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A Jamestown Colony Game
Intro Video
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Instructions As a TEAM, you will determine how well you would have survived the Jamestown colonization. Write your answers on the score card.
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Imagine that you live in England in 1607
Imagine that you live in England in It is an exciting time for you! Your country has emerged as a world leader; your navy dominates the ocean, you have a new king, and you hear wonderful stories of a land of possibilities. There’s a New World to explore—a world where hunting is easy and gold is plentiful. You’ve read pamphlets, letters, and advertisements about the New World—how land, forests, and precious metals are abundant. You think about the new world and all its possibilities. Your life in England doesn’t offer much hope for improvement. You’re not going to rise much about your station in life, the cities are getting crowded, your religion is not accepted, or your family is suffering because you can’t get out of debt. This new land offers you a chance to succeed. The establishment of the Jamestown settlement may be the most significant story of our nation’s founding. Can you survive the hardships that awaited these settlers in 1607?
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Situation #1 King James I granted a charter (contract) to a group of London entrepreneurs, the Virginia Company, to settle Virginia, and to find: A.) Native Americans to conquer B.) Gold! And to seek a water route to the East. C.) Defend their claims in the New World
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Answer: Politically, King James I wanted to compete with Spain and Portugal’s trade with India and their claims to the New World. Economically, it was about obtaining greater wealth for his treasury. Scores: A.) Lose 5 points – Wrong! B.) Gain 5 points – Right! King James I had heard of Spain’s riches in the America’s and wanted greater wealth for his empire. HE WANTED GOLD!!!!! C.) Gain 2 points – King James I wanted to add new lands to the English Empire and create a buffer against the Spanish colonies in America. LAND = POWER
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Situation #2 The Virginia Company of London announces they are sponsoring a voyage to the New World in a business venture ($$$$) to form a colony (settlement that is owned by another country) in Virginia. Three ships were commissioned—the Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery—captained by Christopher Newport. Departing from London, England in December 1606, all three ships carried 105 men and boys plus 39 sailors. Your four-month long journey has you arriving in Virginia in late April The New World Video Clip: (Show the first 30 sec to a minute for a visual of the ships arriving at Jamestown) You’re barley beyond the coast of Europe when one of your passengers, John Smith, appears to be plotting a mutiny (rebellion)– what should be done? A.) Turn to your closest land and drop off the troublesome Smith B.) Lock up Smith for the rest of the voyage C.) Let Smith join in your decision-making to keep peace on the ship
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Answer: Captain Christopher Newport locked Smith up for the rest of the voyage. He would later find out that Smith was to be one of the colony’s new leaders after opening sealed orders from the Virginia Company. The New World Video Clip: Seconds Min. 25 Sec. Start 4:15 5:12 Score: A.) Lose 5 points – Wrong! Smith was selected by the Virginia Company as one of the colony’s new leaders. B.) Gain 5 points – Right! This is what they actually did in C.) Gain 5 points – They didn’t do this, but it might have helped the leadership of the new colony make better decisions together.
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Situation #3 Could you have survived the crowded conditions below the decks, the stench (smell) of chamber pots (potty buckets), animal waste, unwashed bodies, the snores, hacking coughs, bickering and fights for 135 days? Some of the food is spoiling due to the long voyage, what should be done? A.) Give the food that is spoiling to some of the laborers and see if they get sick. B.) Have a feast and lit up before it all goes bad. C.) Advise the crew and passengers to eat the sea biscuits after dark.
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Answer: The hardtack or “sea biscuits” became infested with worms and insects, which crawled out when the passengers and crew soaked the biscuits in soup or drink to soften them up for eating. As a result, they took to eating at night to avoid the gruesome (nasty) sight of eating bugs. Score: A.) Lose 2 points – Food was so scarce, that you would have eaten even spoiling food. B.) Lose 5 points – Wrong! You would have run out of food at sea. C.) Gain 5 points – Right! They started eating after dark to avoid the sight of eating bugs that had infested their hardtack or “sea biscuits.”
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Journal Question: What was the Virginia Company’s main goal at Jamestown? Was it a realistic goal? Why or why not?
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Situation #4 The colonists were not prepared for that first humid summer at Jamestown. The site itself, although ideal for mooring ships, was marshland (swamps), and a breeding ground for mosquitoes. At low tide, the water became brackish (too salty) and unfit for drinking. People swelled up from salt poisoning and suffered from dysentery (umm...bloody poo). What do you think happened at Jamestown during the first few years of colonial life? A.) The settlers packed up and left back home for England as soon as they possibly could. B.) The colony thrived and actually grew in population! C.) The climate was harsh to English crops and health issues caused the colonist to die.
