The First English Colonies Chapter 3-5 The First English Colonies

VOCABULARY charter - a legal document giving certain rights to a person or company representative government - a government in which voters elect representatives to govern for them Magna Carta - a document that guaranteed rights to English nobles. Parliament - the representative assembly in England

VOCABULARY Mayflower Compact - an agreement, made in 1620, which established methods by which the Plymouth colony was to be ruled, signed by the Pilgrims right before they landed at Plymouth

Settlement at Roanoke Sir Walter Raleigh encourages Richard Hakluyt to write Queen Elizabeth I to persuade her to set up colonies in North America. Why did I think a settlement in North America would be good for England?

Answer: Raleigh thought that the Queen would be interested in North America’s resources, especially its timber supply. North America had: * Good harbors * Plenty of timber to make ships * Plenty of trees to make masts * It was all FREE!

Raleigh raised enough money to outfit a colony in North America. In 1585 they landed on Roanoke Island (off of the coast of North Carolina). Within a year, food grew short. They began to quarrel with local Indians. John White was sent back to England and returns with new settlers, including women and children. Virginia Dare is born. She is the first British child born in North America. Supplies run low again and White returns to England to resupply. It takes him three years to return. When he does return, all of Roanoke’s settlers are gone. Their disappearance is still a mystery.

ALL THAT IS LEFT IS A CARVING ON A TREE THAT READ “CROATOAN.”

Jamestown Colony

The Virginia Company receives a charter from King James I. This charter guarantees the settlers of Jamestown the same rights as all Englishmen.

This charter allows them to settle north of Roanoke between North Carolina and the Potomac River.

1607 – Jamestown is built near Chesapeake Bay along the James River 1607 – Jamestown is built near Chesapeake Bay along the James River. Unfortunately, it is built in a swampy area full of mosquitoes. What disease is spread by mosquitos? Malaria

Starvation & Recovery Government: Jamestown had a 13 man council that argued all the time. Before long, the colony was in peril. Captain John Smith takes over. He feels that the settlers are too interested in gold. He sets up stern rules, including a new work-to-eat policy. He visits nearby Indian tribes to trade for food.

John Smith & the Indians Smith meets with the most powerful Indian chief in the area, Powhatan. Powhatan agrees to sell corn to the English. The English, however, take the corn violently. Before long the English and the Indians are involved in many bloody conflicts. One solution: John Rolfe marries Pocahontas.

What happens next? Smith leaves the Jamestown colony and it begins to falter again. In 1612, the settlers of Jamestown begin to grow tobacco and it becomes a huge economic success. King James considers tobacco to be vile. Nevertheless, it becomes a huge fad in England. It becomes Jamestown’s CASH CROP, making the settlement lots of money.

Representative Government Jamestown settlers could elect burgesses, or representatives. Their Assembly was called the House of Burgesses. They made the laws for the colony. This marks the start of representative government, where voters elect representatives to make laws for them.

Representative History Magna Carta – 1215 – King John is forced to sign a document that states that monarchs, like everyone else, must obey the law. To raise taxes, the king must consult the Great Council (which later is called Parliament). House of Lords House of Commons

So, who could vote in Jamestown? At first, ANY free adult could vote. Later, only land-holding males could vote.

New Arrivals in Virginia - Women Virginia colony makes money from marriages (159 pounds of tobacco for a wife!). Women helped to make the colony more settled. They could not vote. They made everything from scratch.

New Arrivals in Virginia - Africans 1619 – First Africans arrive in VA. Colonists valued them for their agricultural skills. First African born in the English colonies – William 1644 – 300 Africans lived in Virginia Slaves for life Servants that would one day be free. Free Planters – at first they could own property, testify in court, and vote Later 1600s – Virginians allow slavery Slavery expands and free planters lose their rights.

Pilgrims Seek Religious Freedom Pilgrims = Separatists – they wanted to separate from the Church of England (Protestant). The Church was persecuting them with punishments such as arrest, fines, and executions. The Pilgrims Journey Some leave for Leyden, in the Netherlands. The Dutch were tolerant of many religions. The Pilgrims weren’t happy there however, so they went back to England.

Pilgrims Seek Religious Freedom So the Pilgrims ask, and are granted a charter to establish their own colony in Virginia. September 1620 – Over 100 men, women, and children board the Mayflower and head to North America. A storm sends them off- course and they land on the shore of Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

The Mayflower Compact Before they leave the boat for shore, the Pilgrims set up an agreement called the Mayflower Compact. In it, they agreed to consult (ask) each other about the laws they would create and enforce and they promised to work together. This was a good plan, for the first winter was so severe that almost half of the colony died of disease or starvation.

The Mayflower Compact

Help from the Natives The Wamanoag Indians helped the Pilgrims. Squanto brought them seeds of corn, beans, and pumpkins and showed them how to plant these seeds. The next harvest was successful. The Pilgrims hold a celebration to honor this great harvest (which they thought was given by God). We celebrate their success every year on our national holiday THANKSGIVING. It is a day when we give thanks for all the good in our lives.

The First Thanksgiving

Where is Plymouth, Mass.?

QUESTIONS

The Magna Carta Parliament 1. What were the origins of representative government in the English colonies? The Magna Carta Parliament

2. Which Virginia colonists were denied equal rights? Men without property Women Nonwhites

3. Why did the Pilgrims come to the Americas? The pilgrims came to the Americas to practice their religion freely, without fear of persecution.

4. Describe two ways in which Squanto helped the Plymouth colonies. Squanto showed them how to grow corn, beans, and pumpkins and how to catch eels for food.

5. How do we use representative government today? We elect representatives to local, state, and national legislatures.

6. How were the reasons for creating Jamestown different from the reasons for founding Plymouth? Jamestown was founded to create wealth for the Virginia Company, whereas Pilgrims went to Plymouth for religious reasons.