Category: Jamestown

Being an adventurous person, I would leave England to the unknown world for some factors.

One push factor that will entice me into leaving England is going into another world to discover a different life and how the individuals in the given country live. With new discoveries, there are distinct possibilities in not only acquiring new products for various business opportunities in England But also exposure to an environment that will make me grow as an individual due to the challenges that will be encountered in the colony.

Being a citizen of England, I understand the business opportunities present, especially on the goods from the colonies. I would hence carry our research about the possibility of bulk import of the goodies and the likelihood of the different items to be bought once imported. With the above knowledge, I would set out to the unknown country with the main aim of coming back to England to invest.

Which do you consider more important to American history and why

Beacon rebellion was one of the revolts led by Nathaniel Bacon. Some of the reasons that resulted in the uprising were high taxes and low prices for the Tobacco crop and favor accorded to those that were close to the governors. Bacon conducted two expeditions that although were unauthorized were successful. The only gain the rebels had, was the removal of Berkeley from authority by the Native Americans. However, they lost the most in that after Bacon died suddenly, an event that took place after he had captured Jamestown. Berkeley came back to perform vengeance against them, an undertaking that resulted in the loss of many lives. The event in itself was most important to the American history in that is proved that blacks and the white could unite to fight a common enemy and that such a union could challenge the authorities.

Some of the factors that led to the success of Jamestown was the formation of marshal laws .besides, other factors such as the realization of the market niche in the selling of tobacco aided them to understand the market better and also find one for their other products. The lack of allies by the Roanoke colony as well as the hostility the natives showed them contributed to the failure of the settlement.

The people of Jamestown avoided the mistakes of Roanoke by focusing more on trade and farming instead of having control of their new colony by depending on external supplies. With this, they were self-sufficient to a large extent. It is likely that Roanoke could have survived under the circumstances of Jamestown as they would have many chances of not only having supplies but of also having allies that would have helped them to fight their survival battles. Besides, with trade opportunities such as tobacco and that of selling other commodities, they would have been able to take care of their supplies, hence starving while waiting supplies from their native country would not have happened.

I would like to do more research on Captain John Smith. I choose the above topic because I would like to have more knowledge on the individuals who contributed to the success of Jamestown. He is important in the event in that he was one of the individuals who was a mastermind behind many successes by Jamestown. In researching about Captain Smith, I have learned his role in fighting as a soldier to ensure the success of Jamestown.

References

1. Mulcahy, M. (2015). Tales of Misery and Woe. Reviews in American History, 43(3), 434-440.
2. Katz, F. (Ed.). (2014). Riot, rebellion, and revolution: rural social conflict in Mexico. Princeton University Press.

The Colonists emigrated to the New World for the frontier experience. When the English started making journeys to the New World in the early seventeenth century it was with the mindset of establishing settlements. England wanted raw materials like wood, sugar, tobacco from the New World since England was running low on these products. The New World had a lot of empty lands compared to England which was becoming more crowded. In 1607 Jamestown was built and the structure was that of a triangle with cannons on each corner to protects against the Spaniards1. The people from Jamestown were neither experienced in trade or military. They were ill prepared and with no skills in how to farm in the New World, the colonists faced turbulence such has diseases, famine, and constant attacks from the neighboring Powhatan Indians which decreased their population drastically.2

As the colonists began to settle in the new world they would have to figure out a way to survive. Many of the colonists had no idea how to plant and life in the frontier would prove to be difficult with many casualties. At first, England would send a few people sort of like an experiment to see what kind of obstacles they would have to face. England was already behind in getting to the New World and by the time they did, they had sent voyagers who had no experience in the skills needed3. They were also not prepared to face the Native Americans or the weather.

Captain John Smith was one of the settlers from Jamestown. In 1607 when the ship arrived at Virginia, Smith was placed in the council. As one of the first settlement colonies, the colonists struggled to stay alive especially during the harsh winters.4 Smith was smart enough to get close to the Native Americans. In doing so he learned how to essentially survive in the New World. The Native Americans taught him where to hunt and what to look for depending on the season. He took what he learned and helped his fellow settlers by passing on his teachings. Under his care, the colony was able to strive by implementing a rule of “ He that will not work shall not eat” making every colonist work.5

When the first few colonies were established and hold their own they had sent word to England in how to survive in the new world more ships set sail6. As more and more colonies were made the Native American population started to decrease. The decrease in the Native American population was due to the English carrying diseases which transferred to the Native Americans who had no protection7. Some of the Native American deaths were results of war between the colonists and the Native Americans. Due to the decrease in the Native American population with some of the tribes being eliminated the English were able to quickly reproduce. Some tribes were forced to join other whether they were once foes or not8. Soon after there was more land available and even more English settlers migrated resulting in the creation of new colonies.

The Native Americans did not believe in owning land but instead, they would use the land and coming back to use it again whether it was for hunting or planting9. Unlike the Native Americans, the English settlers started claiming land, making fences and used animals like the oxen, cows, and sheep to cultivate the land.10 The animals were also used as food like milk or meat. Besides bringing diseases the Native Americans brought insects and weeds11. The settlers started to exhaust the land of all its nutrients and trees destroying habitats and causing extreme weather changes12. The settlers saw that the tribes did not own land since there were no structures, fences, cultivated land or anything that stated that the land was owned according to their beliefs.

