Early English Settlements

Essential Questions/Today ’ s Agenda Why did the English settle in North America? What happened at Roanoke? What are the 3 types of colonies? What was life like in early colonies?

Trouble with England & Spain Spain and England moving towards a war…. Why? -Fighting over land, religious differences, & trading rivalry King Phillip II of Spain wanted to put a Catholic ruler on the throne of England because Queen Elizabeth (Daughter of Henry VIII) was a Protestant

Spanish Armada King Phillip establishes the Spanish Armada (fleet of ships) to attack England Sir Francis Drake attacked and defeated the Spanish Armada England had destroyed the powerful Spanish Navy and had an open road to colonize in North America

Why Colonize in North America? Economic times in England are tough Commercial farming, crop rotations, and iron ploughs decreased the need for farmers = increase in poverty and homelessness Some suggested that England ship the poor citizens to the new world to solve the “street problem” The queen was reluctant to invest public money instead joint stock companies invested Opportunity for $, get more land, freedom, and get rid of poor people

3 Types of Colonies Joint Stock Companies – private investors gave money to develop colonies in hopes of high returns on their investment Proprietary Colonies – Owned by a single person or single family. These colonies were ran like a dictatorship Royal Colonies – Colonies under the direct rule of the king or queen

Sir Walter Raleigh had the right to claim land in North America from the Queen He sent a group to find a good place to settle They found Roanoke Island off the present day coast of North Carolina 100 men established the colony and stayed for a difficult winter In men, 17 women, and 9 children were left ( John White a mapmaker and artist led the group) Mystery of Roanoke

Roanoke Continued White later returned to England for supplies He did not return to Roanoke for 3 years When he returned no one was there He found the word Croatoan carved in a gate post Historians to this day do not know what happened

Jamestown In December 1606, The Virginia Company sent 144 settlers in 3 ships to build a new colony The first few months very difficult (disease, hunger, swampy location) Colony survives because of John Smith made the people work, gather, and explore Smith would return to England in 1609 and Jamestown would struggle known as “the starving time”

Jamestown

Jamestown Boom $ Colonists discovered how to raise tobacco using seeds from the West Indies = $$$$$$$ Relations with Natives improved after John Rolfe marries Pocahontas, the daughter of the Chief Powhatan Later women, children, and slaves would arrive 1624 King James canceled the charter and made Jamestown England’s first royal colony

Exit Card What was life like at the beginning of the Jamestown colony? What happened at Roanoke? What are the three types of colonies What new crop gave colonists an economic boom in Jamestown?