Jammin’ Jamestown
Christopher Columbus 1492, discovered the New World Spain began exploring and colonizing (conquering the Aztecs and Incas) Spain brought back gold and treasures
Envious England Jealous of Spain’s good fortune Wanted gold and riches Queen Elizabeth permits Sir Walter Raleigh to create a colony
Roanoke Raleigh sent John White Supplies at the colony ran low White returned to England When he returned all 117 colonist had disappeared Called the “Lost Colony”
Roanoke
20 Years Later King James I issued a charter to the Virginia Company to create a colony Reason - $$$$$ 1607 – One hundred and five colonists arrived in Virginia Named colony Jamestown after King James I
What the colonists thought they would find…
What they actually found…
Disastrous Start to Jamestown Swampy conditions Mosquitoes spread malaria Unhealthy drinking water Starvation Many died
Captain John Smith Leader of Jamestown Complained colonists weren’t farmers but only gold seekers Established strict work rules NO WORK, NO FOOD!!!
Suspicious Natives Didn’t like or trust colonists Hostile relations They capture Smith with plans to execute him
Pocahontas Daughter of chief, thirteen years old Throws herself in front of Smith to save him Helped colony with food
Pocahontas (continued) Smith returned to England because of an injury Pocahontas taken prisoner by colonists She learned Christianity Married colonists John Rolfe Moved to England, had a child
Tobacco saves Jamestown Had to eat rats, cats and dogs to survive Used wood from houses for firewood Began farming tobacco Tobacco became a huge money maker, saving the colony
Jammin’ Jamestown
Jamestown’s Government House of Burgesses (1st form of representative government in North America) Met to create laws for the colony
The Settlement of Jamestown