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Published byDeirdre Reeves Modified over 9 years ago
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The Economy of Colonial Virginia RACHEL PEGELOW
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Founding of the Virginia Colony Founded at Jamestown in 1607 Difficult conditions Starving time Hostile Native Americans Other productions failed John Rolfe introduced tobacco as a cash crop in 1613
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Tobacco Plantations Individual plantations rather than centralized settlements Plantations on rivers, each with a private dock or wharf Rivers were deep enough for tobacco ships to travel inland
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Tobacco Plantations Average size 200 acres or less One-two rooms, dirt floors, chimney and fireplace Slaves lived in outbuildings Livestock: Oxen, horses, chickens, pigs, cows, sheep
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Trading Tobacco sent to England then sold and exchanged for goods Navigation Acts of 1651 Commission Agents Goods bought: guns, clothes, tools, cutlery, furniture, paper, ink, saddles, and window glass
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Trading Ports After the English civil war in 1660 trading ports sprang up Bideford - Obtained fleet of tobacco ships - Built quay in 1663 for trading
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Money Tobacco was currency Used to pay taxes and fines Duties on tobacco exports was a main source of revenue for the Virginia Colony Colonists who were not tobacco farmers tended small amounts of tobacco to pay taxes and buy goods.
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Price Fluctuations 1660 – market became overloaded with tobacco “Trash tobacco” – mixed things like leaves in with the tobacco Overall quality deteriorated Caused decline in demand from England – hurt economy
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Inspection Acts Governor Gooch passed the Inspection Acts in 1730 Developed a warehouse system: - All tobacco had to be brought to local warehouse - Hogsheads were inspected for quality - Loose bundles could be added to transfer tobacco stock - Received a “transfer note” giving you certain pounds of tobacco from the transfer tobacco stock - Helped other tradesmen
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Transfer Note
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Types of Tobacco Orinoco: Large, pointed leaf Grown all over Virginia Considered too bitter for Englishmen Sweet-Scented: Round shape, finer fibers Grown in southern part near river banks Mild – preferred by England
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Farming Tobacco Very labor-intensive To clear fields: girdled trees and burned brush to save time and money of cutting trees Seeds planted in winter in protected area Seedlings transplanted outside in spring Plants weeded and insects picked off periodically during the growing season
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Farming Tobacco Harvested late summer Each leaf cut off of plant by hand Hung on stakes to dry in tobacco barn Curing process took 4-6 weeks Sorted leaves and rolled into bundles
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Farming Tobacco Bundles placed in Hogshead Hogshead = Large barrel Held about 1,000 pounds of tobacco Small plantations produced 1-2,000 pounds a year Large plantations could produce 50,000 pounds a year
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Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1UUBG4iZ-g http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1UUBG4iZ-g
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Slavery Not dominant labor force in the beginning of the colony Colonists first used indentured servants 1680s slavery became prominent More slaves = more tobacco farmed = more wealth for plantations
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Trades Carpenters – built houses for those without carpentry skills Coopers – built barrels (Hogsheads) Blacksmiths – produced tools for other tradesmen Shoemakers – popular trade, first came to colony in 1610
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Conclusion Tobacco, Tobacco, Tobacco!!! The Virginia colony did not have a diversified economy Farming tobacco was a yearlong process Financial security solely tied to tobacco market Tobacco used as currency in the colony and England Slaves brought to colony to increase tobacco production
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