As each colony started being exceptionally successful more ships started arriving13. With the decline of Native Americans, the English were able to take a hold of North America. With more land that the settlers gained they started to cut trees and cultivate the land essentially doing what they had done in England. Since there were more settlers the colonists would be able to put up a fight against the tribes if it were to ever happen14. As the colonies became populated it was natural for the colonists to think of expanding which would later become known as manifest destiny. Some tribes had established themselves in areas they had useful resources and when the colonists trespassed into that land the colonists were met with resistance. Thus, treaties were made which were had different meanings not everyone involved understood it in the same way15.

The treaties were in a way regarded has the law during these years.16 In the early sixteenth and seventeenth century code, statues and the Algonquin reciprocity principle were used in court. The Algonquin reciprocity principle is if you damage someone else’s property you must give something of equal value to the owner of the damaged property17. Sometimes not all disputes were resolved if the case involved a tribal member and a colonist. The courts had no power when it had to deal with Native American affairs.18

When the colonists immigrated to the New World they had thought that they would be free of Great Britain. While they were free of religious persecution, had more space and raw materials they were still subjects to the Crown. With Britain wanting the raw products it made the colonists ship the raw materials to them19. Then Britain would ship them back to the colonists and sell the finish goods. Britain only wanted the colonists to trade with them and not with anyone else leading them to become even more English20. With the trade going on the frontier was moved so the colonists could have more access to raw materials. By the 1760s Britain had an American Empire there was no competition and the British traders had taken over code fishing and fur trading.21

The colonists at first saw no problem with just trading with Great Britain since they were making money. They tried to make a living on the frontier with help from Britain, they depended on them for food and finished goods. They were only loyal subjects who did the hard work in gathering the raw materials to ship it to Britain. By the late 1700s, Britain thought it would keep the American Empire, which they were wrong. The Colonists had become part of something bigger than them. They were part of a system that was for the commonwealth. They were essentially one small part of a whole.22

The Atlantic frontier was made up of fishermen, fur-traders, cattle raisers, miner, and farmers23. Trading also involved tobacco and sugar which were quite popular. Great Britain saw how tobacco was popular and wanted to be the only place who would trade it for a higher price. Britain took over the islands where tobacco and sugar canes were farmed making those colonists trade only with them. Each of these industries was forced to move westward by an irresistible force.24 The frontier was then moved even more each being successful.

The Frontier was the Appalachian Mountains but soon the colonists would move it further back as they move West. Soon Britain started taxing the Colonists to be able to pay for the soldiers and the ships around the Colonists. The Colonists would start a “No taxation without representation” and the American Revolution would begin25. Their character, way of thinking, dressing and their day to day life was very much English. Even their legal institutions resembled that of Britain’s26. As soon as they gained independence the Colonists started expanding westward in a sense they started stripping off their Englishness and started becoming more American. After the American Revolution, the colonists would enter a process of Americanization. The newer generation would forget about their Englishness and would start to act more like an American.

Trails would be created along with settlements. Reserves would be created in the attempt to move the Native Americans into them. Which the colonists were successful in doing granting them access to more raw materials and land. They would then start to make a government, and laws which would involve ways to deal with problems that included Native Americans. As they kept on moving forward it became increasingly hard for Britain to trade with them and the colonists had to cut ties with Britain.27

The frontier was the separation between civilization and the wilderness and how the Colonists modified that life. There was so much land for the taking and has the colonists continued to move westward there was space for development. For animals and crops to travel railroads had to be built. Factories were made, and agriculture became more diversified. The colonists were now American and couldn’t just trade with Britain. Each settlement became responsible for putting in their share whether it was growing crops or raising animals28.

Since they had claimed most of the land and pushed all the Native Americans into reserves there plenty of room for developments. Much of these developments led to the creation of ideas and shaped the country we live in now. This also led them to believe in manifest destiny which was they believe that it was the settler’s job to expand north. Railroads would soon be built since it would help get goods and people from place to place much faster than by horse.

To summarize the frontier experience played a crucial role in American culture and expansion. Through the frontier experience, the colonists became American and it brought about the rise of new ideas and technology. It gave birth to a new country.

1. Historicjamestowne.org/history/history-of-Jamestown/
2. Historicjamestowne.org/history/history-of-Jamestown/
3. G. Edward white. Law in American History volume 1.
4. Historicjamestowne.org/history/Pocahontas/john-smith/
5. Historyjamestowne.org/history/Pocahontas/john-smith/
6. G. Edward White Law in American History Volume 1
7. G. Edward White Law in American History Volume 1
8. G. Edward White Law in American History Volume 1
9. G. Edward White Law in American History Volume 1
10. G. Edward White Law in American History Volume 1
11. G. Edward White Law in American History Volume 1
12. G. Edward White Law in American History Volume 1
13. G. Edward White Law in American History Volume 1
14. G. Edward White Law in American History Volume 1
15. G. Edward White Law in American History Volume 1
16. G. Edward White Law in American History Volume 1
17. G. Edward White Law in American History Volume 1
18. G. Edward White Law in American History Volume 1
19. History Class notes on Colonies
20. History Class on Navigational laws.
21. G. Edward White Law in American History Volume 1
22. History Class on commonwealth
23. Turner, Frederick Jackson. The Frontier in American History. Salt Lake City: Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, 2007.
24. Turner, Frederick Jackson. The Frontier in American History. Salt Lake City: Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, 2007.
25. G. Edward White Law in American History Volume 1
26. G. Edward White Law in American History Volume 1
27. Turner, Frederick Jackson. The Frontier in American History. Salt Lake City: Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, 2007.
28. Turner, Frederick Jackson. The Frontier in American History. Salt Lake City: Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, 2007.

