The Southern Colonies Take Root Chapter 2.1

England establishes colonies Sir Walter Raleigh and others felt an American colony would solve some of England’s problems Growing population Stagnant economy Increased poverty Raleigh would go on to establish Roanoke. The first failed and the second disappeared Roanoke

Why do you think early settlements were founded on or near bodies of water?

Jamestown The Virginia Company obtained a charter (certificate of permission) to begin a colony The Virginia Company was a joint-stock company This was a group of investors who went in on a business venture together Set up along the Chesapeake Bay – founded Jamestown Fertile lands, good harbors, and navigable waterways

Powhatan Powerful Algonquin chief who ruled the 24,000 Indians in the region He hoped to contain the English settlers and use them against his enemies He wanted to trade for weapons War broke out between the English and his people resulting in his daughter Pocahontas being taken captive She later married John Rolfe and became a Christian

Early problems and solutions Colonists suffered from disease and hunger Out of 10,000 people the Virginia Company brought to the colony only 20% were alive in 1622 Jamestown was built on a swampy island, separated from the mainland by a small winding river. Most of the area was wetland that was unsuitable for farming. Tobacco finally saves the colony thanks to the work of John Rolfe Tobacco profits Jamestown

Virginia Company Virginia company offered free land through the headrights system Anyone who paid their own passage to the colony received 50 acres of land for free People would also receive 50 acres for wives, children over the age of 15, and servants they brought over The wealthy were able to build huge plantations through this system

Virginia Company Allowed planters to create the House of Burgesses – the first representative body in colonial America Could make laws and raise taxes Male landowners could elect 2 leaders known as Burgesses to represent their settlement

Expansion creates conflict Colonial survivors destroyed Indian villages and their crops, leading to starvation among the Indians Opechancanough (Powhatan’s brother) makes peace but fighting breaks out again as the colonists take more land

Expansion created conflicts Nathaniel Bacon Planter who wanted more land Governor William Berkeley Levied heavy taxes on planters and used the money to reward his favorites in the House of Burgesses

Bacon’s Rebellion War breaks out again between the Indians and settlers in the Potomac Valley Nathaniel Bacon creates a militia to fight the Indians – doesn’t care if they are peaceful or hostile Made up of poor planters who are fed up with not having as much land as the wealthy

Bacon’s Rebellion Berkeley protests Bacon marched his militia into Jamestown and burned it to the ground Rebellion showed that colonists would not tolerate a government catered to the wealthy Leaders reduce their taxes and improved their access to new land

Southern Colonies Virginia 1st Southern colony Maryland established by Lord Baltimore as a refuge for Catholics A proprietary colony

Southern Colonies Carolinas Georgia Belonged to a group of aristocrats – the Lords Proprietor 1st settlement Charles Town People reject the Lords Proprietor and want the Crown to take over Georgia Founded by James Oglethorpe Started as a place for the poor and criminals to start over

Types of colonies Jamestown began as a charter colony In 1624 it became a royal colony when the English Crown took over Proprietary colonies also developed – these owned by powerful individuals or companies