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== English Settlements ==

== English Settlements ==

 

Some Englishmen invested money in what was called a "[[joint stock company]]," which was similar to a modern-day corporation, for the purpose of finding gold or other treasures.  One of those joint stock companies was the "[[Virginia Company]]," which established the first permanent settlement for England in Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607.  It was a disaster and the investors never received a profit.  The men who settled in Jamestown were "English gentlemen" unaccustomed to working with their hands, and who expected to get rich with little effort.  They lacked a common purpose and wasted their time searching for treasure, or simply doing nothing at all.  Unwilling to work to grow their own food, they almost starved to death.

Some Englishmen invested money in what was called a "[[joint stock company]]," which was similar to a modern-day corporation, for the purpose of finding gold or other treasures.  One of those joint stock companies was the "[[Virginia Company]]," which established the first permanent settlement for England in Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607.  It was a disaster and the investors never received a profit.  The men who settled in Jamestown were "English gentlemen" unaccustomed to working with their hands, and who expected to get rich with little effort.  They lacked a common purpose and wasted their time searching for treasure, or simply doing nothing at all.  Unwilling to work to grow their own food, they almost starved to death.

Initially, from 1607-1608, the Jamestown settlement lived under socialism, whereby the group shared its food with everyone no matter how much or little each person worked.  This economic system was a complete failure that led to "starving time" as no one had any incentive to do any work to provide the necessities of life.  In September 1608, [[John Smith]] was elected president of the governing council.  He ruled for a year and installed a conservative economic system:  "don't work, don't eat!"  Because free enterprise replaced socialism, after a few years food production began to increase significantly and by 1614 there was plenty to eat.

Initially, from 1607-1608, the Jamestown settlement lived under socialism, whereby the group shared its food with everyone no matter how much or little each person worked.  This economic system was a complete failure that led to "starving time" as no one had any incentive to do any work to provide the necessities of life.  In September 1608, [[John Smith]] was elected president of the governing council.  He ruled for a year and installed a conservative economic system:  "don't work, don't eat!"  Because free enterprise replaced socialism, after a few years food production began to increase significantly and by 1614 there was plenty to eat.

Jamestown settlers had come to America to find fortune, but there was not any gold or silver.  Indians had discovered tobacco and shared it with Europeans who were beginning to become addicted on it.  Many Europeans recognized that tobacco was bad for them, and some wanted to prohibit it.  In 1613, Englishman [[John Rolfe]], who married the Indian [[Pocahontas]] in Virginia, began growing tobacco to export to Europe.  The King banned the growing of tobacco in England, so Rolfe had no competition.  Cash began pouring in for the tobacco, and this so-called "cash crop" became highly profitable for the Jamestown settlers.

Jamestown settlers had come to America to find fortune, but there was not any gold or silver.  Indians had discovered tobacco and shared it with Europeans who were beginning to become addicted on it.  Many Europeans recognized that tobacco was bad for them, and some wanted to prohibit it.  In 1613, Englishman [[John Rolfe]], who later married the Indian [[Pocahontas]] in Virginia, began growing tobacco to export to Europe.  The King banned the growing of tobacco in England, so Rolfe had no competition.  Cash began pouring in for the tobacco, and this so-called "cash crop" became highly profitable for the Jamestown settlers.

Although it profited from the sale of tobacco, the Jamestown settlement had many difficulties.  It had made peace with Indian [[Chief Powhatan]], whose daughter Pocahontas married settler [[John Rolfe]].  But after Powhatan died, his brother led a sudden attack on the settlers in 1622, massacring 357 out of just 1200 (killing more than 25% of the settlement).

Although it profited from the sale of tobacco, the Jamestown settlement had many difficulties.  It had made peace with Indian [[Chief Powhatan]], whose daughter Pocahontas married settler [[John Rolfe]].  But after Powhatan died, his brother led a sudden attack on the settlers in 1622, massacring 357 out of just 1200 (killing more than 25% of the settlement).

Indian strife was only one of many problems.  Labor was in short supply for working the fields.  Settlers began importing indentured servants, who received free travel to the colonies in exchange for a promise to work for seven years.  Virginia turned to a cheaper form of labor: importing slaves from West Africa beginning in 1619 to work the crops.  The importation of slaves to the New World was not new in 1619; many European countries had been importing a total of 40,000 slaves to the New World prior to the 1600's based on the Portuguese plantation system for working the land.

Indian strife was only one of many problems.  Labor was in short supply for working the fields.  Settlers began importing indentured servants, who received free travel to the colonies in exchange for a promise to work for seven years.  Then the Virginia settlement turned to a cheaper form of labor: importing slaves from West Africa beginning in 1619 to work the crops.  The importation of slaves to the New World was not new in 1619; many European countries had been importing a total of 40,000 slaves to the New World prior to the 1600's based on the Portuguese plantation system for working the land.

In 1624 King James (of the "King James Bible" fame) took back ownership and control of the Virginia colony and established it as a royal charter.  The Virginia colony was mess, a problem colony that enslaved workers and grew tobacco.  More trouble was in its future.  In 1676, Nathanial Bacon was a Virginia settler who decided to take the law into his own hands.  He first massacred Indians in western Virginia, then took his small army of rebels to Jamestown, where he burned it down because the governor had refused to allow him to kill the Indians.  Bacon himself soon died from a disease.  This is known as [[Bacon's Rebellion]] and it resulted in less use of indentured servants and greater reliance on slaves, who could not rebel as easily.  Once he was sure Bacon was really dead, the governor returned and hung two dozen of his supporters.

