Virginia

COLONIAL VIRGINIA


 * People, Places, and Events**

Wikipedia articles have value in supplementing our text and class notes, thereby providing a first cut at a more profound analysis of the people, places, and events we will study this semester.

Numerous Wikipedia articles pertaining to topics within this module are inserted below:


 * COLONIAL VIRGINIA**

[]
 * Map of the Chesapeake Colonies**

First permanent English settlement in America
 * Jamestown** (1607):

Captain John Smith []

Virginia Company Joint–stock company. Limited liability of investors Not financed by government []

Powhatan Indians initially aided colonists [] []

Pocahontas and John Rolfe [] []

Quarrels over land led to warfare (1622 and 1644) Indian massacre of 1622 [] Indians were defeated and pushed westward


 * Websites**

1. John Smith's account of the trip to Virginia (Library of Congress) http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/timeline/colonial/jamestwn/colonist.html

2. Jamestown Settlement http://www.historyisfun.org/Jamestown-Settlement.htm

Blog Post for Jamestown Settlement http://thelearningprofessor.blogspot.com/2011/09/website-spotlight-jamestown-festival.html


 * Do reaction for Wednesday 21 September based on the Jamestown Settlement website**.

3. America at 1607: Jamestown and the Powhatan [|National Geographic Interactive]:


 * Indian and English cultural differences**:

Land ownership: English wanted private property; Indian land owned communally

Gender division of work: Indian women worked the fields. English women did not

Indian men hunted English saw hunting as an upper-class leisure activity

Leadership: Nature of hierarchy differed English looked for "chiefs" Indian leaders' authority rested on consensus

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 * Tobacco**:

Basis of Virginia's success Key cash crop Required much land Required continuous labor

In 1624, Virginia becomes a royal colony, ruled by the king through appointed officials.
 * Royal colony**:

[] Land grants to individuals Settlers could claim 50 acres of land for themselves 50 acres for those whom they paid passage (including servants). Enabled some to build a large estate of landed wealth
 * Headrights**:

[] Virginia began the tradition of local representative government New Spain, New France, and New Netherlands had autocratic rule Anglican Church. Church of England (Episcopalians today). Not Puritans.
 * House of Burgesses** (1619):

[]
 * Indentured servitude**:

Need for laborers Tobacco cultivation required many laborers English began with indentured servants (7 years) from England Slaves cost three times as much for initial outlay Life was hard on servants; not much easier for owners Diet of pork and corn Not much material wealth (not like today's Williamsburg) Servant might not live through his indenture If he lived through it, he could become a landowner himself

Predominance of males, servitude, high mortality rates caused Fewer, smaller (1–3 healthy children), and shorter–lived families Most children had step–parents: death of parent and remarriage Parents had less control of their children than in New England Rich families began by 1700 to control the colony They were intermarried, wealthy, powerful The same people were Burgesses, militia, church vestry, county court
 * Chesapeake families**:

[] [] [] Land grant from King Charles I to Calvert family (Lord Baltimore). Catholic. Maryland a sanctuary for Catholics Catholics severely persecuted in England.
 * Maryland (1632)**
 * Proprietorship**. A personal possession.

Rivers Tobacco Plantations Indentured servitude and slavery. Chesapeake (Bay). Term includes Virginia and Maryland, mostly.
 * Maryland similar to Virginia**: