Overview
This lecture covers the founding and early years of the Virginia colony, detailing its initial failures, key turning points, and factors contributing to its eventual success.
The Founding of Virginia
- Virginia was settled in 1607 after the failure at Roanoke.
- King James I chartered the Virginia Company, a joint stock company, in 1606 to finance colonization.
- Joint stock companies allowed investors to share risks and profits of colonial ventures.
Early Challenges at Jamestown
- The first settlers were mostly wealthy "gentlemen" unskilled in survival or manual labor.
- The settlement was built in a poor, swampy location prone to flooding and disease.
- Lack of leadership and survival skills led to rampant disease, starvation, and conflict with Native Americans.
- Jamestown was established in the middle of the powerful Powhatan Confederacy.
The Role of John Smith
- John Smith, a skilled mercenary, imposed strict discipline with the policy: "If you do not work, you don't eat."
- Smith’s leadership enabled the colony to survive its first years (1607–1609).
- After Smith’s injury and departure, a period known as the "starving time" (1609–1610) decimated the population.
Turning Points and Reforms
- The arrival of Thomas West (Lord De La Warr) and supply ships in 1610 prevented the colony's abandonment.
- John Rolfe introduced a milder, profitable strain of tobacco in 1612, establishing a critical cash crop.
- The Great Charter of 1618, led by Edwin Sandys, reformed the colony, introducing the headright system and representative government.
- The headright system granted 50 acres to anyone who paid passage and bought a share in the company, encouraging immigration.
- The first representative legislature in America, the Virginia General Assembly (later House of Burgesses), started in 1619.
Relations with Native Americans and Further Expansion
- Pocahontas, daughter of Chief Powhatan, married John Rolfe, temporarily easing conflict with the Powhatan Confederacy.
- After her death and Powhatan’s succession, open warfare erupted in 1622, leading to the destruction of the Powhatan as a threat.
Transition to Royal Colony
- Ongoing hardship and the 1622 massacre led King James I to investigate and revoke the Virginia Company’s charter in 1624.
- Virginia became a royal colony, granting settlers more property rights and economic freedom.
- Sir William Berkeley later presided over significant growth and prosperity in the colony.
Legacy and Impact
- Virginia’s survival and success were due to tobacco cultivation, the headright system, representative government, suppression of Native resistance, and becoming a royal colony.
- By the American Revolution, Virginia was the wealthiest, most powerful English colony, producing many key revolutionary leaders.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Joint Stock Company — A business where investors buy shares and share profits/losses.
- Virginia Company — The joint stock company chartered to establish Virginia.
- Headright System — Land grant policy giving 50 acres per new arrival to attract settlers.
- Representative Legislature — A governing body with members elected to represent the settlers; in Virginia, called the House of Burgesses.
- Powhatan Confederacy — Powerful Native American group near Jamestown.
- Starving Time — Winter of 1609–1610, marked by mass starvation in Jamestown.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review definitions of key terms and systems (joint stock, headright, legislature).
- Study the sequence of events from Jamestown’s founding to royal colony status.
- Prepare for questions on factors contributing to Virginia's success and influence.