EARLY COLONIESChapter 3 Lesson 1

Chapter 2 Notes

Get out a new piece of paper and label it “Chapter 2 Notes”

Remember: only write what is in RED for notes.

In 1584 Queen Elizabeth of England gave Sir Walter Raleigh the right to

claim land in North America. Raleigh sent settlers to Roanoke Island

(present-day North Carolina) in 1585 but they could not survive through the

tough winter, so they gave up and returned to England.

In 1587, Raleigh sent his second group consisting of 91 men, 17 women, and 9

children with John White leading the group. Shortly after arriving White’s daughter gave birth to Virginia Dare

who was the first English child born in North America.

MYSTERY OF ROANOKE

9 days after his granddaughters birth White returned to England for supplies. Due to England battle with the Spanish

Armada White took longer than the estimated few months to return. When

he returned, Roanoke was deserted. The only clue he found was a tree that had the word Croatoan carved on it. White

thought that they had gone to Croatoan Island about 50 miles south, but bad

weather kept White from investigating. The Roanoke colonists were never seen

again.

SUCCESS AT JAMESTOWN

• *For a while the failure at Roanoke discouraged the English from settling in North America. In 1606, England’s new king, King

James I, wanted to renew England’s quest for colonization in

North America.

*Proprietary Colonies-created to make money for the

joint stock company. *Virginia Company (Joint

Stock Company)set up a House of Burgesses.

*In the Virginia Company investors bought shares hoping

that they would make money. The plan was for the company’s

settlers to find gold and establish trade in fish and furs. King James I granted a charter to the Virginia Company of London to set up a colony in North America. In April

1607, the ships entered Chesapeake Bay. The colonists named the River the James and

the new settlement Jamestown to honor their King.

JAMESTOWN SURVIVES

Although Jamestown was the 1st successful colony, it did not start out as such. There was NO gold found in Jamestown. Colonists faced disease and hunger. In part due to Captain

John Smith who forced settlers to work. He also built ties with and got food from the local Powhatan people and their Chief

Powhatan. In 1609, Smith was injured and returned to England so Powhatan stopped providing food.

Winter of 1609-1610 was called the “Starving Time”

TOBACCO SAVES JAMESTOWN

Somehow Jamestown survived Starving Time. More colonists arrived to replace those who died. They found a way to make money for investors by growing tobacco using seeds from the West

Indies.

Tobacco- crop that saved Jamestown The Value of Tobacco

MORE SETTLERS COME TO VIRGINIA The colony of Virginia expanded.

Relations with the Powhatan improved after colonist John Rolfe

married the chief’s daughter Pocahontas. The Virginia Company sent women to

Jamestown. As a result, marriage and children became a part of life

in the colony. The Virginia Company also gave

a headright (land grant of 50 acres) to settlers who paid their

own way to the colony. This system helped the colony

succeed.

*The Virginia Company also made the House of Burgesses

in Jamestown, the first legislative assembly.

The Virginia Colony was growing in size, but it was not making

any money for the shareholders so in 1624 King James took away

the company’s charter and Virginia became a royal colony

(under direct control of England’s government).

COLONY REGIONS AND THEIR MAJOR CHARACTERISTICS

New England Colonies required children to learn to read the Bible.

The Middle Colonies were known for diverse people.

The Southern Colonies’ society mirrored England’s with planters at the top and debtors at the bottom.