Colonies founded by joint stock company Several investors pool wealth hoping colony would gain profit Once permit is obtained, stock company maintains colony King James I grants charter to Virginia Company Wanted to found a colony along eastern shore of North America King gave 4/5 of all gold and silver (he gets rest of it) ENGLISH SETTLERS STRUGGLE IN NORTH AMERICA

150 passengers on 3 ships– Susan Constant, Discovery, and Godspeed reach in 1607 Named Jamestown in honor of King John Smith sensed trouble Contaminated river water fuels disease Hunger begins All but 38 colonists die “He that will not work shall not eat” Powhatan people give food John Smith catches on fire and goes back to England VIRGINIA COMPANY

Spring 1609 – 600 new colonists Powhatan nervous, kill colonists livestock Famine sets in Ate roots, rats, snakes, and boiled shoe leather 60 out of 600 colonists survive

Colonists flee, but are convinced to stay Colonists severely punished by new leaders for neglecting work Flogged and hanged BIG cash crop: TOBACCO JAMESTOWN BEGINS TO FLOURISH

1612 – John Rolfe cross bred tobacco from Brazil with what they had in North America High quality tobacco Late 1620s- export more than 1.5 million pounds of “brown gold” to England each year Needed field laborers to keep growing Introduced headright system – anyone who paid for their passage to Virginia received 50 acres of land. “BROWN GOLD” AND INDENTURED SERVANTS

The large areas of land come to be known as “Plantations” Owners imported indentured servants from England. in exchange for passage and food and shelter, indentured servants agree to limited term of servitude (4-7 years)

Africans arrive in 1619 Originally treated as indentured servants Most received land and freedom after a few years Would be several decades before slavery begins Tobacco used as currency Indentured servants purchased for 1000 lbs of tobacco Slaves cost double or triple the amount Late 1600s – decline in indentured servants, increase in wealth Lots of slaves are imported, and are never freed THE FIRST AFRICAN LABORERS

English Pattern of Conquest Not allowed to live among or intermarry with Irish View Native Americans the same way Settlers Battle Native Americans Leaders demand corn and labor from Native Americans Set Powhatan villages on fire, kidnap kids Pocahontas – Chief Powhatan’s daughter – kidnapped Marries John Rolfe SETTLERS CLASH WITH NATIVE AMERICANS

1622 – Chief Opechancanough orders attacks Kills more than 340 colonists Virginia Company send in more troops & supplies James I revokes the charter Virginia is now a royal colony 1644 – 10,000 men and women live in Virginia Powhatan population declines

Former servants are poor – don’t own land? Can’t vote. Hostilities Develop – Governor Sir William Berkeley Impose high taxes on poor people Money went to plantation farmers 1675 – battle between settlers and natives erupts Shows clash between rich and poor settlers Settlers murder 14 friendly natives and kill 5 chiefs during PEACE conference Governor refuses to give support that will help poor settlers ECONOMIC DIFFERENCES SPLIT VIRGINIA

Nathaniel Bacon – planter Hated Native Americans 1676 – raises army to fight natives Gov. Berkeley declares army illegal Bacon marches through Jamestown and asks about representation for poorer settlers in House of Burgesses Turns violent Set fire to town Berkeley and planters flee Bacon dies from illness, Berkeley returns to Jamestown Berkeley called to meet king because he’s shady, but dies beforehand Bacon’s Rebellion