Having the warmest climate out of all colonies, Virginia had the greatest spread of diseases than colder settlements in the northern colonies. Virginia was one of the most successful colonies for being rich in tobacco and to the people, it was like gold to them. But Virginia has experienced hardships that led to fruitful and productive aftermaths. The Colony of Virginia has also substantially benefited its economy from its large growths of tobacco crops. Virginia was one of the most successful colonies because of its a profitable economy, a colonial government, and settlers who benefited Virginia and caused problems in the colony.

The Colony of Virginia life relied on the large abundance of tobacco production. Tobacco growth changed Virginia’s way of life entirely. And this economic growth was credited to a man named John Rolfe. John Rolfe was a “Virginia planter and colonial official who was the husband of Pocahontas, daughter of the Indian chief Powhatan” (John Rolfe). John Rolfe believed that Virginia could be an excellent area for tobacco to be grown. But after he failed to prove that Virginia was a perfect a settlement to plant tobacco, smokers repudiated him. Yet, Rolfe decided to import tobacco seeds from the West Indies. Those seeds led to mass production of tobacco and an economic growth in their economy. But after planting so much tobacco, it became a struggle because planting so many crops of tobacco caused the drain of nutrients from sites with fertile soil. Settlers of Virginia waited three years but could not wait any longer so they began to plant tobacco on sidewalks, streets and surprisingly, cemeteries.“Because tobacco cultivation is labor intensive, more settlers were needed” (The Growth of Tobacco Trade). This problem was solved by bringing indentured servants and after working for five to seven years, they were later released and granted with their freedom, land, and seeds.

“The first colonial legislature was the Virginia House of Burgesses” (ushistory.org). The Virginia House of Burgesses was the first legislative house of Virginia which helped convey the American Revolutionary War. It also approved of the law which made African workers slaves fo their entire lives. After a militarized government took over, the colony of Virginia began to form The Virginia General Assembly. This assembly was ordered from The Virginia Company of London. The purpose of the General Assembly was to allow settlers the opportunity to engage in the participation of their own authority. It also led to the Virginia Colony having a good relationship with the Powhatan Indians. When The General Assembly was formed, it did not only grant settlers their authority to govern, it also led to the end of a militarized government. Due to the end of the military-style government, a newly elected community was created granting “the rule of law and permission of the governed” (The First General Assembly). Today, The General Assembly is still a governing body and has spread throughout North America.

John Smith was a colonial governor and an explorer who settled the settlement of Jamestown. Jamestown was “the first permanent British North American Colony” (John Smith). When John Smith and other settlers were settling the soon to be Jamestown, they did not know it was already settled by Native American tribes. Out of all of John Smith’s contact with many tribes, Powhatan, the Chief of the Powhatan, was the most important person John Smith had ever encounter. When John Smith was kidnapped by the Powhatans, he arranged a union which helped The Colony Of Virginia by trading with American Indians. The Powhatans traded food, furs, and offered new crops such as tobacco. In exchange, John Smith and the English settlers gave tools, pots, and guns. But after John Smith’s following bartering with other tribes, the alliance between the Powhatans, John Smith and the English settlers broke. This collapse caused many susceptible conflicts between the Powhatans and the settlers of Jamestown. The Powhatans soon realized that the English settlement was growing so they began to see them as intruders that would invade and take their land.

The Colony of Virginia was and is still an extraordinary historical settlement. The colony had to overcome many conflicts and hardship throughout their leadership. But the colony was also very successful. Virginia was considered one of the most beneficial colonies due to the fact of its money-making economy of vast tobacco crops, being a legislative government which granted self-government, and lastly the colony’s beneficial and problematic neighbors, the Powhatans, who broke the union between the colony and the American Indian tribe. This colony has faced agricultural factors and environmental factors and is still standing today as a successful and colony.

America the land of the free, even if we may know the country as the land of the free America holds a dark history of slavery in the early centuries. Dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries when slavery was born, over millions of Africans were being captured and forced into servitude, Africans were not only the form of servitude in early America. Poor Europeans were indentured servants and performed heavy labor under a seven-year contract that in return they will be granted with freedom and land. Apart from this, the Native Americans were also taken into slavery, as well as other Native American tribes capturing their kind and selling them to the Europeans.

Slavery began in Jamestown, Virginia in early 1619, when a torn and butchered Dutch ship had landed on the Chesapeake Bay. On the ship there was a human cargo of twenty captured African slaves, the people of Jamestown had traded food and amenities with the Dutch for the human slaves. The colonist then had the African slaves join work with the poor Europeans on the plantations. African slaves mainly had worked on indigo, tobacco, and rice farms located on the Southern part of America.

