Jamestown Colony

 After the failure of Roanoke, it would be more than 15 years before England would try and colonize North America  In 1606, several groups of merchants requested charters from the King so they could colonize After Roanoke

 The Virginia Company managed to receive a charter from the king.  The Virginia Company was a joint- stock company.  In 1606 the Company sent 144 settlers to North America in search of gold. The Virginia Company

 n/videos/jamestown-founded-in n/videos/jamestown-founded-in-1607 Jamestown

 In April of 1607, ships entered the Chesapeake Bay and settled the colony.  Colony was called Jamestown in honor of England’s King James I.  The colony was built on a peninsula so it could be easily defended. Jamestown

 The drawback of the colony’s location included the fact that the land was swampy and humid.  Also, there was no good farm land. Jamestown

 Investors of the colony expected the settlers to find gold and silver quickly.  So the colonists searched for gold and silver rather than growing crops for food.  By 1608 when more supplies and settlers arrived in Jamestown, 38 colonists survived. Jamestown

 John Smith became the governor and quickly forced the colonists to work explore the area and make friends with the Natives.  Smith helped Jamestown become friendly with the tribe led by Chief Powhatan. John Smith

 In August of 1609, 400 more settlers arrived.  In October, Smith left and the colonists went back to doing nothing.  When the winter of ended, most of the colonists died  Only 60 colonists survived the winter known as “The Starving Time” John Smith

 Colonists failed to find gold and silver but they did find another way to make money.  John Rolfe arrived in Jamestown with tobacco seeds and soon the colony flourished with tobacco farms. John Rolfe

 Rolfe was also successful at fixing relationships with the Native Americans.  He ended up marrying Chief Powhatan’s daughter, Pocahontas. John Rolfe

 Rolfe also removed farming restrictions for the colonists. Instead of the farming plots belonging to everyone, colonists could rent plots.  What grew on those plots belonged to the colonists.  This encouraged more colonists to participate in growing food and tobacco. John Rolfe

 Until 1619 colonists lived under strict rules set by The Virginia Company.  In 1619, ten towns in the colony sent 2 representatives called burgesses to an assembly.  This assembly would create and enforce laws in the colony. Government in the colony

 In 1624, King James felt that the Virginia Company had not made enough money.  So he canceled the company’s charter and Jamestown became a royal colony. Government in the colony

 In 1619, 90 more women were sent to the colony. This was to encourage people to have families.  Also in 1619, the first 20 slaves arrived.  Until 1640, most slaves were freed and given their own land.  The first African American born in the colonies was a free man. More people in Jamestown