began to grow tobacco John Rolfe borrowed methods of Natives

II. The English Settle Virginia A New Cash Crop By 1619 tobacco was colony’s biggest cash crop Tobacco became known as green gold Tobacco led to physical expansion Soil could only support tobacco for 2-3 years Settlers had to clear more land Tobacco would remain backbone of colony for 200 years

II. The English Settle Virginia The Growth of Jamestown More settlers wanted to come to Virginia Many could not pay for their trip Signed agreements with tobacco planters Planters paid for trip in return for service Indentured servants became important part of Virginia 1619-first Africans arrived in Jamestown on Dutch trading ship Some treated as indentured servants

II. The English Settle Virginia The Growth of Jamestown As Virginia grew, colonists faced a labor shortage By 1650, Africans were being forcibly removed from homeland and sold in Virginia Growth meant need for government All free males elected burgesses, or representatives House of Burgesses Helped governor make laws First elected lawmaking body in the colonies

III. English Settlement in New England 1500s and 1600s-great religious unrest in England In 1500s, religious leaders broke away from Roman Catholic Church Established Church of England Some thought it was still too similar-Separatists Separatists wished to separate themselves from Church of England 1608-about 100 Separatists fled to Holland

III. English Settlement in New England Wanted a more permanent home Gained permission from the London Company to settle in its territory North America Sept. 16, 1620-Mayflower sailed from Plymouth, England 50 Separatists called themselves Pilgrims Smaller number of other passengers Missed target site in Virginia by several hundred miles Chose site in New England for settlement

III. English Settlement in New England Named their new settlement Plymouth Before leaving ship, signed Mayflower Compact Acknowledged authority of King of England Agreed to elect officers, make fair laws, and obey them First political document to recognize right of self-government The Pilgrims of Plymouth Plymouth Colony was different than Jamestown Whole families settled in Plymouth

III. English Settlement in New England The Pilgrims of Plymouth Jamestown had wealthy men unaccustomed to work Pilgrims willing to work hard to make settlement successful First year required back breaking work Clearing trees, shelter, preparing fields Six pilgrims died from disease during first months Each month 10 to 12 more deaths By spring nearly half of colonists had died

III. English Settlement in New England The Pilgrims at Plymouth Only help of Natives helped colonists survive Taught colonists to farm, grow corn, trap animals Economy rested on trading with Natives Shipped goods back to England for high prices By 1640, Plymouth Colony had eight towns and 2,500 people

III. English Settlement in New England The Puritans 1628-group of people called Puritans visited Plymouth Wanted to purify the Church of England After visiting, wanted to establish own settlement Obtained charter from King Charles Organized Massachusetts Bay Company Settled the Massachusetts Bay Colony 1630-more than 1,000 Puritans came to the colony Brought all their belongings

III. English Settlement in New England The Puritans Moved to a new town they called Salem Settlement did well right away Worked hard 1630-1640 more than 10,000 Puritans arrived Groups of Puritans left Salem and built other settlements Boston became the colony’s leading town Others were allowed to live in colony, but had to follow Puritan ways, contribute to church

III. English Settlement in New England The Puritans Puritans placed high value on education Had to be educated to read the Bible Established Harvard College in 1636 Passed first mandatory education law in 1647 Towns with more than 50 families must have school Paid for with taxes Towns with more than 100 families must set up advanced schools Beginning of public schooling in America