Lecture on English Colonization in North America

Focus

• Concentration on three English colonies:
  • Virginia (Southern agricultural)
  • Massachusetts (New England commercial)
  • Pennsylvania (Middle colonies)

Colony of Virginia

Founding

• Jamestown founded in 1607 as an economic venture.
• Initial British interest in North America during Queen Elizabeth's time (16th century).
• The Virginia Company of London established by a charter from James I in 1604 as a joint stock company.
• Sir Thomas Smith, prominent merchant, tasked to raise funds through investors.

Joint Stock Company

• Investors bore full liability—different from modern limited liability companies.
• Smith had complete liability; risk of debtor's jail if the venture failed.

Voyage and Settlement

• December 1606: Three ships (Susan Constant, Godspeed, Discovery) set out; 104 of 144 men survived.
• Established Jamestown on the James River in a poor location with issues like water quality, mosquitoes, and Native American conflicts.

Struggles and Leadership

• 1609-1610: Severe food shortages, tension with Powhatan Confederation.
• John Smith imposed military discipline crucial for colony's survival, but left by 1610 due to unpopularity.
• Pocahontas, daughter of Chief Powhatan, allegedly saved John Smith but no historical proof of romantic involvement; she later married John Rolfe.

Tobacco Cultivation

• John Rolfe introduced tobacco, leading to economic survival but not profitability.
• Tobacco led to revenue stream but not sufficient profits.
• Planter class arose demanding a say in governance, leading to the creation of the House of Burgesses in 1618.

Labor Needs

• Need for labor led to use of indentured servants and headright system.
• Indentured servitude often led to incomplete contracts due to harsh conditions and mobility.
• First Africans arrived in 1619, likely as indentured servants; shift to slavery by the 1650s.

Powhatan Confederation and Conflicts

• Land expansion for tobacco cultivation led to tension with Powhatan tribes.
• Powhatan's death in 1618 led to rising tensions under new leader Opachankano.
• 1622 uprising by Native Americans resulted in significant colonist casualties and financial ruin for the Virginia Company.

Transition to Royal Colony

• 1624: James I purchased the Virginia Company, making Virginia a royal colony.
• Governors appointed by the king; House of Burgesses continued to function as a democratic institution.

Importance

• Tobacco vital for Virginia's survival, not its profitability.
• Representation through the House of Burgesses foreshadowed democratic governance.

Next Lecture Preview

• Transition to discussions on Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.