In 1624 King James (of the "King James Bible" fame) took back ownership and control of the Virginia colony and established it as a royal charter.  The Virginia colony was mess, and had become a problem as a colony that enslaved workers and grew tobacco.  More trouble was in its future.  In 1676, Nathanial Bacon was a Virginia settler who decided to take the law into his own hands.  He first massacred Indians in western Virginia, then took his small army of rebels to Jamestown, where he burned it down because the governor had refused to allow him to kill the Indians.  Bacon himself soon died from a disease.  This is known as [[Bacon's Rebellion]] and it resulted in less use of indentured servants and greater reliance on slaves, who could not rebel as easily.  Once he was sure Bacon was really dead, the governor returned and hanged to death two dozen of his supporters.

The Virginia colony, despite all its troubles, later produced four of our first five presidents.  Why?  Because it was big and prosperous.   

The Virginia colony, despite all its troubles, later produced four of our first five presidents.  Why?  Because it was big and prosperous.   

The first smaller group, the Pilgrims, set sail from Plymouth, England and intended to land near the mouth of the Hudson River (now New York City), which was the northern part of the Virginia Company's territory.  But their ship, the "Mayflower", was blown off course and they landed up on Cape Cod in Massachusetts in 1620.  Outside of any official government, they decided on their boat to establish the first civil government in North America by signing the Mayflower Compact.  They landed in December, and half of the people died due to disease in their first New England winter.  But the following spring a friendly Indian introduced them to corn, or maize, the marvelous food discovered by Indians.   

 

The first group, the Pilgrims, set sail from Plymouth, England and intended to land near the mouth of the Hudson River (now New York City), which was the northern part of the Virginia Company's territory.  But their ship, the "Mayflower", was blown off course and they landed up on Cape Cod in Massachusetts in 1620.  Outside of any official government, they decided on the boat to establish the first civil government in North America by signing the Mayflower Compact.  They landed in December, and half of the people died due to disease in their first New England winter.  But the following spring a friendly Indian introduced them to corn, or maize, the marvelous food discovered by Indians.   

The Pilgrims had a plentiful harvest that fall, and celebrated their first Thanksgiving with the Indians.  In 1623, their new Governor [[William Bradford]] gave every member a plot of land and allowed the free market to develop.  By 1624, the community was doing so well that it was actually making more food than it could consume and began exporting its corn.  [[William Bradford]] and [[Edward Winslow]] kept diaries during the settling of Plymouth, which are recorded in a small, but fascinating book called ''Mourt's Relation''.

The Pilgrims had a plentiful harvest that fall, and celebrated their first Thanksgiving with the Indians.  In 1623, their new Governor [[William Bradford]] gave every member a plot of land and allowed the free market to develop.  By 1624, the community was doing so well that it was actually making more food than it could consume and began exporting its corn.  [[William Bradford]] and [[Edward Winslow]] kept diaries during the settling of Plymouth, which are recorded in a small, but fascinating book called ''Mourt's Relation''.

Corn is a tremendous contribution by Indians to the world, and it sustains entire countries to this day.  Most of us eat lots of corn; corn is also used to make ethanol fuel, and the rising prices for fuel have caused corn prices to increase, which in turn has caused other food and meat to rise in price because animals depend on corn for food.  But corn did not exist in Europe during the Middle Ages.  Cheap and easy to grow, corn has become one of the most popular foods worldwide, rivaling rice and soybeans.  We can thank the Indians.   

Corn is a tremendous contribution by Indians to the world, and it sustains entire countries to this day.  Most of us eat lots of corn; corn is also used to make ethanol fuel, and the rising prices for fuel have caused corn prices to increase, which in turn has caused other food and meat to rise in price because animals depend on corn for food.  But corn did not exist in Europe during the Middle Ages.  Cheap and easy to grow, corn has become one of the most popular foods worldwide, rivaling rice and soybeans.  We can thank the Indians.   

Encouraged by the success of the Pilgrims, a new group called the [[Massachusetts Bay Company]] obtained a royal charter and sent a larger group of Puritans to settle in New England, this time with the purpose of purifying the [[Church of England]] with a more perfect community than in England itself.  It was well-financed and led by the very capable [[John Winthrop]], who had been trained at Oxford.  They landed in Salem, Massachusetts in 1629 and immediately moved to Boston Harbor.  They never looked back, thriving almost immediately despite the harsh winter climate.  Within five years the [[Great Migration]] of religiously motivated settlers followed them from England.  Their numbers and power grew.  By the 1640s, the community was participating in robust trade by sea with England, the West Indies, and on occasion with West Africa.

Encouraged by the success of the Pilgrims, a new group called the [[Massachusetts Bay Company]] obtained a royal charter and sent a larger group of Puritans to settle in New England, this time with the purpose of purifying the [[Church of England]] with a more perfect community than in England itself.  It was well-financed and led by the very capable [[John Winthrop]], who had been trained at Oxford.  They landed in Salem, Massachusetts in 1629 and immediately moved to Boston Harbor.  They never looked back, thriving almost immediately despite the harsh winter climate.  Within five years the [[Great Migration]] of religiously motivated settlers followed them from England.  Their numbers and power grew.  By the 1640s, this community was participating in robust trade by sea with England, the West Indies, and on occasion with West Africa.

== The Colonies ==

== The Colonies ==