1. The Virginia Colony: Jamestown is Settled
EQ: Where does American history begin?

2. In 1607, a group of Englishmen sailed from England to the New World and settled in what we today call Virginia.

3. 1st permanent English colony in North America
Jamestown
1st permanent English colony in North America
The 104 settlers named their new home after the King James

4. What was the Goal of the Jamestown Settlers?
The King granted the Virginia company a charter (document of approval) to settle North America and establish an English colony
Jamestown was funded by a Joint-stock company called the Virginia Company

5. Goal:
Make $$$

6. Issues at Jamestown: Settlers Unwilling to Work
Single males
Mostly tradesmen and gentlemen
Privileged, not used to doing manual labor
Many settlers wanted to focus on striking it rich instead of helping build the settlement, grow food, or preparing for winter conditions.

7. Issues at Jamestown: Poor Location
Jamestown was located on the James River in a swampy, mosquito-infested area
This led to widespread disease like malaria and dysentery

8. Issues at Jamestown: Attacks from Native Americans
Native American tribes already existed and controlled North America
When the Jamestown settlers arrived, they look land that belonged to Natives
This caused tension and often led to disagreements and violence
Eventually, the settlers were able to get along with the biggest tribe in the region, the Powhatan tribe

9. Captain John Smith Takes Charge
Mandated discipline to colonists
“He who will not work, shall not eat”
Jamestown became more fortified
Convinced the Powhatan tribe to help the colonists
Food and farming techniques

10. Tobacco Introduced to the Virginia Colony
Brought to Virginia from the Caribbean by John Rolfe
Made the Virginia colonists so much money that it was nicknamed “Brown Gold”

11. The Expansion of Virginia
Tobacco made people so wealthy that more and more people starting coming to Virginia
Large farms, called plantations, were formed
Eventually, the colony extended from the Chesapeake Bay all the way to the Appalachian Mountains

12. As Virginia expanded, two major things happened:
1. Growing plantations needed more laborers
2. A system of government needed to be formed to keep law and order

13. Expansion Leads to a Need for Labor: Indentured Servants
Plantation owners encouraged poor Englishmen to come to the Virginia colony
They offered to pay for their passage to Virginia in exchange for working for a certain number of years on the plantation

14. Indentured Servants: Life After Servitude
With no money and no home, indentured servants were forced to live on the outskirts of Virginia
They often took land from Native Americans who had also been forced to the outskirts of the colony
This angered the Natives and they often attacked the former indentured servants

15. The House of Burgesses
1st representative body of government in the colonies
Formed originally to set a price for tobacco
Eventually tasked with levying taxes on colonists
Only white land-owning men could vote for representatives in the House of Burgesses

16. Causes of Bacon’s Rebellion
Former indentured servants did not technically own land, but were still required to pay taxes
In return for paying taxes, many of these men believed the House of Burgesses should protect them from Native American attacks
The House of Burgesses, made up of rich plantation owners, refused to use funds to protect the poor frontiersmen

17. Bacon’s Rebellion
Nathaniel Bacon led the poor frontiersmen to fight the Native Americans
The group’s success and use of violence worried the rich plantation owners and representatives of the House of Burgesses so they were told to disband
The frustrated group then attacked the elite and the Royal Governor

18. Effects of Bacon’s Rebellion
Established the expectation that government should represent and work for all citizens, not just the wealthy
A new, easier-to-control workforce became necessary

19. Expansion Leads to a Need for Labor: Slavery
After Bacon’s Rebellion, Virginia plantation owners wanted a form of labor that they could control
Slaves were brought from all parts of Africa
Spoke many different languages and had different cultures
Provided Virginia plantations with cheap, never-ending labor

20. Slave Contributions to American Culture
Okra
Watermelon
Sweet potatoes
Rice
Grits
Creole language
Gullah language
“Shotgun” style home
Building techniques