Later in the 1790s, America’s tobacco farms began to lose its wealth, but during the same incident, the textile industry in Great Britain was commanding high demand for cotton wear due to massive international demands. Until 1793, a device that removes the seeds from cotton was invented by a man named Eli Whitney, and with his invention of the cotton gin, it was rapidly imitative and used on other cotton plantations. With the cotton gin industry, it had led provinces to become more reliant on slave labor. This event created a Second Middle Passage, the second-largest forced immigration in America’s history. Slaves were restricted from many laws that even a single wrong movement can lead to brutal punishment or even death. Treatments of slaves varied, slaveholders would hang, burn, whipped, beat, and confined them. Women slaves were often victims of rape and sexual abuse from the male master. Despite many Southern societies strongly forbidden sexual relationship between a black man and a white woman to maintain racial purity. The offspring of a women slave from any race will be born into slavery which resulted in numerous amounts of mixed-race slaves. Slaves did not have a legal basis on marriage, but slaves still married and raised their families on the plantation. Slave masters did not prohibit this practice but rather encouraged it, but usually resulted in dividing slave families by selling or removal.

There was a time long before African American slaves there were the Native American slaves. The kidnapping and trading of Native American slaves first started when the first arrival of the Europeans. Along the time of 1492 and 1880, over two and five-point five million Native Americans were enslaved in America, while Native Americans had been forced into slavery as early as 1636, it was not until King Philip’s War that the natives were incarcerated in a numerous amount. Throughout the war, Native Americans were being shipped as slaves to other countries such as Spain, North Africa, Jamaica, Bermuda, and many more other countries. Unlike African slaves who were captured and enslaved did not know where they would be taken and what was the consequences, although the Native Americans knew they will be taken and shipped to other countries where they will be enslaved and receive brutal treatment. With the fear of the Native Americans being shipped overseas they initiate to fight to the death, as for some Native Americans who surrender and in the hope they would not be sent overseas. Native American tribes held war prisoners as slaves before and during the Europeans colonization. Natives were being captured and sold by other Natives into slavery to the Europeans while others were being captured by Europeans and sold into slavery. Even though before the arrival of Europeans, Native American had practiced some sort of slavery in their tribes. Native Americans had enslaved war prisoners and have them perform minor labor. There were also other ways to get enslave, for example, one of them is gambling situation, when one cannot pay their debt, they put themselves in servitude for short term or in some cases for life. At times some captives were also involved in rituals that involved cannibalism.

Native American slavery started to come to an end in the 18th centuries when the white settlers started to enslave African American. In the late 18th century, poor Europeans signed a contract in return for an expensive passage, the contract would typically last for five to seven years. Throughout the servitude term they were unpaid and only given enough service to keep them alive and working, At the end of their contract in return of their heavy labor, the servants would be granted freedom, new set of clothes, food, land, and be able to decide whether they want to work for themselves or under another employer, very few servants lived to see the end of their contract. However, servants who contract had expired after 1670 enjoyed less and less success due to planters owning almost all the best tobacco lands by 1665. White immigration to America between the 1630s and the American Revolution had come under a contract. Nevertheless, almost half the European immigrants to the Thirteen Colonies were under a contract, but they were still outnumbered by other workers who had never been under a contract or others who contracts had ended, and free labor during the time was more widespread for the Europeans colonies. Servitudes were also used widely by the British and English as a punishment for defeated foes in rebellions and civil wars. Servitudes also lived under strict rules, servants were not able to marry without the consent of their master, at times servants were subjects to physical punishment or abuse, and they did not receive legal service from the court. Women servants contracts would be given lengthened if they became pregnant to ensure the contract was completed with the right amount of time.

All things considered; America has a dark history with slavery. Europeans, Native Americans, and Africans all once been enslaved in early America. The founding of the new land had immigrated many poor Europeans under contracts for five to seven years to perform heavy labor in return for freedom, a new set of clothes, food, and land at the end of their term. Native Americans were being enslaved when the first arrival of Europeans. Native slaves were being traded and sold by their own or by Europeans, as well as being shipped overseas to other countries as slaves during the King Philip’s War. When the 17th century came Native Americans, slavery came to an end when African slaves had arrived in America. African slaves were a cheaper source to the Europeans. America was not always the land of free when the United States was becoming a nation, as slavery will always be a big part of America’s history.

Northern America proved to be a challenging country for early settlers in its geography. From mountains west, to the sharp winters consumed by infertile land brimming with trees in the New England Colonies. Colonists trudged through the lands to create success for themselves. This essay will explore what it was like for early settlers to establish anchored settlements in the New England Colonies from a geographical perspective.

The New England Colonies (New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island, and Connecticut) are the northern colonies mainly associated with the areas of infertile land, thick trees, mountains, and harsh winters. Initial settlers had a long and bumpy road ahead of them trying to prosper in these areas due to the severe geographical setbacks. Despite these obstacles, settlers still found a way to overcome these limitations to help advance the nation into what it is today. As stated earlier, there are many trees in New England. With the many trees in the area, settlers had a hard time farming. While the abundant amount of wood made great for lumber work, such as creating houses and cabins or having ample wood for fires. Wood was considered the best resource not only for northern settlers but for all settlers. With tree roots everywhere and many hills, there was not adequate space for big farms like there was for the south. Not only that, the land was infertile. The soil was not farm-friendly, hence why the only cash crop at that time in New England was tobacco. Just these two facts alone made it near impossible for these early settlers to establish towns suitable enough for living and raising families. Nearly 50% of all of New England soil was too rocky to support any cultivation. The only crop able to be farmed in this region was tobacco, and tobacco was the only reason these northern settlements were saved from being wiped out. It also became one of the largest cash crops to be harvested in the colonies at that time, but that is beside the point.

