The English Colonies on the Chesapeake Bay

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The English Colonies on the Chesapeake Bay

• American History I

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Roanoke The Lost Colony

• Sir Walter Raleigh wanted bases for raids on
  Spanish
• Garrison of 100 soldiers est. in 1585 under Ralph
  Lane
• Explored region, including Chesapeake bay
• Hostilities with Secotans convinced them to leave
  in 1586 with Drakes fleet
• 117 colonists arrived in 1587, led by John White
• White returned to England to get supplies
• Attack of the Spanish Armada left England unable
  to resupply colony for 3 years
• Found colony abandoned in 1590

Sir Walter Raleigh
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John Whites View of Roanoake
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The Fate of the Lost Colonists

• Colonists moved away from Roanoke for safety
• Small group went to Croatoan Island
• Most settled 50 miles inland with Chowanocs
• Powhatans slaughtered survivors shortly after
  English arrived
• Priest warned Wahunsonacock of dream that English
  would destroy his empire
• Feared survivors would help English ally with his
  enemies

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Founding the Virginia Company

• King James I allowed gentry investors to try new
  colonial ventures
• Richard Hakluyt argued colonies would provide
• Outlet for surplus labor
• Market for English textiles
• Opportunity to convert natives
• Virginia Co. organized in 1606
• Investors hoped to get rich quick off of some
  commodity unavailable in England (e.g., gold or
  silver)

King James I (1603-25)
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Virginia The Early Years

• 1st 3 ships arrived in April 1607 with 104
  passengers
• Built Jamestown in the middle of a malarial swamp
• 4 out of every 5 died
• Malnutrition (pellagra) caused lethargy
  indifference
• By 1610, agreed to abandon colony, but Gov. De La
  Warre 300 new colonists met them at the mouth
  of the river forced them to go back

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Tsenacommacah the Powhatan Chiefdom

• Confederation of Algonquian tribes
• 15,000 people living in several hundred villages,
  ruled by werowances
• Stretched from south of James River to Potomac
  River, and bay to falls
• Wahunsonacock tried to incorporate English into
  confederation
• Sparing John Smiths life may have been adoption
  ritual
• Pocahontas married John Rolfe in 1613 to seal
  alliance
• Opechancanough led surprise assault in 1622
  almost wiped out the colony

A Powhatan Village
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Pocahontas as Rebecca Rolfe
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The Virginia Company Fails

• Sir Edwyn Sandys introduces 2 innovations in
  1618
• Headright system one would receive 50 acres of
  land for each person whose passage to Virginia
  one paid
• House of Burgesses 1st elected legislature in
  America (met for 1st time on July 30, 1619)
• 1622 war prompted royal investigation
• Uncovered widespread corruption
• Virginia Co. charter revoked in 1624
• Virginia became a royal colony in 1624
• Crown appointed governor, who selected Council
• House of Burgesses remained as elected lower
  house
• Death rate remained appallingly high until 1640

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The Founding of Maryland

• Cecil Calvert, Lord Baltimore received charter
  from King Charles I in 1632
• Wanted haven for fellow Catholics
• Granted toleration to all Christians
• Gov. Leonard Calvert arrived with 300 colonists
  in 1634
• Legislature clashed with proprietor repeatedly
• Attempt to recreate manor system failed few
  willing to rent when land was so cheap plentiful

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Tobacco Plantations

• John Rolfe developed right blend in 1614, but
  first crop not exported until 1617
• King James condemned noxious weed as unhealthy
  but wanted tax revenue
• Annual exports soared from 20,000 lbs. in 1620 to
  38 million by 1700
• Prices declined steadily after initial boom, but
  . . .
• Until 1680, increased productivity offset
  declining prices

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Land and Labor

• Chesapeake farmers followed Indian practices
  because best use of resources
• Girdled trees didnt clear or plow land
• planted corn tobacco in hills
• After 3 years of tobacco and 3 of corn, had to
  let field lie fallow for 20 years
• Cattle pigs grazed freely on range
• Indentured servants flocked there at 1st
• If they survived, could buy their own land
• Rough equality existed despite attempts to
  enforce social distinctions