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Answer: By the winter of 1610, more than 500 colonists were living at Jamestown, including 400 new settlers who arrived that fall. During the fateful winter, more than 80% died from painful starvation, exposure, and disease. Score: A.) Gain 2 points! – The colonists stuck it out until 1610 when they attempted to return back to England by ship, only to be met with supplies, new settlers, and a new leadership. B.) Lose 5 points! – The colony could not survive without supplies and people to work. C.) Gain 5 points! – The swampy location of the settlement was not conductive to the growth of plants the English had become accustomed to in their home country.
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Situation #5 The group of men who traveled to the New World were not laborers. Gentlemen not used to manual labor and who refused to work, believing it to be below their stature (status). With food running scare (low), what would John Smith have done to ensure that the gentlemen put in an honest day’s work for the colony? A.) Have you set thine eyes on a finer settlement? Protected from the natives, our numbers will grow to rival mother England.(Focus on an army to fight Native Americans) B.) What hath we wrought upon ourselves?... all in search of gold… Were we so blinded by dreams of success that we failed to see the snares that lie before us? (UGH! Our search for gold got us in such a MESS!) C.) No food for those who do not work… it is what God hath commanded us to do…and survival of the colony depends upon it! (If you don’t work- you don’t eat)
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Answer: John Smith proved to be a valiant (brave) leader for the colony of Jamestown. He established rigid discipline, strengthened defenses, and encouraged farming. His strong leadership allowed Jamestown to survive and grow. The New World Video Clip: Start 1: End 1:15 Extra Time? Go to 1:16 Score: A.) Lose 5 points – The colony could not be fully protected or grow without men to defend the walls and flow the ground for food. B.) Lose 5 points – The colonists could not wallow in their misery for long, as that would not allow them to survive the years to come. C.) Gain 5 points – Knowing that the colony could not survive without every person pulling their own weight; Smith ensured that only those who worked for the survival of Jamestown would enjoy her gains.
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What was the greatest cause for the early failures at Jamestown?
Journal Question: What was the greatest cause for the early failures at Jamestown?
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Situation #6 Chief Powhatan (the chief of the local Native American tribe) and his famous daughter Pocahontas lived among the Pumunkey Tribe, the most powerful Powhatan Empire. They spoke Algonquian and were the first Native Americans encountered by the Englishmen at Jamestown. By the summer of 1607, Powhatan’s men started bringing corn and other provisions (essentials) to trade with the colonists. How was Pocahontas a vital (important) link between the English colonists and the Native Americans? A.) She was to marry John Smith in order to secure continued relations amongst each other. B.) Pocahontas would help deliver messages from her father and accompany her people on the trading expeditions. C.) She was held hostage until the Native Americans showed the English the Northwest Passage and find gold.
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Answer: Pocahontas was a frequent visitor to Jamestown; accompanying her people in bringing the English food and furs to trade for hatchets and trinkets. Her character and poise made her appearance striking to the Englishmen. (Have time to show the capture of Smith & the save by Pocahontas? Show this entire clip. Score: A.) Lose 5 points! – Pocahontas never married John Smith, though she would eventually marry an Englishman by the name of John Rolfe. B.) Gain 5 points – Providing missionary visits to Jamestown, Pocahontas taught Smith the Algonquian language. C.) Gain 2 points – While Pocahontas was held for ransom on another incident, this was not such an event. The English, however, did arrange for Native American guides to navigate the rivers to look for the Northwest Passage. They were also to help find gold and other resources as instructed by the Virginia Company of London.
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Situation #7 The Virginia Company, founded by investors (people who put money into an idea, hoping to make their money back, plus some, in the future, once the idea is a success), expected the colonists to start industrial enterprises (businesses) in Virginia that would return profits to the Company. Though they did try a number of different enterprises, it was with no success. It was John Rolfe’s experiments with tobacco that developed the first profitable export (good LEAVING a location). What did the demand (need) for Virginian tobacco do for the settlement of Jamestown? A.) It created a huge drive for new farmland therefore increasing the value of land in the New World. B.) Because the cultivation of tobacco was labor intensive, it meant more settlers were needed. C.) It didn’t do much; the Virginia Company wanted gold, not tobacco.
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Answer: In 1617, tobacco exports to England totaled 20,000 pounds
Answer: In 1617, tobacco exports to England totaled 20,000 pounds. It would continue to grow in profits with each passing year. The first great American enterprise had been established. The Story of US-Rolfe/Tobbacco Watch to 7:40 Score: A.) Gain 5 points! – Settlers began growing tobacco in the streets of Jamestown and even in their cemeteries. Land was needed to cultivate the crop. B.) Gain 5 points! – Indentured servants (people who had their voyage paid for and were working to pay off their debt) became the first people to meet the demands for labor. This demand would eventually lead to a more stable supply or workers in the form of slavery. C.) Lose 10 points! – The Virginia Company wanted profits! They would take earning money any way possible.
