English Colonization

American History before 1877

The English Come to America

¡ Why colonize at all?

¡ Spain’s example

¡ Mercantilism

¡ Richard Hakluyt, The Principal Navigations of the English Nation, 1589

¡ Destiny

¡ Religion

¡ Benefits of English civilization

¡ Exotic products

¡ Surplus population

England’s first colony

¡ Elizabeth I versus Philip II

¡ Privateers

¡ Sir Walter Raleigh

¡ Roanoke, 1587

¡ 1588: Spanish Armada

Founding Virginia

¡ The Virginia Company

¡ Organized 1606

¡ April 1607: Jamestown

¡ Near disaster

¡ 4800 die out of 6000 colonists, 1607-1624

Saving Virginia

• Headrights

• Tobacco: John Rolfe, 1612

• House of Burgesses, 1619

Plantation colonies

¡ Royal colony, 1624

¡ Indian war, 1622

¡ Tobacco culture

¡ Indentured servants

¡ Maryland, 1634: tobacco & Catholics

From servants to slaves

¡ Governor Sir William Berkeley, 1642-1677

¡ No printing press

¡ No schools

¡ Nathaniel Bacon’s rebellion, 1676

¡ After 1660, fewer indentured servants

¡ The turn to slavery 1660-1700

A slaveowning elite takes charge

¡ Proud, independent elite, demands obedience

¡ Establish conservative political culture

¡ Control government & church

¡ Weak govt., low taxes to protect slavery & wealth

¡ Quick to defend their liberty against outside control

¡ Profound lack of sympathy for the unlucky

Southern Legacy

¡ Least educated

¡ Biggest gap between rich and poor

¡ Most violent

¡ Most conservative; least innovative

¡ Fewest public institutions & amenities (parks, libraries)

¡ Weak social services