COlonys Flashcards
For what purpose did many early European explorers travel to the New World?
Many early European explorers traveled to the New World in search of a Northwest passage that would provide them with a quicker water route to the riches of Asia. Many others went in search of gold and other riches that the New World would provide, while others yet went for the freedom of persecution to practice their own religion.
What was the Northwest Passage, and what was its importance?
The Northwest Passage was a “hoped for” water route that connected the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. It would allow Europeans to travel to and trade with the countries of Asia without having to sail around Africa or South America.
Who was Sir Walter Raleigh, and what was his significance to the new world?
Sir Walter Raleigh was an English nobleman who received permission from Queen Elizabeth I (the Virgin Queen of England) to go on an expedition to begin a colony in the New World. Fearful that he would die on the journey, the Queen did not allow Raleigh to go to the New World himself. He did however sponsor (or fund or pay for) multiple attempts to establish a colony for the English at Roanoke Island.
He sponsored (paid for) the first expeditions to the New World that searched for a place to begin an English colony. The two most famous expeditions he funded were the Lane Colony and the White Colony (which became the lost colony)
What is a colony? Why did England want to establish one?
A colony is a group of settlers who are governed/ruled by a distant “parent” country. Some of the reasons that England wanted to establish colonies in the New World follow:
- Colonies would provide a market for English exports (goods being shipped out of England).
- They would serve as a source of raw materials (to be imported into England).
- The colonies would help plant the Protestant faith in the Americas.
- Lack of economic opportunity forced many to seek a fortune in the New World.
The Lane Colony: What was its purpose? Where was it located? What happened to the colony?
The purpose of the Lane colony was to find a suitable location to establish a permanent English colony. The men apart of the Lane colony spent much of their time exploring the area around Roanoke Island and it ended up becoming one of the most important scientific journeys ever made. After their relationship with the natives soured and they ran out of supplies, the colony was abandoned and the men sailed back to England.
The White Colony: What was its purpose? Where was it located? What happened to the colony?
The purpose of the White colony was to establish the first permanent English colony in the New World. The White colony also attempted to settle on Roanoke Island, off the coast of modern day North Carolina. No one knows the exact fate of the colony. Their governor (John White) returned to England to get more supplies for the colony, however when he returned three years later (he was waiting for a war against the Spanish to end) the colony was missing. Some people believe the colony was attacked by either Natives or the Spanish, while others believe they moved to a new a location.
John White: Who was he? What did he do?
John White was an artist who mapped out much of the New World during his travels with the Lane colony. He returned to the New World as governor of the White colony. When the colony began to run out of food he returned to England for more supplies. When he arrived back in England he found his country at war with the Spanish, who had the strongest navy in the world at the time (Spanish Armada). All ships were used to fight in the war and White was not able to return to the New World until after the end of the war 3 years later (1590). When he returned the colony was no longer there.
Who were the Croatan Indians? What makes them important in North Carolina history?
The Croatans were natives who lived around the Cape Hatteras/Roanoke Island area where the White colony had settled. When John White returned to the New World he found no evidence of his colony besides the letters “CRO” carved into a tree. One theory is that the colonists went to live with the Croatan Indians, because White had found no evidence of an attack at the settlement, and that it was the settlers that carved CRO in the tree as a message to White telling him where they were.
What is a Joint-Stock Company? What is their importance to the development of the New World? Provide an example(s) of a joint-stock company.
A joint-stock company is a group of investors who put their money together to back a project (in this case to settle the new world) with the hopes of earning a profit. After Raleigh lost all the money he had invested from the failed Lane and White colonies, joint-stock companies took over financing new colonies. This way investors could divide losses, but also had to split profits. Examples include the Virginia Company of London, the Virginia Company of Plymouth, and the British East India Company (from Pirates of the Caribbean).
What is a charter? Who issued one and what did it establish?
A charter is a written contract, issued by a government, giving the holder the right to establish a colony. King James I of England issued chartes to both the Virginia Company of London and the Virginia Company of Plymouth. The London Company financed an expedition to the Chesapeake Bay which would eventually become the sight of the Jamestown settlement.
Jamestown: Why is Jamestown significant in American history? Where was it located?
Jamestown is significant to American history because it was the first permanent English settlement in the New World. After failed attempts at Roanoke, the English sailed further North into the Chesapeake Bay and up the James River to settle Jamestown.
What obstacles did the those living in the Jamestown settlement have to endure?
The site was swampy and full of mosquitoes carrying malaria.
The climate brought hot and humid summers and bitter cold winters (English weren’t used to this).
Many became ill from drinking contaminated water.
The colonists were incorrectly told by the Virginia Company of London, and spent their time looking for gold rather than growing food or building houses.
John Smith: Who was he? What did he provide to the Jamestown settlement? How did he improve the settlement? What happened when Smith left the colony?
John Smith was a soldier and an Adventurer who took control of the failing Jamestown colony. He provided leadership to the colony and improved the settlement by implementing his “He who works not eats not” policy. He also added another wall around the settlement for added protection. After he was injured in a gunpowder explosion Smith returned to England. During this time the colony endured a “starving time.”
Describe the “starving time” endured by Jamestown settlers. Why did it occur? What brought it to an end?
After John Smith’s departure from the settlement, tension with natives rose and the Powhatan stopped trading food with the colonists and began to attack them. Fearful of attacks settlers refused to leave the fort and resorted to eating mice, rats, snakes, and dogs. The starving time ended when the colony’s new governor, Lord De La Warr arrived and imposed discipline.
Who was Chief Powhatan? Describe his relationship with the English.
Chief Powhatan was the leader of the Powhatan indians and the father of Pocahontas. Under John Smith’s leadership the Powhatan traded with the settlers and provided them with food. However Smith soon began attacks on the natives to get more food for the settlers. Angered by this and believing that the English intended to “invade my people and possess my country,” Powhatan began to refuse to trade with settlers and eventually began to attack the colony.
