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English Colonization of the Chesapeake: Economic Growth and Social Transformations

Learn about how the English encouraged settlement in the Chesapeake region through joint stock companies, the headright system, and the development of a plantation economy. Discover the challenges faced by early colonists, the rise of tobacco production, labor sources, relationships with Native Americans, religion, education, government structures in Jamestown and Maryland, and the economic systems in the Southern colonies.

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English Colonization of the Chesapeake: Economic Growth and Social Transformations

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  1. English Colonization of the Chesapeake

  2. How did the English encourage settlement? • Joint Stock Companies • Investors, not crown controlled • Reduced British economic burden - depression • Offered settlers rights of Englishmen • Wealth

  3. Jamestown Colony (1607) • Virginia Company of London - 104 gentlemen adventurers & poor servants • April 1607, land along James River

  4. First Colonists - Problems • Malarial swamp • There to find riches – gold • No gold – economy in shambles • Did not plant food – hoped to trade with Indians

  5. John Smith • 38 of the 104 remained nine months later - disease or starvation • John Smith, the colonial leader, begins to make changes • Colonists largely unmotivated • Smith leaves Jamestown in 1609 • When the new governor arrived he found the colonists, “their daily and usual works, bowling in the streets.”

  6. How was Jamestown Saved? • Tobacco – John Rolfe – 1616 • Right climate • Demand in Europe • How to replace the people? • Headright System • Indentured Servants

  7. Population of the Land • Plantations • Spread out along rivers • Towns did not develop • Plantations self-sufficient

  8. Business Booms • Tobacco production increased • from 200,000 lbs/yr in 1624 • to 3 million in 1638 • to 10 million in 1660 • Tobacco became the economic engine for the Virginia colony • This plantation economy developed throughout the Chesapeake and eventually into the deep south and remained the core industry of the south through the Civil War.

  9. Labor Source of the Chesapeake • Landowners needed someone to perform manual labor of planting, tending and harvesting crops • Indentured servants – 1610s – late 1600s • African slaves – late 1600s – 1865 • First slaves - 1619 • 1650 – 300 slaves • 1700 – 13,000 slaves

  10. Relationship with Native Americans • At first, the English were completely dependent • Trading relationship - Indians coveted British weapons and metal tools • Expansion caused tensions • Tobacco required land • Led to conflicts between Virginians and Native tribes • 1632 - peace treaty was signed

  11. Jamestown Religion & Education • Not a priority in the culture of Virginia • Lack of towns and widespread population • Religion: Most folks were Anglicans • Education • Wealthy hired tutors or sent to Europe • Poor worked as apprentices

  12. Jamestown Government • Colonial legislature - House of Burgesses (est. 1619) • First legislative body in North America • Controlled by aristocracy • Vote - white, male, landowner

  13. Maryland - 1632 • Proprietary Colony • Lord George Calvert – debt from Crown • Haven for Catholics • Acts of Toleration

  14. Maryland Economy • Plantation economy very much like Jamestown • Produced tobacco • Practiced slavery

  15. Southern Colonies • Single cash crop – plantation economies • Carolinas – Proprietary colony • Rice and indigo

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