While the soil was probably the heftiest setback for the settlers, there are a few other factors to take into consideration such as fishing, mountains, and the climate. There are many bodies of water in New England to aid the settlers in fishing. Fishing was an important part of New England in its early days. Between the years of 1607-1620, Sir Ferdinando Gorges tried to establish a fishery off the New England coast, as he thought the productivity of this fishery would equal to the amount of productivity of fisheries located in Newfoundland. Aside from fishing, the mountains of New England also played a special role with settlers throughout this time. First off, the settlers were unable to travel westward over the Appalachian Mountains due mainly to the British not allowing it. Not only did the British not allow for western expansion, but the Appalachian Mountains would also have been immensely difficult to cross over. These early colonists could barely survive traveling north, let alone climbing the Appalachian Mountains. The mountain range may have also affected the winters in the earliest settlement Jamestown. These winters in Jamestown were arduous. Heaps of settlers were to die in the first winter at the first permanently established colony. Winters on the eastern coast were excessively bitter and filled with snow. Jamestown nearly failed due to the winters being so harsh. Settlers could not harvest food or plant seeds during these winters. This difficult season in New England was arguably one of the largest hindrances to settlement apart from the infertile soil.

Settlers had a difficult time trying to cultivate the New England Colonies. Although the many hardships they were forced to face such as the Appalachian Mountains, rocky soil that demonstrated the weak farming capabilities, trees blanketing the land, and extreme winters these colonists were able to prosper. While the earliest of times of migration to the north proved to be problematic and troublesome, as time went by these adventurous colonists were able to become familiar and comfortable with the land that they call home. This essay helped demonstrate what it was like for the colonists to settle New England from a geographical perspective.

Slavery in America started in 1619 when pioneers brought over African Americans to Jamestown, Virginia. The slaves came to Jamestown to destroy the tobacco houses. The slaves sent to various settlements, for instance, South Carolina, to destroy the cotton houses. Slaves were people who worked for no remuneration. This made the landowners make more profit from their territories since they didn’t have to pay their workers. Southern slave owners, unequivocally in South Carolina, relied on enslavement as an essential bit of their economy.

​When slaves reached Virginia, various laws were supported for them. Slaves were not allowed to have any ideal conditions. They were on a critical level property of their master. If a slaved woman had youngsters, by at that point, those children searched for after her position as a slave. They did this, so Englishmen didn’t have to recognize perils for their mixed youths. In 1705 they made a law that African Americans that came to America and were not Christian became slaves. Slaves were accustomed to working for making, mining, and working in mechanical work environments.

​In the nineteenth century, the land was viewed as wealth. Submitted agents started from England to work in the New World in feelings following a long time working. They guarantee their phenomenal groups. In the South, the grounds were, for the most part, used for sugar, rice, corn, and cotton houses. Cotton was the best creation in the South at the time. So when the agents got their responsibility concerning lands, they expected to find people to destroy it. The most moderate course for them was to purchase slaves and have the slaves work their spaces to no conclusion.

​The formation of cotton in the nineteenth century was the fundamental wellspring of pay for America’s economy at the time. The cotton that was made in America was 60% of the world ‘s cotton and gave 70% of the cotton used by the British material industry. In 1794 Eli Whitney planned the cotton gin. The cotton gin was made to segregate the cotton balls from the seeds, so it made it progressively obvious to pick. The gin causes the picking of cotton to restore by 50%. This made more detainees be verified to remain mindful of the degree of cotton that ought to have been picked and fulfill the referencing necessities for cotton.

​Southerners saw prisoners be more fortunate than the sad people in England. John C. Calhoun wrote in 1837 “Qualification his condition and the tenants of the poor houses in the more acculturated bits of Europe—look at the got out, and the old and frail slave, on the other side, in the midst of his friends and family, under the sort superintending care of his ruler and intriguing woman, and multifaceted nature it and the neglected and shocking condition of the transient in the poorhouse”. In this statement, he is standing separated slaves from the destitution stricken people in England who yes they are free, yet they live terribly. A slave lives with friends and family, and they are under the possibility of their ruler and over the top lady. John C. Calhoun made a discourse about how he thinks subjugation is a positive and necessary thing. Calhoun believed it was immaculate in light of the fact that the improvement of the slaves kept the south anguish and stop and didn’t require anything from the affiliation.

​Slavery was progressively sensible for laborers considering the way that not solely did they not have to pay them yet since they work endlessly. Edmund Ruffin passed on, “free work is more sensible than slave work. The standard is fake, and the exceptional cases are true. Expect it yielded that made by slaves, for dependably or day, will mean yet 66% of what enrolled free laborers would perform in equivalent time. In any case, the slave work is unending, and reliably, at any rate, it returns to the affiliations and the structure, this 66% of full work”. Edmund is attempting to explain that it is reliably ridiculous to have a freed individual work for you than a slave. A freed individual can leave at whatever point he needs and can do anything he needs, though a slave must pick the decision to work, or he will pass on. Edmund says that slave work is dependable since slaves will work for their masters until they kick the can, and a short-range later, their youngsters will have their spot.

