Overview
This lecture explores the founding, challenges, and legacy of Jamestown, highlighting England's unique colonization methods, interactions with Native Americans, and the factors that led to Jamestown's eventual success.
English Colonization Methods
- England learned from brutal colonization in Ireland, using it as a model for the Americas.
- English colonies were more self-sustaining compared to the Spanish, focusing on smaller settlements and joint-stock companies.
- Joint-stock companies spread the risk and reward among investors, fostering economic motivation.
- Colonists included lower-class citizens, religious dissenters, and indentured servants, differing from Spanish soldier-adventurers.
- English colonies featured more female settlers over time, leading to self-sustaining populations.
- There was limited intermarriage and little creation of a mixed-race (mestizo) class.
- England sought wealth through crops and raw materials, not gold and silver.
Founding of Jamestown
- King James I chartered the Virginia Company in 1606, which sent 105 settlers to Virginia in 1607.
- The settlers built a triangular fort for defense, establishing Jamestown on the James River.
- Initial settlers were mostly men, including adventurers, soldiers, and some farmers.
Early Challenges and Native Relations
- Jamestown settlers encountered the powerful Powhatan Confederacy led by Wahunsenacawh (Powhatan).
- Initial relations were distant yet peaceful, but worsened due to food shortages and mutual distrust.
- John Smith became a key leader and negotiator with the Powhatans after surviving captivity, possibly due to a ritual involving Pocahontas (Matawaka).
Pocahontas and John Smith
- Pocahontas was Powhatan's young daughter, acting as a mediator between colonists and Native Americans.
- The famous romanticized rescue of John Smith by Pocahontas is likely exaggerated or misinterpreted.
- Smith's strict rule ("he that shall not work shall not eat") helped the colony survive but made him unpopular.
The Starving Time and Recovery
- Hardships, drought, and poor leadership led to "the starving time" (1609-1610), with high mortality, starvation, and even survivor cannibalism.
- New arrivals under Lord De La Warr and Thomas Gates rescued the colony from abandonment and countered Powhatan attacks.
Tobacco and Lasting Success
- John Rolfe introduced profitable tobacco cultivation, transforming Jamestown into a prosperous, self-sustaining colony.
- Tobacco became a major cash crop, attracting more settlers and leading to the plantation model.
Pocahontas, John Rolfe, and Lasting Peace
- Pocahontas was captured, converted to Christianity (taking the name Rebecca), and married John Rolfe, leading to temporary peace.
- Their marriage symbolized a brief era of cooperation, but after Pocahontas's death and Powhatan’s succession, conflict resumed.
Expansion and Legacy
- Larger numbers of settlers and declining Native populations shifted the balance of power.
- In 1619, the House of Burgesses was created—the first representative assembly in colonial America.
- Jamestown’s survival encouraged further English settlement efforts in North America.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Joint-stock company — A business entity where investors pool resources and share profits and losses.
- Indentured servitude — System where individuals work for a set period in exchange for passage to America.
- Cash crop — A crop grown for sale rather than personal use, e.g., tobacco.
- Powhatan Confederacy — Alliance of Algonquian-speaking tribes in Virginia.
- Starving time — Winter of 1609-1610 when Jamestown settlers suffered extreme famine.
- House of Burgesses — The first legislative assembly in the English colonies.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review Jamestown's timeline and key figures (John Smith, Pocahontas, John Rolfe).
- Prepare for a discussion or quiz on differences between Spanish and English colonization.
- Watch the recommended video on Jamestown's archaeological findings if requested.
- Read assigned textbook chapter on early English colonies.