THE ENGLISH COLONIES OF NORTH AMERICA: JAMESTOWN

Jamestown: England’s First Colony

• In 1606, King James I of England granted a charter, or official permit, to the Virginia Company.

• In 1607, England’s first colony reached the coast of North America, and was named Jamestown in honor of King James I of England.

The “Starving Time”

• The first year is known as the Starving Time by the settlers.

• Nearly all of the colonists died of hunger and disease in the first year.

• By the winter of 1607 only 38 colonists remained.

Jamestown Revived

• The dying colony of Jamestown was revived by growing tobacco to meet the high demand in England.

• How did Jamestown meet the need for labor?

• From “America, The Story of US”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpA5O46Ioyk

Laborers in Jamestown

• To meet the need for labor, two systems were instituted: the headright system and indentured servitude

• African Laborers also worked in Virginia, as indentured servants in the beginning and then as slaves shortly after.

The Headright System

• The Headright System – each new arrival received 50 acres of land and 50 acres for each family member who migrated.

Indentured Servitude

• Indentured Servants – In echange for passage to North America, and food and shelter upon arrival, an indentured servant agreed to a term limit of servitude, usually 4-7 years.

Clashes with Native Americans at Jamestown

• As the Jamestown Colony expanded, colonists engaged in warfare with the Native Americans of Virginia.

• Nathaniel Bacon, a frontiersmen, was very hostile to Native Americans.

• This led to Bacon’s Rebellion.

The House of Burgesses

• The first representative body in America.

• It first met in 1619.• It included two citizens,

or burgesses, from each of Virginia’s 11 districts.

• It initiated taxes and passed laws.

• The English governor could veto anything it passed.