Sarah Duncan, Social Studies Instructional Specialist, Portsmouth Public Schools VS.3 Study Card 2008

Reasons for the English Colonization in

America:

England wanted to establish an

American colony to increase her

wealth and power.

England hoped to find gold and

silver in America.

An American settlement would

furnish raw materials that could

not be grown or obtained in

England, while opening new

markets for trade.

1607 ~ Jamestown was located on a narrow peninsula bordered on 3 sides by the James River.

Today ~ Jamestown is located on an island in the James River.

Reasons They Chose Jamestown to

Settle:

1. Instructions told the settler to go

inland and find a suitable place

for their colony.

2. The location could easily be

defended from attack by sea,

from Spain.

3. The water along the shore was

deep enough for ships to dock.

4. They believed they had a good

supply of fresh water.

Hardships Faced by the

Settlers

1. The site they chose to

live on was marshy

and lacked safe

drinking water.

2. The settlers lacked

some skills necessary

to provide for

themselves.

3. Many settlers died of

disease and starvation.

Changes that Ensured Survival

1. The arrival of supply ships. 2. The forced work program of

Captain John Smith. 3. The emphasis on agriculture

resulted in the survival of the colony.

The Arrival of Women and Africans made the Jamestown colony a more diverse colony.

Africans arrived in 1619 against their will. Both African men and women were captured in

present-day Angola by Portuguese sailors. The status of these early Africans as slaves or

indentured servants is unknown. Their arrival made it possible to expand the tobacco

economy.

Women arrived in 1620. Their arrival allowed the colony to establish families, making

Jamestown a more permanent settlement.

Sarah Duncan, Social Studies Instructional Specialist, Portsmouth Public Schools VS.3 Study Card 2008

The Virginia Charters: The King of England granted charters to the Virginia Company of London to:

Establish a settlement in North America

and Extended English Rights

to the settlers.

1619 ~ The governor of Virginia called a meeting of the

General Assembly. This included two representatives (called

burgesses) from each of the divisions of Virginia along with

the governor’s council, and the governor. They met at ONE

legislative body.

1640’s ~ The Burgesses became a separate legislative body,

called the House of Burgesses. They met separately from

the Governor’s Council as one of the two legislative bodies

of the General Assembly.

Today’s General Assembly dates from the establishment of

the House of Burgesses at Jamestown in 1619.

The House of Burgesses (1640’s) was the first elected

legislative body in English America, giving the settlers the

opportunity to control their own government.

In the 1700’s, the English took the power back by ignoring

the legislative body, and placing a representative of the

King as governor of many colonies.

Interactions at Jamestown Captain John Smith: Imitated trading relationships with the Native Peoples. Native Peoples:

Traded mainly food with the English in exchange for tools, pots, and cooper for jewelry.

Native Peoples contributed to the survival of the Jamestown

Colony by introducing new crops to the English, including corn and tobacco.

Powhatan, chief of many Tribes, provided leadership to his people and taught the settlers survival skills. Pocahontas, daughter of Powhatan, served as a contact between the native peoples and the English.

Over time, the native peoples realized the English settlement would continue to grow, and the native peoples came to see the

settler as invader who would take over their land.