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== Successful Settlements ==

== Successful 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. The "[[Virginia Company]]," 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 gentlemen 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.

 

'''1607''' is one of the few dates you should memorize.  This was after the Spanish had settled in Florida, but before the French had settled in Quebec.  So remember the sequence in settling America:  Spanish, English, and then French.

'''1607''' is one of the few dates you should memorize.  This was after the Spanish had settled in Florida, but before the French had settled in Quebec.  So remember the sequence in settling America:  Spanish, English, and then French.

 

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 as no one had any incentive to do any work.  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!"  Under this new system that replaced communism with free enterprise, food production increased 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 as no one had any incentive to do any work.  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!"  Under this new system that replaced communism with free enterprise, food production increased and by 1614 there was plenty to eat.

 

But Jamestown settlers were there to find fortune, and there was not any gold or silver.  Indians had discovered tobacco and Europeans 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.  Tobacco continued to be very profitable throughout a large part of American history, particularly in the south.

But Jamestown settlers were there to find fortune, and there was not any gold or silver.  Indians had discovered tobacco and Europeans 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.  Tobacco continued to be very profitable throughout a large part of American history, particularly in the south.

 

Despite profiting from the sale of tobacco, the Jamestown settlement had other 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 a total of only 1200.

Despite profiting from the sale of tobacco, the Jamestown settlement had other 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 a total of only 1200.

 

But 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.  But Virginia also turned to a cheaper approach to labor: importing slaves from West Africa beginning in 1619 to work the crops.  But 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.

But 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.  But Virginia also turned to a cheaper approach to labor: importing slaves from West Africa beginning in 1619 to work the crops.  But 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 the Virginia colony and established it as a royal charter.  King James was left with a problem colony that enslaved workers and grew tobacco.  More trouble lay ahead, 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.  The governor returned and hung two dozen of his supporters.  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.

In 1624 King James (of the "King James Bible" fame) took back the Virginia colony and established it as a royal charter.  King James was left with a problem colony that enslaved workers and grew tobacco.  More trouble lay ahead, 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.  The governor returned and hung two dozen of his supporters.  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.

 

How Virginia produced four of our first five presidents is worth considering; you can ponder this and answer on the homework assignment.   

How Virginia produced four of our first five presidents is worth considering; you can ponder this and answer on the homework assignment.   

 

By then there were many other settlements in North America.  The most important were two settlements in Massachusetts, which has a much harsher climate than Virginia, particularly in the wintertime.  But their motivation was religious, not financial.  Puritans were unhappy with the direction of the Church of England, feeling it was too much like the Catholic Church.  Two different groups of Puritans set out for North America.  One group wanted to purify the Church of England by remaining in the Church but in a more perfect community.  The other group wanted to separate completely from the Church of England.  Both groups landed by chance within 100 miles of each other in Massachusetts.

By then there were many other settlements in North America.  The most important were two settlements in Massachusetts, which has a much harsher climate than Virginia, particularly in the wintertime.  But their motivation was religious, not financial.  Puritans were unhappy with the direction of the Church of England, feeling it was too much like the Catholic Church.  Two different groups of Puritans set out for North America.  One group wanted to purify the Church of England by remaining in the Church but in a more perfect community.  The other group wanted to separate completely from the Church of England.  Both groups landed by chance within 100 miles of each other in Massachusetts.

 

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.  They had a plentiful harvest that fall, and celebrated their first Thanksgiving with the Indians that fall.  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 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.  They had a plentiful harvest that fall, and celebrated their first Thanksgiving with the Indians that fall.  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 that increasingly sustains peoples worldwide.  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.  For that we can thank the Indians.   

Corn is a tremendous contribution by Indians to the world that increasingly sustains peoples worldwide.  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.  For that 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, though 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.  It landed in Salem, Massachusetts in 1629 and immediately moved to Boston Harbor.  It 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 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, though 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.  It landed in Salem, Massachusetts in 1629 and immediately moved to Boston Harbor.  It 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 West Africa.

 

What is a "colony"?  A "colony" is defined as "a body of people living in a new territory but retaining ties with the parent state."  (Merriam-Webster dictionary)

What is a "colony"?  A "colony" is defined as "a body of people living in a new territory but retaining ties with the parent state."  (Merriam-Webster dictionary)