Virginia Colony Overview

Overview

This lecture covers the founding and early development of the Virginia Colony, focusing on Jamestown, the emergence of representative government, the growth of the plantation system, and the beginnings of African labor in 17th-century Virginia.

Founding of the Virginia Colony

• Colonies were expensive to establish, requiring joint-stock companies to raise funds from multiple investors.
• The Virginia Company used a charter from the English monarch to found the colony, granting settlers English rights.
• Jamestown was founded in 1607 as the first permanent English settlement in North America.
• The settlement was located on swampy land with poor farming conditions and unhealthy water.

Early Challenges and Survival

• The first settlers, mostly gentlemen and servants, were unprepared for manual labor and survival tasks.
• Indentured servants agreed to several years of labor in exchange for passage to Virginia.
• Over half the settlers died in the first year due to poor leadership and lack of preparation.
• Captain John Smith imposed strict work rules ("he who doesn't work, doesn't eat") improving survival, but he soon returned to England.
• The winter of 1609-1610, known as the "starving time," killed most settlers; only 60 of 214 survived.

Economic Development and Relations with Natives

• John Rolfe introduced profitable Spanish tobacco to Jamestown in 1612, saving the colony economically.
• John Rolfe married Pocahontas, leading to a brief period of peace with local native groups.
• Expansion onto native lands led to ongoing conflicts, including attacks in 1622 and eventual royal takeover of the colony.

Growth of Self-Government

• In 1619, the House of Burgesses became the first representative assembly in the colonies, elected by male landowners.
• Colonists needed local governments for practical reasons and followed English traditions of parliamentary governance.

Beginnings of Slavery and Plantations

• The first Africans arrived in Jamestown in 1619 as laborers, initially more like indentured servants.
• Over time, African laborers became enslaved, starting the plantation system in Virginia.

Key Terms & Definitions

• Joint-stock company — a business where investors buy shares and share profits or losses.
• Charter — a legal document granting rights and permission to establish a colony.
• Indentured servant — a person who works for several years to pay off debt for passage to the colony.
• House of Burgesses — the first elected legislative body in colonial America.
• Plantation — a large farm producing cash crops, often using forced labor.

Action Items / Next Steps

• Review the main reasons for founding the Virginia Colony.
• Be able to explain Jamestown’s survival and early challenges.
• Memorize the two significant events of 1619 (House of Burgesses and arrival of the first Africans).
• Prepare to discuss reasons for establishing colonial governments.

Certainly! Here's a detailed explanation based on your notes and transcript:

Why Virginia Was Settled

• The Virginia Colony was established primarily for economic reasons. England wanted to expand its territory and find profitable resources in the New World.
• The colony was funded by the Virginia Company, a joint-stock company that raised money from investors hoping to make a profit.
• The settlers aimed to find gold and other valuable resources, but also to establish a permanent English presence in North America.
• The colony was also part of England’s broader goal of expanding its influence and competing with other European powers like Spain.

English Interaction with the Powhatans

• The Powhatan were the native people living in the area around Jamestown.
• Early relations were mixed: there was some cooperation, but also conflict.
• The English settlers often expanded onto native lands, which led to tensions and violence.
• After the death of Chief Powhatan, the new chief led attacks against Jamestown settlers, including a major attack in 1622 that killed many colonists.
• These conflicts eventually led to the English Crown revoking the Virginia Company’s charter and making Virginia a royal colony under direct control of the king.

Significance of the Marriage Between John Rolfe and Pocahontas

• John Rolfe was a wealthy English colonist, and Pocahontas was the daughter of Chief Powhatan.
• Their marriage was significant because it created a brief period of peace between the English settlers and the Powhatan tribe.
• This union symbolized a diplomatic alliance, similar to royal marriages in Europe used to secure peace between countries.
• It helped ease tensions and allowed the colony to stabilize for a time.

How Tobacco Changed the Colony

• Tobacco was introduced to Jamestown by John Rolfe in 1612, using seeds he brought (illegally) from the Spanish West Indies.
• Tobacco thrived in Virginia’s soil and climate, becoming a highly profitable cash crop.
• The success of tobacco farming provided the colony with a steady source of income, which was crucial for its survival and growth.
• Tobacco cultivation led to the development of the plantation system, which required a large labor force.
• This demand for labor contributed to the use of indentured servants initially and later the establishment of African slavery in Virginia.

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