​The slave trade itself didn’t impact America’s economy. The production of the slaves did. As displayed by The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History passed on, “Subjection was a financially savvy system of age, versatile to takes a stab at releasing up from creating to mining, improvement, and hoarding plant work. Likewise, persecution was fit for passing on enormous degrees of wealth”. This vast degrees of wealth were obliging the specialists.

​Southerners in like manner combat that in the event that they purchase by one way or another happened to free the aggregate of the slaves, by at that point, the harvests would stop to exist and wouldn’t have any instruments to trade. An article from ushistory.org stated, “Affirmations of abuse battle that the surprising end to the slave economy would have had a quick and executing money related impact in the South where reliance on slave work was the foundation of their economy. The cotton economy would fall. The tobacco yield would dry in the fields. Rice would quit being useful”. The focal matter of this challenge is that Slavery was critical in the nineteenth century. Oppression added to the Economy of America.

The Bacon Rebellion is a revolt caused by the settlers of Virginia in 1676. It was a war fought by the native against white colonizers. The revolt caused hundreds of dead whites and Native Amricans in Virginia and Maryland. In the process, Virginia’s capital Jamestown was burned down by Nathaniel Bacon and his followers. The leader of the rebellion was Nathaniel Bacon, who ran against governor Willam Berkeley, and was also a colony settler in Virginia, he was considered the instigator of the Rebellion of 1676.

Bacon’s rebellion took place in 1676. The rebellion began because of a reaction to economic, social, and political orders in Virginia. Before the rebellion, the most used form of labour were white interduant servants. The servant would essentially make a contract with elite planters. The planters would pay for their expenses to the free world in exchange for them working in tobacco farms for about 7 years.

Nathaniel and his followers raided several Native American villages and killed many of them living in the area. Governor Berkely wanted this stop but Nathaniel didn’t; instead of stopping he then marched to Jamestown and set it on fire. National died shortly after by an illness. Governor Berkelky then hung 23 of his followers. This event caused many consequences. Bacon’s Rebellion caused hundreds upon hundreds of Native and white colonizers deaths in Maryland and Virginia. Bacon’s Rebillion marked the point in our history to shift econimic slavery to purley racial slavery.

The house of Burgesses and the leaders and planters of Virginia were very worried. In that time many servants were almost done serving their time, the servants would then become free whites who basically have the same rights as Englishmen. The planters had very little work for them, and little land. Therefore they thought this might cause constant rebellions so they switched to a different source of labor, one that will never have it’s freedom. Racial slavery, mostly from West Africa.

This event has a huge significance to our history. Bacon’s Rebellion marked the point in our history to shift econimic slavery to purley racial slavery. This has affected many people then and even now. Although slavery existed before Bacon’s rebillion, it was arguably the start of racism in America some would say. This tells me many things about the era, people started to own more and more slaves and that built up hatred against the groups.

Racism has really affected America unfortunately. We see plenty of dicremantion then and even now. People are still protesting for equality. Afrcian Americans are still suffering from racism to this day. Recently a huge movement (BLM) was created to protest against police brutality, although there’s plenty of controversy surrounding the movement, I personally think it comes down to one goal is everyone to be equal. It really hurts when people neglect the statement by saying “All Lives Matters”, although I agree 100% that all human beings have the same unalienable rights I also think that we should focus on minorities that don’t yet have those rights. Most people that use “All Lives Matter” as their counter argument are mostly saying it to not have the spotlight on minorities’ lives that need it.

Personally I’ve experienced plenty of discriminatory acts or even racism before, I still vividly remember when I came to America in fifth grade, people thought I didn’t know or speak english so they were surprised. This was completely normal in my opinion. What really saddened me is when I was getting on the bus one day to go back home. I was approaching a certain area in the bus and this one young lady said to me and I still vividly remember the exact words “Your black you’re not allowed back here”. I was shocked, confused, and didn’t know what to do. I quickly ignored her and sat on a different seat. This was my first experience of discrimnation and racism in America. After the incident I went home and really thought about it and self reflected, I asked if i did anything wrong, or did I offend her in any way? I was really young and confused. It really hit and saddened me because everything was new to me, back home in Sudan everyone was basically family; neighbors, teachers,classmates, and everyone was basically connected if anyone needed help with anything they would ask the first person they found. I think a big part of why we all were like a family is because of our religion. Islam connected us all and the religion’s rulings made it easy for everyone to have a better and peaceful life. I’ve also encountered many other hurtful comments such as “Go back to your country” and more. That incident really opened my eyes and made me learn and accept things that could and will happen in the feature. Up until this point I have experienced plenty of racial comments, discriminatory incidents, and more. I always try to brush it off as a joke and continue with my day. I’ve gotten used to it. I personally think racism will last for a while. People will forever stick with what they believe. Although it’s really sadding, I think that is a part of life, as everyone often says life is unfair.

