The Planting of English America 1500 - 1733

England’s Imperial Stirring Within 100 years of Columbus landing Americas radically transformed 1600 - most of North America unclaimed, unexplored In the 1500s, Britain failed to effectively colonize due to internal conflicts. Elizabeth I became queen, Britain became basically Protestant, rivalry with Catholic Spain intensified. Late 1500’s English attack Spanish ships for gold (Sir Francis Drake) First English attempts at colonization (Newfoundland 1583, Roanoke 1585) failed 1588 English defeat Spanish Armada Allows English to cross North Atlantic Victory gives English reason for exploration/settlement

England’s Colonization of the Americas Reasons for English colonization of the Americas 1500’s growing population New enclosure laws – less land for poor Wool industry collapsed Population became mobile (looking for jobs) Tradition of primogeniture = 1st born son inherits ALL father’s land. Younger sons tried their luck with fortunes elsewhere, like America. Unity under a popular monarch Early1600s,  joint-stock company perfected (investors put money into the company with hopes for a good return), provided financing for colonization Joint-stock companies usually did not exist long, stockholders invested to make a profit, then quickly sell for profit a few years later Charter gave settlers same rights as Englishmen Joint Stock Company (Virginia Company) given charter by King James I to settle in New World

Jamestown - 1607 On May 24, 1607, about 100 English settlers disembarked from their ship and founded Jamestown.   Problems included: the swampy site of Jamestown, poor drinking water, mosquitoes caused malaria and yellow fever. men wasted time looking for gold rather than doing useful tasks (digging wells, building shelter, planting crops) zero women on the initial ship. 1608  Captain John Smith took over control and whipped the colonists into shape, gave order and discipline, highlighted by his “no work, no food” policy. Colonists had to eat cats, dogs, rats, even other people. One fellow wrote of eating “powdered wife.” 1610 a relief party headed by Lord De La Warr arrived to alleviate the suffering. 1625 out of an original overall total of 8,000 would-be settlers, only 1,200 had survived.

Indian/European Relations At first English seen potential allies, relations grew worse when English began to raid Indian food supplies De La Warr began “total war” against Indians Early 1600’s clashes decimated Indians pushed them westward, removed them from ancestral lands European colonization disrupted way of life Disease took out population Trade intensified competition among tribes Tribes along Atlantic seaboard felt effects the most When colonists could grow their own food they had little use for Indians, Europeans wanted their land

Virginia Tobacco savior of Virginia Colony cash crop- Jamestown had found its gold. Tobacco created a greed for land- heavily depleted the soil and ruined the land. Representative self-government  in Virginia 1619 settlers created the House of Burgesses, a committee to work out local issues. This set America on a pathway to self-rule 1619 first Africans sold as slaves

Maryland 1634 founded by Lord Baltimore as Catholic refuge (from Protestant English) Second plantation colony Huge estates given to Catholic families, poorer, Protestants settled there also, created friction between two groups Tobacco main crop, labor source was indentured servants (slaves came in late 1600’s) Religious toleration Permitted freedom of worship to all Christians 1649- Act of Toleration, guaranteed religious toleration to all Christians, but decreed the death penalty to Jews, atheists, others who didn’t believe in the divinity of Jesus More Catholics in Maryland than any English speaking colony in the New World

The West Indies Decline of Spanish power led British to secure Caribbean Islands Sugar main crop Labor intensive, capital intensive Needed to be wealthy to start plantation Caused large numbers of slaves to be imported Slave Codes established in West Indies 1700 slaves outnumber settlers 4:1 defined the legal status of slaves and the rights of the masters. They were typically strict and exacted severe punishments for offenders. Sugar plantation system caused islands to depend  on American colonies for food, basic supplies Smaller farmers left islands and settled in southern colonies 1670 group arrives in Carolina, brings slaves from Barbados Slave codes adopted in Carolina 1696 Slave codes became model for statutes governing slavery across colonies

The Carolinas Developed close economic ties with “sugar islands” Many immigrated from region , brought slave trade with them Rice major export crop African slaves had knowledge  to grow rice Slaves had natural immunity to malaria Ideal laborers for rice plantations By 1710 majority of people in Carolinas were African slaves Charles Town major seaport Diverse tolerant community Attracted French Protestant refugees Caused friction with Spain

North Carolina Wild northern expanse of Carolina Settled more slowly because lack of good harbors Attracted outcasts and religious dissenters Raised tobacco and other crops on small farms, little need for slaves (few large plantations) Distinctive traits: irreligious, hospitable to pirates, spirit of resistance to authority, , democratic, independent minded, least aristocratic of 13 colonies 1712 separated from S.C.

Georgia 1733-Last colony to be “planted” Savannah major port Founded by prison reform group, major leader James Oglethorpe Debtors from England sent there Established as buffer between English, Spanish Only colony to receive money from English government Diverse communities Religious toleration for all except Catholics Least populous colony Restrictive slavery laws

The Plantation Colonies Agriculture export based economies Slavery in all colonies Small group owned most of the land Rural population made it hard to establish towns, schools and churches Religiously tolerant