Early Colonies Have Mixed Success The First English Colonies Envious of wealth of Spain No jobs in England – hoped to come to America to get rich Early Colonies Fail Roanoke Island Founded by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1585 Forced to leave Lack of food Local tribes Tried again in 1587 Colony disappeared No one knows what happened to colonists “Lost Colony of Roanoke”

Financing a Colony – Raleigh lost all his money – paid for Roanoke by himself – Other people didn’t want to risk this – Joint-stock companies – group of people called investors give money to a project with hopes of earning a profit » Share risk » Split the earnings, depending on how much each person invests – Two joint-stock companies were created » Virginia Company of London » Virginia Company of Plymouth » Each granted a charter - written document giving permission to establish a colony » Mercantilism – economic system in which government control of trade to help ensure wealth and security Colonies used for natural resources Colonies used as a market to sell goods Led to enrichment of “mother” country

Jamestown is Founded in 1607 At mouth of Chesapeake Bay, along James River Named after King James I First permanent English settlement Jamestown Struggles to Survive Diseases carried by water and insects Looked for gold instead of working Not prepared for different climate Within 6 months, over 60% of colonists had died

John Smith took control No work, no food policy Brought colony to order. Injured in gunpowder explosion, had to return to England Colony fell back into disarray “starving time” – forced to eat rats, snakes, etc – Lord De La Warr arrived with supplies, imposed discipline, “saved” colony Still did not get along with local Powhatan tribe Tense, ocassionally violent Improved when chief’s daughter (Pocahontas) married a colonist (John Rolfe)

Tobacco Transforms the Colony Couldn’t find gold 1614 – Rolfe sent first shipment of tobacco to England Became popular – ensured survival of Jamestown Colonists demanded share of profits (they were all share holders of the Virginia Company of London) Company responded by allowing them to own land Worked harder as a result Tobacco farms spread along James River, then other rivers in region Allowed for easy transportation of tobacco New settlers offered a headright – 50 acres of land to anyone who could pay their own way Indentured Servants – people who could not afford it agreed to work for a person if that person paid for passage to America (usually for 4 to 6 years) 1619 – first Africans arrived

The House of Burgesses is Formed Settlers upset with lack of self-government Virginia Company allowed elected reps. to meet once a year House of Burgesses First elected assembly in America Could pass local laws Could raise taxes

Representative Government Powhatan uprising in 1622 Threatened by expansion of English colonies Attacked settlements in March 1622 ¼ of colonists were killed King James revoked colonies charter – made it a royal colony Also dissolved (got rid of) House of Burgesses Colonists protested Charles I reinstated assembly in 1629 Tradition of representative government took root at this time