Out of the 13 original colonies, the Virginia Colony might just be the one that offered the most opportunities for settlers/colonist wanting to leave their homeland. These colonists have many different motives for leaving everything behind, but some had no choice as their economy was getting worse. Other settlers such as Pilgrims and Puritans wanted to be able to practice religious beliefs freely. Thankfully Virginia offered these needs and so much more, with its unique geographical feature’s colonist were able to grow plants, crops and cultivate tobacco that would maintain them, weather that was through their supply or the profits they made off of them. The Virginia Colony provided chances to better yet colonist/settlers lifestyles.

In hopes of advancing their fortunes and increasing the power of England, wealthy gentleman from southwestern England including Sir Walter Raleigh, English patriots, and devout Protestants promised to an American colony they would solve England’s issues. These conflicts included growing population, increasing poverty, and a stagnant economy. Their suggestion was to send the poor people across the Atlantic to work in a new colony. They thought through mining for gold and silver plus raising plantation crops, the workers would provide a new income for England. But the English weren’t the only ones that wished to escape their homeland, the Pilgrims as well as Puritans wanted to come to America in hopes of freedom from religious persecution.

Luckily, Virginia had just the right things to offer, when colonist proceeded to Chesapeake Bay, they saw there were many good harbors, fertile land and navigable rivers. The only conflict was the Native Americans but even then, colonist worked there way around and eventually founded a new settlement with other opportunities and named it Jamestown. Moving forward to 1616 the Virginia Company allowed colonist to own and work land as their private property, this motivated the colonists to work harder to grow corn, squash, and beans that guaranteed their survival. Staying with 1616, colonist also learned how to cultivate tobacco, and because these tobacco plants needed a long, hot and humid growing season, Virginia was just the right place. The Chesapeake region became the main supplier if tobacco in Europe, so its profits attracted more immigrants to Virginia. Fast forward to 1619 the Virginia Company offered free land under the headright system and that same year allowed the planters to create the House of Burgesses, aka the first representative body in colonial America.

As one may see, the Virginia colony most certainly offered many new opportunities to those who arrived, but it did have its downsides. As colonist continued to expand their tobacco plantations, they had no option but to take more land from the Indians. In 1622, Opechancanough led a surprise attack burning plantations and killing nearly a third of the colonist, but this wasn’t the last of it. As colonists further expanded, yet another war broke out in 1644 between the Indians, killing hundreds of colonists and thousands of Indians including Opechancanough. Skipping forward to 1676 Virginia settlers and supporters (led by Nathaniel Bacon) marched to Jamestown and forced Berkeley into giving permission to continue his campaigns against Native Americans. Bacon eventually gained control of Jamestown but died suddenly, without his leadership the rebellion died down.

In conclusion, as colonist left their homeland due to growing population, poverty, along with a stagnant economy they found new opportunities through the Virginia Colony. The Chesapeake Bay offered good harbors, fertile land and navigable rivers. Meanwhile the Virginia Company allowed colonist to own and work land as their private property, offered free land under the headright system, and allowed planters to create the House of Burgesses. Not to mention colonist could grow crops that would guarantee their survival such as corn, squash, and beans, and most importantly cultivate tobacco which made a lot of profit. So, settling in Virginia wouldn’t be such a bad idea after all.

Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement in North America, I would prefer to live there because it was a time in which women were needed in order for Jamestown to thrive, I would have the chance to meet Pocahontas’s son, and I would get the chance in being known as a historical figure.

The first settlers of Jamestown were males in 1607, but a year after that females began to arrive. Mistress Forrest and her maid, Anne Burras were the two of the first women to arrive at Jamestown. The first wedding in Jamestown pertained to Anne Burras and John Laydon, they had four daughters. Fortunately, their family overcame the “starving time”. That was a time in which 75% of Jamestown’s population ceased owing to sickness and disease. In 1619, men became aware that they needed women and families to succeed therefore if I were to choose when to settle at Jamestown, I would prefer to arrive during the 1620s when the mail-order bride program was organized. This was a program put together in attempts of boosting the female population to stabilize the colony. Women were loaned transportation, clothing, linens, furnishing, and even land if they agreed to move to Jamestown in search of a husband. Given that women could choose their husband, I would be able to find a wealthy male to become my husband, he would then pay for my expenses. I see this as an opportunity to explore the New World and receive freedoms that were unavailable to English women at the time.

Unfortunately, I would not get the opportunity to meet Pocahontas since I would arrive after her passing. Pocahontas was the daughter of a very powerful prince of the Powhatan Empire of Virginia. Pocahontas was kidnapped by the English in 1613 and was used as ransom for Chief Powhatan to release English prisoners, send food, and return English weapons. Sadly, her father only sent half the ransom and left her imprisoned, she was then converted into Christianity and her name was changed to “Rebecca” during her time as a prisoner she met John Rolfe whom she later married, their marriage established a bit of peace between Powhatan and the English. Pocahontas and John had a son named Thomas in 1615 and in 1617 all three of them set to sail to Virginia but Pocahontas became very ill and passed away. Rolfe returned to Virginia, but Thomas remained in England with relatives. In 1635 Thomas Rolfe returned to Virginia to claim his inheritance left by his grandfather. I would be living there during that time, ergo I would get the chance to meet Thomas and maybe even rewrote history by attempting and succeeding in marrying him.