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Situation #8 The American tradition of representative government (government ran by elected officials, who represent the people) began in Jamestown and later influenced other English colonies. Between 1606 and 1619, Jamestown proved itself to be more of a permanent settlement than a commercial enterprise ($$$$) for the London stockholders. By 1618, martial (military) law was abolished and a legislative assembly (like Congress) was created; the first meeting was held on July 30 – Aug. 3, 1619 at a church. There they approved the “greate Charter of 1618” that became the first Constitution of Virginia. What would have been the best measure to ensure the survival of Jamestown as more of a settlement than of a business colony? A.) Laws passed concerning tobacco and taxes. B.) Bringing women and children over from England. C.) Having unmonitored relations with the Powhatans.
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Situation #9 Answer: In 1619, the Virginia Company recruited and shipped over 90 women to become wives and start families in Virginia. Score: A.) Gain 2 points! – Laws are important for a society to have discipline, but not the most important for a transition from a business colony to a permanent colony. B.) Gain 5 points! – Families were needed for a colony to survive and grow beyond the numbers first established. Though women had been brought before, establishing families was the primary focus in 1619. C.) Lose 5 points! – The people of Jamestown were weary of Native American attacks and established monitored relations with the Powhatans at the assembly.
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How and why did tobacco save the colony?
Journal Question: How and why did tobacco save the colony?
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Conclusion Why is Jamestown important to U.S. History? What can you conclude about the life and structure of Jamestown from ? Jamestown Colony Song: Shut up and Dance
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Plymouth Survival
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Instuctions As a TEAM, you will determine how well you would have survived the Plymouth colonization. Write your answers on the score card.
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England was a Roman Catholic nation until 1534, when King Henry VIII declared himself head of the new national church called the Church of England. Groups began to break off this new church, believing that the new Church retained too many practices of the Roman Church. “Separatists” demanded the formation of new separate church congregations. This opinion was very dangerous in 1600s England, as it was illegal to be part of any church other than the Church of England. After first moving to Holland for 11 to 12 years to avoid persecution, their lived there were not easy. With their children being tempted by the Dutch culture and fearing they would lose their English identity, the congregation decided to establish a farming community in the northern part of the Virginia Colony. At that time, Virginia extended from Jamestown in the south to the mouth of the Hudson River in the north, so the Pilgrims planned to settle near present-day New York City. Before they could begin their journey, the Pilgrims need the help of investors to finance their journey across the Atlantic. The investors would provide money and supplies, and in return the colonists would work for the company for seven years sending back natural resources such as fish, timber, and furs. Finally a month after first leaving England, on September 6, 1620, the Mayflower set out alone with 102 passengers.
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The Mayflower arrived in New England after a 66 day voyage.
What would be their arrival date, calculated from their departure date? A.) January 25, 1621 B.) October 18, 1620 C.) November 11, 1620
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Answer: Although the Pilgrims had originally intended to settle near the Hudson River, dangerous shoals and poor winds forced them to take shelter in Cape Cod. The passengers decided not to sail further because of winter travel conditions and for it was very late in the year. Scores: A.) Lose 5 points – Wrong! That would be 141 days! B.) Lose 5 points – Oops! They would have still been in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean! C.) Gain 5 points – Correct! They landed in November!
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It was in Cape Cod Bay that most of the adult men on the ship signed the document that we know as ___________________. It would lay the foundation for the community’s government. 1.) The Declaration of Independence 2.) Mayflower Compact 3.) Thanksgiving Agreement
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Answer: Needing to maintain order and establish a civil society while they waited for a new patent. The pilgrims had obtained permission to settle at the mouth of the Hudson River, and because they chose to remain where they landed they needed a new patent to settle there from the King. Score: 1.) Lose 5 points – Wrong! The Declaration of Independence wouldn’t be written for another 150 years! 2.) Gain 5 points – Right! It was the legal instrument that bound the Pilgrims together when they arrived in New England. 3.) Lose 5 points – There is no Thanksgiving Agreement.
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In ye name of God Amen· We whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread sovereign Lord King James by ye grace of God, of great Britain, franc, & Ireland king, defender of ye faith, &c Having undertaken, for ye glory of God, and advancement of ye Christian faith and honor of our king & country, a voyage to plant ye first colony in ye Northern parts of Virginia· doe by these presents solemnly & mutually in ye presence of God, and one of another, covenant, & combine our selves together into a civil body politick; for ye our better ordering, & preservation & furtherance of ye ends aforesaid; and by virtue hear of, to enact, constitute, and frame such just & equal laws, ordinances, Acts, constitutions, & offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet & convenient for ye general good of ye colony: unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cap-Cod ye ·11· of November, in ye year of ye reign of our sovereign Lord king James of England, France, & Ireland ye eighteenth and of Scotland ye fifty fourth. Ano: Dom ·1620·| The Mayflower landed in Plymouth Harbor on December 16, The colonists immediately began building their town. The group continued to live on the ship while waiting on the houses to be built. Many colonists fell ill. What inferences can you make as to why so many Pilgrims became ill that first winter? A.) The colonists were working hard building houses and not taking care of themselves. B.) Lack of adequate shelter in the cold, wet weather. C.) A sea-diet is very high in salt, which weakens the body.
