01:512:104 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Leonard Calvert, London Company, Plymouth Company
13 May 2018
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Chapter 02 - Transplantations and Borderlands
1)The Early Chesapeake
a)The Founding of Jamestown
i)Charter granted to London Company in 1604 by King James I, Godspeed,
Discovery, and Susan Constant left England and landed in Jamestown, VA in
1607
ii)Colony mostly al men, inadequate diets contributed to disease, by 1608
colony had almost failed (poor leadership, location, disease, food) except
Capt. John Smith saved it by imposing work and order and organizing raids
against Indians
b)Reorganization
i)London Company became Virginia Company 1609, gained expanded
charter, sold stock, wish to grew VA colony with land grants to planters
ii)Winter of 1609-1610= starving time
iii)First governor Lord De La Warr arrived 1609, established harsh discipline
w/ work gangs
iv)Communal system didn’t work well, Governor Dale thought better off with
personal incentive to work and private ownership
c)Tobacco
i)1612 VA planter John Rolfe began to grow tobacco, cultivation spread,
created a tobacco economy that was profitable, uncertain, and high labor and
land demands, created need for territorial expansion
d)Expansion
i)Tobacco still not enough to make profits, 1618 campaign to attract settlers
ii)Headright system- land grants to new settles, encouraged family groups to
migrate together, rewarded those who paid for passages of others
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iii)Company brought women and skilled workers, allowed for a share in self-
govt (VA House of Burgesses met July 30, 1619)
iv)1919 saw arrival of first Negro slaves on Dutch ship, but palnters continued
to favor indentured servants until at least 1670s b/c cheaper and more
abundant
v)Colony grew b/c Indians suppressed, Sir Thomas Dale led assaults, huge
uprising staged by Powhatans in 1622 but eventually put down, again 1644
vi)By 1624 Virginia Company defunct, lost all funds, charter revoked by James
I and colony put under control of crown
e)Exchanges of Agricultural Tech
i)Survival of Jamestown result of agricultural tech developed by Indians and
borrowed by English, such as value of corn w/ its high yields, beans alongside
corn to enrich soil
f)Maryland and the Calverts
i)Dream of George Calvert (first Lord Baltimore) as speculative venture +
retreat for English Cath. oppressed by Anglican church, 1632 son Cecilius
(second Lord Balt) got charter from king, made complete sovereigns of new
land
ii)1634 Lord Balt named brother Leonard Calvert governor, settlers arrived in
Maryland
iii)Calverts invested heavily, needed many settlers to make profit, encouraged
Prot. as well as Catholics (Cath became minority), “Act Concerning Religion”
granted toleration; yet politics in MD plagued by tension btwn Catholic minority
and Prot. majority, civil war 1655
iv)Proprietor was absolute monarch, Lord Balt. granted land to relatives and
other English aristocrats, labor shortages required headright system
g)Turbulent Virginia
i)Mid 17th century VA colony had larger pop, complexity and profitability of
economy, debates over how to deal with Indians
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ii)Sir William Berkeley apptd governor by King Charles I 1642, put down 1644
Indian uprising and agreed to not cross settlement line. Impossible to protect
Indian territory b/c of growth of VA after Cromwell’s victory in English Civil War
and flight of opponents to colony
(1)Choice lands along river occupied, new arrivals pressed westward
iii)At first vote extended to all, later only to landowners and elections rare, led
to recent settlers in “back country” to be underrepresented
h)Bacon’s Rebellion
i)Nathaniel Bacon and other members of backcountry gentry disagreed on
policies toward natives, backcountry in constant danger from Indian attack b/c
on land reserved to natives by treaty, believed east. aristocracy wanted to
protect dominance by holding down white settlers in west
ii)Bacon on governors council, in 1675 led counter-attacks against Indians
against governors orders, kicked off council, unauthorized assault on Indians
became a military challenge to colonial govt
iii)Bacon’s army marched on Jamestown twice, died suddenly
iv)Rebellion showed unwillingness of settlers to abide by agreements with
natives, also potential for instability in colony’s large population of free,
landless men eager for land and against landed gentry—common interest in
east and west aristocracy to prevent social unrest, led to African slave trade
growing
2)The Growth of New England
a)Plymouth Plantation
i)1608 Pilgrims (Separatists from Ang. Chur) went to Holland to seek freedom,
unhappy with children entering Dutch society
ii)Leaders obtained permission from VA Company to settle in VA, king would
“not molest them”. William Bradford was their leader and historian
iii)Left 1620 aboard Mayflower with 35 “saints” (members of church) and 67
“strangers”, original destination Hudson River but ended up @ Cape Cod
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find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
1)the early chesapeake a)the founding of jamestown i)charter granted to london company in 1604 by king james i, godspeed, Discovery, and susan constant left england and landed in jamestown, va in. 1607 ii)colony mostly al men, inadequate diets contributed to disease, by 1608 colony had almost failed (poor leadership, location, disease, food) except. Maryland iii)calverts invested heavily, needed many settlers to make profit, encouraged. Indian uprising and agreed to not cross settlement line. 2)the growth of new england a)plymouth plantation i)1608 pilgrims (separatists from ang. Chur) went to holland to seek freedom, unhappy with children entering dutch society ii)leaders obtained permission from va company to settle in va, king would. William bradford was their leader and historian iii)left 1620 aboard mayflower with 35 saints (members of church) and 67. Strangers , original destination hudson river but ended up @ cape cod iv)land outside of london company"s territory, therefore signed mayflower.
