The First English Colonies  Late 1500s English government was envious of wealth Spanish found in the New World  English people faced with few job opportunities at home, hoped to find riches in America

Early Colonies Fail  no one knows for sure what happened to the “LOST COLONY”  possible Croatoan (local tribe) either killed colonists or took them into tribe  1607 English tried to start colonies in Maine it was also failed  Queen Elizabeth I gives Sir Walter Raleigh charter to establish England’s first colony (1585)  name of colony is Virginia founded on Roanoke Island  local tribes and lack of food forced the colonists return to England  second attempt at Roanoke, 1587

Jamestown is founded in 1607  1607 – 100 colonists sent by VC of L sailed into Chesapeake Bay…up the James River – Jamestown, (first English Settlement in North America) Financing a Colony  both received permission from King James I with charters granted in 1606  colonies were an important part of the mercantilism  Raleigh lost his investment  merchants tried to finance a colony through a joint-stock company, a company funded by investors  2 joint-stock companies formed to colonize America * The Virginia Company of London * The Virginia Company of Plymouth

Jamestown Struggles to Survive  Jamestown had troubles *diseases carried by insects and water *searched for treasure instead of building houses and planting *harsh climates  by 1608 only 38 colonists remained  John Smith took over as governor  after Smith’s departure… The Starving Time began *colonists ate rodents and snakes  relieve ships came in 1610  Lord De La Warr imposes discipline  Pocahontas of the Powhatan reduced tensions between the tribe and the colonists after she married John Rolfe

Tobacco transforms the Colony  colonists didn’t find gold – discovered tobacco *1614 – John Rolfe sent the first shipment of tobacco to England *ensures the colonies will survive  colonists wanted share of profits and were rewarded with their own land *settlers work own land  rivers in the region allowed tobacco to be shipped directly to England  to attract settlers: VA company offered headright  those who could not afford passage usually became indentured servant

The House of Burgesses is Formed  settlers became frustrated at lack of self- government  VA Company allowed Burgesses to meet once a year  House of Burgesses *established 1619 *first representative assembly in the colonies *power to pass local laws *power to raise & collect taxes

Representative Government  1622 Powhatan uprising *Jamestown survived * VA Company charter taken away  King James I took control of colony as a royal colony  James opposed idea of elected governments (banned House of Burgesses)  outraged colonists petitioned the King James I to have assembly restored  1629 King Charles I restores House of Burgesses *1639 royal governors required to call assembly into meeting once a year