1. How does the geography of Jamestown, as well as the economy, play a part in this letter?
100 years after Columbus first arrived in the Americas, the first of 13 colonies, Virginia, was settled. Little did they know that 400 years later, these colonies would evolve and become one of the most powerful nations on Earth. With the colonists populating both southern and northern area, many aspects of the colonies changed. Not only did the colonies change because of the climate and topography (which was inevitable) but also because of the people who lived there. New England was primarily composed of people searching for religious freedom, the Southern Colonies had wealthy people looking for land to grow their plantations, and the middle colonies, the most ethnically diverse, consisting of people searching for a new and wealthier life.
Although England learned of America’s existence years before their Jamestown settlement was established, there did not exist any accurate map of the Virginian geography until after the settlement had already been established. As a consequence of this, many settlements started on the American coastline and developed from there, yet these settlements would still struggle to exist while the colonists became familiar with their new found surroundings. Being unfamiliar with the environment, the first settlers had a difficult time navigating, expanding the settlement, and farming sufficient crops.
The Dutch were the first to settle in New York in 1624. Two years later they made the colony New Amsterdam on Manhattan Island. In the year 1664 the English took control of the colony and renamed it New York after the Duke of York. Although the Netherlands only controlled the Hudson River Valley from 1609 until 1664, in that time, Dutch entrepreneurs established New Netherland, a series of trading posts, towns, and forts up and down the Hudson River that laid the groundwork for towns that still exist today. The slow expansion of New Netherland, however, caused conflicts with both English colonists and Native Americans in the region.
As given per the scenario, being a young woman out to venture on my own, one of my key concerns would be safety. What colony will provide for me in security, economically, socially, and and maybe even religiously. Another large factor that comes into question is time. While reading about the early colonizations things changed vastly from one year to the next. These changes were based on wars, climate, political powers/influences, and relationships with nearby natives. The colony most fitting to my given situation between Virginian, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania, would be Pennsylvania in the late 1680s. Pennsylvania was becoming well established due to it’s powerful economic growth, cultural diversity and religion, and change in slavery.
One hundred sixteen people landed on the coast of North Carolina long before anyone had discovered the colony of Jamestown. They traveled across the Atlantic Ocean from England once they heard of Christopher Columbus’s major discovery of a new land. Even 600 years later, the fate of the Roanoke Colony still remains a mystery.
This region is known to possess fertile soil and ideal weather conditions, unlike the rocky soil and harsh conditions in New England, which made growing crops, especially tobacco more accessible. Besides tobacco, there were also promises of gold. John Smith described this desire for gold to be the worst motivation for coming to the Chesapeake region since the gold seekers themselves “... made all men their slaves in hope of recompenses.” (Document F) Still, they had goals of becoming wealthy and because of this the ships, such as the Merchant’s Hope, Hugh Weston, and Master, were filled with a majority of mature, independent men. Very few, if any, women were onboard (document C) most likely because the men thought they’d be of no benefit. Considering the absence of women and families it was appropriate that the men settled independently in the wilderness or on plantations rather than in communities. Additionally, unlike New England, which promoted equality and peace, the Chesapeake region struggled with conflicts. This can be observed in the article surrounding Governor Berkeley and His Council on Their Inability to Defend Virginia Against a Dutch Attack, which states that, “We thought it our duty… to set forth in this our Declaration, the true state and condition of this country in general and our particular… disabilit[y] to… [engage in] war at the time of this invasion [by the Dutch]....” (Document G) Another example of this conflict would be Nathaniel Bacon’s Rebellion. In Bacon’s “Manifesto” where he justifies his rebellion against Governor Berkeley, he says, “Let truth be bold and all the world know the real foundations of pretended guilt… Let us trace… [the] men in authority and favor to whose hands the dispensation of the countr[y’s] wealth has been committed.” (Document H) All-in-all, Bacon was dissatisfied with Governor
The settling of the Northern Colonies began with the arrival of the Pilgrims, or Puritan separatists, to Plymouth. The Massachusetts Bay Colony, led by John Winthrop, was formed shortly after and became known as the "Bible Commonwealth" for its large religious influence. However, religious tensions began to arise with dissidents like Anne Hutchinson and Roger Williams. The Rhode Island Colony was formed as a haven for these dissenters and exiles, and it became known as being strongly liberal and individualistic. The third New England colony, Connecticut, was led by Thomas Hooker and was the first to establish a "modern constitution" through the Fundamental Orders. The last northern colony, New Hampshire was created in 1679. Conflicts with the
James Horn’s, “A Land As God Made It”, tells about the hardships and tragedies the settlers faced as they attempted to make a settlement in Jamestown. Before attempting to settle at Jamestown, England tried to permanently settle in Roanoke, off the coast of North Carolina. The colony was “unsuitable because its shallow waters could not accommodate ocean-going vessels” (Horn 2005, 31). Horn says that the failure of the Roanoke colony occurred for many different reasons; one of the main reasons being that it was not a time for success for the colony. Although the colony failed, it gave impact on the future for settlers to start a new settlement (Horn 2005, 33). Horn says that the reason for Jamestown being explored is unclear and that only a
Some may think that both the New England and Chesapeake regions were alike, since they were settled by the English. However, they would be wrong as the two regions settled here with different motives. The Jamestown colony was led by John Smith, while the Mass Bay colony was led by John Cotton and John Winthrop. The Mass Bay colony was in the New England region while the Chesapeake area was in the Jamestown colony. These two regions developed into two unique societies because of their priorities, climate, growing seasons, and the interactions with the Natives in their region. They both differ because in New England they mostly settled for the freedom of their religion, while in Chesapeake they
Amid the late 16th century and into the 17th century, European nations quickly inhabited the new lands called the Americas. England sent out multiple groups to two regions in the eastern coast of North America. Those areas were called the Chesapeake and the New England locations. Later, in the end of the1700 's, these two locations would combine to create one nation. However originally both areas had very different and distinctive identities. Although they have numerous differences their characteristics resulted from one important factor, which is, the reason the settlers came to the New World. This had an impact on the settlement, economically, socially, and politically.
Early American colonies were the base of what it is now known the United States of America. Although almost all of the colonies were from the same time period each colony differed from each other. Some of the colonies differed by their economic system and also by their way of running their colony, their government. Also, the colonies differed from their culture and their way they lived. In addition, the New England and the Chesapeake colonies were not the exception they also differed from each other.
Before the Commonwealth was settled by Europeans, the area was home to the Delaware (also known as Lenni Lenape), Susquehannock, Iroquois, Eriez, Shawnee, and other American Indian Nations.[17] Both the Dutch and the English claimed both sides of the Delaware River as part of their colonial lands in America.[18][19][20] The Dutch were the first to take possession.[20]
The Jamestown[1] settlement in the Colony of Virginia was the first permanent English settlement in the Americas. William Kelso says Jamestown "is where the British Empire began ... this was the first colony in the British Empire."[2] Established by the Virginia Company of London as "James Fort" on May 4, 1607 (O.S., May 14, 1607 N.S.),[3] and considered permanent after brief abandonment in 1610, it followed several earlier failed attempts, including the Lost Colony of Roanoke. Jamestown served as the capital of the colony for 83 years, from 1616 until 1699.
Colonialism is the implementation of one greater power exerting control over a lesser power. The primary motive for England joining the competition, was the fact that Portugal and Spain were already succeeding at it. Subsequent to Christopher Columbus’s excursion to the “new world”, came the Treaty of Tordesillas (Britanica). Which