EARLY ENGLISH SETTLEMENTS Chapter 3, Section 1

Spanish Dominance In the summer of 1588, Spanish warships sailed toward the coast of England. This fleet of ships was known as the Spanish Armada and consisted 132 ships, 30,000 troops and 2,400 guns. At the time, the Spanish Armada was considered to be the mightiest naval force ever assembled.

An English Upset Despite its huge size, the Spanish Armada was defeated by a swifter English fleet. The defeat of the Spanish Armada marked the end of Spanish control of the seas. The defeat also paved the way for England and other nations to start colonies in North America.

The Lost Colony of Roanoke In 1584 Queen Elizabeth gave Sir Walter Raleigh the right to claim land in North America. In 1587 Raleigh sent 91 men, 17 women and 9 children to settle Roanoke Island, off the coast of present day North Carolina. What happened to the colony is one of the greatest mysteries in American history.

Lost Colony of Roanoke Here is what we know about the English colony of Roanoke: The colonist arrived in July of 1587. On August 18, 1587, Eleanor Dare gave birth to a daughter she named Virginia, thus earning the distinction of being the first English child born on American soil.

Lost Colony of Roanoke A man by the name of John White was given charge of heading up the colony. As he and the new settlers began establishing the colony, White soon realized he needed many more supplies. In September White set sail for England in order to gain more supplies. White left his family behind at Roanoke and expected to return in only a few months.

Lost Colony of Roanoke Upon his arrival in England, White found himself trapped by the impending invasion of the Spanish Armada. Finally, two years after the stunning defeat of the Armada, he again departed for Roanoke Island. He arrived on August 18, 1590 and found the settlement at Roanoke completely deserted, plundered.

Lost Colony of Roanoke When White returned to the colony, the only thing he found was the word “CROATOAN” and “CRO” carved into trees.

ROANOKE Roanoke became known as the colony that disappeared.

Lost Colony of Roanoke What happened to the colony? What happened to the settlers is a complete mystery! Historians have tried to piece together the true story as to the disappearance of the colonist but no one knows for sure.

Lost Colony of Roanoke Theories: 1. Integration with Natives 2. Destruction Spanish Natives 3. Failed Return

Jamestown In June of 1606, King James I granted a charter (land agreement) to a group of London entrepreneurs (merchants), named The Virginia Company, to establish an English settlement in the Chesapeake region of North America. Upon the announcement, investors bought stock in the company with the hope of gaining a share of future profits.

Jamestown Settlement In 1606 the Virginia Company sent 144 settlers (men and boys) in 3 ships to build a new colony in North America. The settlers were supposed to look for gold and attempt to establish trade. Forty of the settlers actually died on the voyage to North America.

Jamestown Settlement In April 1607, the ships entered Chesapeake Bay and sailed up a river. The colonists named the river the James River and their new settlement Jamestown to honor their king. Jamestown was built on a peninsula so they could defend it from attack.

Jamestown Settlement Jamestown had problems from the very beginning! Jamestown was built on swampy land and swarmed with mosquitoes! Jamestown lacked an irrigation system so the land was not the best for farming. Settlers spent the majority of time searching for gold and silver (that did not exist) instead of trying to grow crops! In 1608 when ships arrived with supplies and more settlers, only 38 of the original Jamestown colonists remained alive!

Jamestown Settlement One of the main reasons the colony survived its first two years was because of their leader. A 27 year old man….Captain John Smith.

Jamestown Settlement Smith was an experienced soldier and explorer. Smith forced settlers to work, explored the surrounding area and managed to acquire corn from local Native Americans led by Chief Powhatan.

Jamestown Settlement In August 1609, 400 new settlers arrived at Jamestown. Two months later John Smith was injured in a gunpowder explosion and had to return to England. The winter of 1609 was known as “the starving time” in Jamestown. Jamestown settlers had no food and were forced to eat rats, sawdust, grubs and even leather from their belts.

Starving Time To make things worse, Jamestown experienced Indian attacks. Chief Powhatan had become angry because the colonists were stealing native food stores.

Starving Time When settlers arrived in the spring, they found only 60 survivors (out of the original 438).

Jamestown Settlement Did anything good happen in Jamestown? Although no gold or silver was found, one colonist named John Rolfe perfected a method of growing tobacco. Tobacco becomes a cash crop for Virginia.

Jamestown Settlement In 1619 Jamestown gained the right for self representation in the colony, this government was known as the House of Burgesses. Also in 1619, the Virginia Company sent 90 women to Jamestown, thus, marriage and children became a part of life in Virginia. Also in 1619, 20 Africans were sold to Virginia tobacco planters. Until 1640 some African laborers were free and even owned property.

Jamestown Settlement Jamestown is important because it was the first permanent English settlement in the Americas.

Jamestown Settlement In the early 1620’s, the Virginia Company (who sponsored the Jamestown colony) faced financial trouble. In 1624 King James canceled the company’s charter and made Jamestown the first royal colony for England in America.

Pocahontas John Smith arrives in America. Is almost killed by natives. His life is saved by a beautiful native woman who can talk to animals. And they live happily ever after!

WRONGGGGG! The Disney movie is wildly inaccurate!

#1

#2 Pocahontas was taken hostage for over a year by Jamestown colonists. she had helped the same colonists 5 years earlier when they were struggling to survive.

#3 As an agreement for her release, she (17) married 28 year old John Rolfe (the tobacco guy).

The Real Pocahontas