Virginia: the Founding of Jamestown

“Tobacco’s older than the gummint itself!”

1.England’s Slow Start 2.Plans for Virginia 3.Sir Thomas Dale, 1610s

4.Sir Edwin Sandys, 1618-19 5.Relations with Indigenous Americans 6.Origins of Slavery 7.Conclusions

Jamestown, Va. (1607)

Jamestown, Va. (1607)

England’s Slow Start

Why?

Why?

Why? THE SPANISH ARMADA (1588: RIP)

problem of finance

joint-stock company London Co. or Virginia Co.

Plans for Virginia

“The chief Design of all Parties concern’d was to fetch

away the Treasure from thence, aiming more at sudden Gain than to form any regular Colony.” – Robert Beverly, 1705

trading posts

trading posts

Indigenous, Settlers, Women?

Indigenous, Settlers, Women?

mining

mining

citrus fruits

citrus fruits

citrus fruits

None

“The Stinking Weed”

80%

80%

“The Starving Time”

“thatt notheinge was Spared to mainteyne Lyfe and to doe

those things which seame incredible, as to digge upp deade corpes outt of graves and to eate them. And some have Licked upp the Bloode which hathe fallen from their weake fellowes.”

“that nothing was Spared to maintain Life and to do

those things which seem incredible, as to dig up dead corpses out of graves and to eat them. And some have Licked up the Blood which had fallen from their weak fellows.”

“that nothing was Spared to maintain Life and to do

those things which seem incredible, as to dig up dead corpses out of graves and to eat them. And some have Licked up the Blood which had fallen from their weak fellows.”

“that nothing was Spared to maintain Life and to do

those things which seem incredible, as to dig up dead corpses out of graves and to eat them. And some have Licked up the Blood which had fallen from their weak fellows.”

None

Sir Thomas Dale (1610s)

None

martial law

Sir Edwin Sandys (1618-19)

None

None

“headright” system

indentured servants

families

“Tobacco Brides?” 1619

“Tobacco Brides?” Make “the men more setled [and] lesse moveable”

— Sandys

“one hundredth and fiftie [pounds] of the best leafe Tobacco”.

The 17th Century Bachelorette?

colonial assembly (1619)

House of Burgesses colonial assembly (1619)

Relations with Indigenous Americans?

Relations with Indigenous Americans?

Powhaten “babysitter”

None

None

Massacre of 1622

dissolved

royal colony

Slavery

1619

1670

None

None

None

None

None

None

1619

1619

treatment?

Interpretation #1

indentured servants

None

None

None

Interpretation #2

Interpretation #2

1624/25 Muster

None

None

1624/25 Muster

Notes Muster Date Date of Arrival Ship Age Corporation Location

Status Muster Name

Notes Muster Date Date of Arrival Ship Age Corporation Location

Status Muster Name servant servant servant servant

Were the Africans on the muster slaves or indentured servants?

None

“By the time of Portuguese colonization of South America, the

term “negro” [negros da terra] had become almost synonymous with ‘slave’ in the Portuguese language” (13). – Nishida, Slavery and Identity

1670 law?

October 1670 - ACT XII. What tyme Indians to serve.

“WHEREAS some dispute have arisen whither Indians taken in warr by any other nation, and by that nation that taketh them sold to the English, are sevants for life or terme of yeares,

October 1670 - ACT XII. What time Indians to serve.

“WHEREAS some disputes have arisen whether Indians taken in war by any other nation, and by that nation that took them sold to the English, are servants for life or term of years,

It is resolved and enacted that all servants not being

christians imported into this colony by shipping shall be slaves for their lives; but what shall come by land shall serve, if boyes or girles, untill thirty yeares of age, if men or women twelve yeares and no longer.”

It is resolved and enacted that all servants not being

Christians imported into this colony by shipping shall be slaves for their lives; but [who] shall come by land shall serve, if boys or girls, until thirty years of age, if men or women twelve years and no longer.”

None

None

Conclusions