The Charter of the Virginia Company

• Says Colonists have the same rights as Englishmen

• Embedded into the documents of colonists

• Made colonists feel that their rights were secure

Chesapeake Region Geography

• The warm climate in this region helps have a longer growing season

• Even though the soil was more fertile, the English weren’t used to working with it

• The colonists were forced to experiment until they could find a feasible way to work with it

Problems of Jamestown

• Jamestown was near the swamp and ocean, causing there to be a lot of mosquitoes carrying malaria

• The water caused people to fall ill, and only 38 colonists survived out of the original 108

• 800 colonists were later brought in

• People in Jamestown concentrated more on gold than on trying to survive

• Since they didn’t build houses, hunt, or grow food, they weren’t prepared for the winter and only 60 people lived

• John Smith took control of the colony and said, “He that will not work, shall not eat.”

Pocahontas

• She temporarily brought peace between colonists and natives by preventing the execution of John Smith

• Powhatans and the English were friendly until the English started stealing from them

Indentured Servitude

• Indentured servants agreed to work for someone if they paid to get them into America

• They had to work for 5 to 7 years, weren’t allowed to marry, and were promised freedom dues

• Only 1 of 10 outlived their contract

Slaves

• They were taken by force into America through the Middle Passage

• Half of the people died on the way

Maryland and other Chesapeake

• Maryland was a safe haven for Catholics created by Lord Baltimore

• The Maryland Act of Toleration allowed religious freedom

Southern Colonies

• South and North Carolina were created in 1663

• Georgia was created by James Oglethorpe for debtors

Bacon’s Rebellion

• Rebels would attack Indians and even tried to burn down the capitol

• After Bacon died, the Governer Berkeley, was able to shut the rebellion down

• These issues caused discrimination, the creation of classes, and influenced issues with royals