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Translation in Modern day English. IN THE name of God, Amen
Translation in Modern day English IN THE name of God, Amen. We whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread sovereign Lord, King James, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland king, defender of the faith, etc., having undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith, and honor of our king and country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the Northern parts of Virginia, do by these presents solemnly and mutually in the presence of God, and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic, for our better ordering and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the colony, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cape-Cod the 11 of November, in the year of the reign of our sovereign lord, King James, of England, France, and Ireland the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Domine 1620.
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Answer: The purpose of this document was to legitimize the Pilgrims’ settlement outside Virginia by creating a secular document recognizing King James I as their sovereign and creating a body of all the settlers with power to devise laws and elect leaders. Score: A.) Lose 5 points! – Wrong! The Pilgrims had no intention of declaring independence from England. B.) Lose 5 points! – The Mayflower Compact makes no mention of the laws. C.) Gain 5 points! – Being outside of their permitted location, the leaders needed authority behind them since the King was so far away in England.
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Why would the Pilgrims make such an agreement with the Wampanoag?
Although they had landed fourth months before, the Pilgrims had only caught glimpses of Native People. When they officially met in March 1621, both sides drew up a treaty of mutual protection with the Wampanoag leader. This treaty said in part: Neither party would harm the other. If anything was stolen, it would be returned and the offending person returned to his own people for punishment. Both sides agreed to leave their weapons behind when meeting The two groups would serve as allies in times of war. Why would the Pilgrims make such an agreement with the Wampanoag? A.) They were a peaceful community with no intentions of harming others. B.) They knew they were outnumbered by the Native Americans. C.) The Indians had shown them no harm in the year the Pilgrims had been in America and offered the same in return.
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Answer: Winslow concluded his account of the treaty signing as follow: “Wee cannot yet conceive, but that he is willing to have peace with us, for they have seen our people sometimes alone two or three in the woods at work… when they offered them no harm as they might easily have done…” Score: A.) Gain 1 point! – Yes the Pilgrims were a simple group with sincere moral conduct. B.) Gain 3 points! – The Native Americans at this time did outnumber the colonists. C.) Gain 5 points – Why harm those that have not yet harmed yourself. The Pilgrims did not want to create any more enemies than they already had.
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Tisquantum (“Squanto”) was a native Patuxet Indian who was taken captive by an Englishman and sold into slavery in Spain. There he learned English from some local friars, and eventually made his way back to the Americas just in time to survive a small pox and tuberculosis outbreak among the Patuxet Indians. Why is Tisquantum (“Squanto”) so important to the Pilgrims history? A.) He led a vicious attack on the colony that left over half of the colony dead. B.) He would become an integral member of the colony, being a translator and negotiator. C.) He taught the Pilgrims how to better utilize the natural resources
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Answer: Helped arrange a meeting between the Pilgrims and Massasoit, leader of the Wampanoag tribe. This meeting lead to a treaty that was a sign of mutual peace and would last 50 for over 50 years. When the Indians left, Squanto decided to stay and live with the Pilgrims. Score: A.) Lose 5 points -- Wrong! Squanto never attacked the English. B.) Gain 2 points – Squanto continued to speak for the Pilgrims to other neighboring tribes. C.) Gain 5 points – He taught the Pilgrims how to farm with native plants, such as corn and other vegetables.
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Governor William Bradford calls Plymouth settlers pilgrims when he writes about their departure from Leiden, Holland to come to America: “They knew they were pilgrims, and looked not much on those things, but lifted up their eyes to the heavens, their dearest country; and quieted their spirits.” Why were these early settlers called Pilgrims? A.) Because that was what their religious sect was called. B.) In honor of their settled area of Plymouth. C.) Because of the journey they made.
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Answer: A pilgrim is a person who goes on a long journey often with a religious or moral purpose, and especially to a foreign land. Score: A.) Lose 5 points! – The pilgrim’s religious sect was called the Separationist Puritans. B.) Lose 2 points! – The word Pilgrim does not come from Plymouth. However, those who settled the area were called ‘Pilgrim.’ C.) Gain 5 points! – Good! The Pilgrims had made the journey across the Atlantic from Holland in search of a way to continue their livelihood.
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Comparisons Compare and Contrast both the Jamestown and Plymouth Colonies!
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