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First English Settlements
Jamestown (1607)
• Founded by VA
Company of London
as a business venture
• Complete Failure at
First
– Bad Sanitation
(disease)
– Native American
Attacks
– People refused to do
work
John Smith
• Leader who
made changes in
colony to ensure
survival
• “He that shall not
work, shall not
eat”
Jamestown
• Saved by the
introduction of
tobacco by John
Rolfe
• Tobacco became
the first profitable
cash crop in
America
Jamestown
• 1619 signs of
success at
Jamestown
– First women
– First slaves
– First elected
legislature (VA
House of Burgess)
Bacon’s Rebellion
• Cavaliers in Western
VA needed
protection from
Indians
• VA Governor
refused to protect
them
• Nathaniel Bacon
put together an army
to fight Indians
Bacon’s Rebellion
• Embarrassed
Gov gathered
army to stop
Bacon
• Bacon attacked
and burned
Jamestown
Plymouth (1620)
• Settled by the
Puritans
(pilgrims) from
England
• They were
seeking religious
freedom in
America
Mayflower Compact
• First document for government in New
World
• Established “covenant community” –
governed by themselves
• One man, one vote direct democracy
• All issues debated and voted on at town
hall meetings
• NO RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN
PLYMOUTH
Salem Witch Trials
• Puritans accused dissenters of being
witches
• Dissenters put on trial
• Many were hung, drowned, and burned
• Months later, Puritans realized that it all
was a lie