If I don’t succeed in marrying Thomas, I would still get some recognition for being a ‘tobacco wife’ and being there when Jamestown needed women the most. Overall, I would get the opportunity to experience living in this new world and stabilizing force in Virginia. It was also a chance to impact a change for women going from the customary role in agricultural labor to being able to devote some labor to hoeing, tilling, worming, or harvesting crop. It is empowering to know that in a way man depended on us women to maintain the household producing food and supplies, with the knowledge I have now I would be able to apply it back then and hopefully make a difference.

Tobacco was the first crop grown for money in North America. In 1612 John Rolfe and the settlers of the first American colony in Jamestown, Virginia grew tobacco as a cash crop. It was their main source of money. Other cash crops were corn, cotton, wheat, sugar, and soya beans. Tobacco helped pay for the American Revolution against England. Ralph Hamor, Secretary of Virginia, reported that Rolfe planted the first tobacco seeds that he obtained from somewhere in the Caribbean. He crossed the Caribbean breed with the indigenous tobacco to produce a plant well adapted to the local soil. Rolfe’s first crop that was shipped to London compared favorably with the Spanish product. The colony prospered and called for women to come to Jamestown and marry the settlers. It became a boomtown and people come in droves to America. While tobacco brought the colonists prosperity, it had a dark side from the beginning. It required a great deal of labor and so created the conditions in which slavery would later flourish.

Rolfe was one of many settlers sent by the Virginia Company of London, charged with finding ways to make the New World profitable, and in this assignment Rolfe was wildly successful: The native Virginia variety of tobacco, Nicotiana rustica, had been deemed too bitter for English customers’ tastes, but in about 1612 Rolfe imported and began cultivating Caribbean tobacco, Nicotiana Tabacum. Ever since, tobacco has been the region’s dominant crop.

Prices for tobacco began to drop because every person had their own farms in their backyards where they could’ve planted their own set of tobacco. Although military discipline almost certainly helped motivate the Jamestown settlers to work, tobacco is what eventually saved the colony. In 1612 an Englishman named John Rolfe introduced a mild strain of tobacco that was perfect for smoking. Suddenly the plant was in demand and could make huge profits, and this provided motivation for settlers to work. Unfortunately, the high profit margin encouraged many to grow tobacco for sale rather than plant food to feed the colony. One farmer could grow about one or two thousand plants, which made about five hundred pounds of tobacco. This brought a profit of between £25 and £200 per year (farmers in England earned about £3 profit per year). The promise of huge profits led to a flood of tobacco in the market.

By 1629, the bottom dropped out of the tobacco market because of overproduction. The early years of tobacco production were challenging because labor was scarce in Jamestown, and tobacco was a very labor-intensive crop. Many people planted the crop by using sticks to make a small hole in the ground and placing seeds down the hole. Many settlers lived along rivers and streams so the harvested crop could be transported easily.

Eventually, many planters recognized the need for an alternative source of labor for the crop in order to maximize profits. One solution for a desperately needed labor force was indentured servitude. Indentured servants usually received passage to the New World in exchange for four or five years of service, although this was later extended to seven years. At the end of service, servants were supposed to receive their freedom and a gift-usually clothes and tools and sometimes a small section of land. The “owners” of indentured servants did receive some benefits-specifically something called a headright (fifty acres of land for each “head” or servant bought) as well as cheap labor. Indentured servants could typically travel to Jamestown for less than £12 per servant. Those who needed laborers usually attempted to get English servants first, but the system was also extended to include the Irish, a group viewed as less civilized than the English and more like the “savage” American Indians.

Common characteristics of indentured servants can be seen by viewing the population’s statistics. More men than women came to the New World as indentured servants. Women were outnumbered four to one and made up only 20 percent of the servant population. Women were not allowed to marry while a servant, so many became pregnant out of wedlock. Some pregnant women escaped servitude while others had to add two years to their term of service. There was almost no incentive to keep indentured servants well fed or healthy, so many servants were mistreated. Some owners bought and sold indentured servants even though this was illegal, and some servants complained of being treated as slaves. As the need for labor increased, many planters began to shift from working indentured servants to owning slaves.

Slavery was introduced into Jamestown in 1619, when about twenty Africans were brought to Virginia, along with about ninety Englishwomen. According to the ship log, Africans were sold as “indentured servants” for food. The women on the ship were purchased with 120 pounds of tobacco and most quickly became settlers’ wives. Although the word “slave” was not used yet to refer to Africans, evidence shows that they were not allowed their freedom after a term of service as the European indentured servants were. Therefore, many historians consider these twenty Africans to be the first slaves in what later became the United States. Since there was no incentive to keep indentured servants well fed or healthy, the number of Europeans who would agree to the terms dropped significantly. Some owners bought and sold indentured servants, and some servants complained of being treated as slaves. Planters turned from servants to African slaves because fewer indentured servants would sign on to work for a full contract. Many indentured servants tried to escape before their term of service expired.

By the year 1618, Virginia produced 20,000 pounds of tobacco. Nine years later they produced over 500,000 pounds of it, and then two more years after they produced over 1,500,000 pounds of it. Each Virginian got 50 acres for themselves whose passage they paid. Rolfe was a very smart guy, the reason I said this is because even though he promised them freedom dues after working over 5 to 7 years, deep down inside he knew that only 1 out of 10 of those slaves would outlive the contract. They were all forbidden to get married. Even though tobacco is what really had put Virginia on the map.