The founding of the two Chesapeake colonies

1. Virginia and Maryland

2. Virginia
• What is the economic philosophy which led to
the founding of the colonies?
A. Joint-Stock Company
--The Virginia Company of London
--Sold stock to adventurers
B. Jamestown: problems?
--Who colonized early Virginia?
“A quarrelsome band of gentlemen & servants”
“They would rather starve than work”—John Smith

3. Virginia
--In what ways did they choose a poor location?
Swampy, salty water—Malaria, Typhoid,
Dysentery
Surrounded by 15-25K Natives
Different climate
--John Smith: installs a military system of discipline
and order
“He that will not work, shall not eat.”

7. Virginia
C. Headright System-1617
--any shareholder in the company, or anyone who
could get himself to Virginia got 50 acres of land,
also 50 acres for each servant brought over
**Indentured servants were on 4-7 year contracts,
if they could survive that long!
D. House of Burgesses-1619
--import women; first African slaves arrive in
1619
--1624: Virginia Company dissolved, Royal
Colony

8. Maryland
A. Maryland and Sir George Calvert, aka Lord
Baltimore
--Founded by George’s son, Cecilius
--A haven for Catholics, but Catholics were
outnumbered
--Also used a headright system
B. First legislative assembly met in 1635, bicameral
C. Toleration Act of 1649: granted religious
freedom to all Christians

10. Bacon’s Rebellion
• A. House of Burgesses becomes dominated by
wealthy landowners
– Tobacco planters
• B. Corruption of Governor Berkeley
• C. Fighting breaks out on the frontier with Native
Americans, Bacon responds
– Berkeley’s “protected & darling Indians”
– Tidewater vs. backcountry; rich vs. poor
– Why is Bacon’s Rebellion significant??
• http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part1/1p274.html

11. Bacon’s Rebellion
• Ended when warships show up from England
– Bacon falls ill & dies
– 23 rebels hanged
• Western land opened to small farmers
• Taxes reduced
• Accelerated shift away from ind. Servants/to
slaves
– Cheaper & safer
– # of slaves in VA triples between 1660s & 1680s

12. Closing Notes
• 23K English emigrants to MD & VA between
1607 & 1700
• 2/3 of them were indentured servants