Virginia Colony key terms

1619

A year of many firsts: A boatload of women came over to Jamestown from England- this was important because it meant people with settle down and start a family, The house of Burgesses was founded, The first boatload of African American slaves came to Jamestown, colonists were able to own land.

Powhatan

An Indian chieftain who dominated the peoples in the James River area. All the tribes loosely under his control came to be called Powhatan's confederacy. The colonists innacurately called all of the Indians powhatans. He was the father of Pocahontas and was friendly with John Smith

Pocahontas

a Powhatan woman (the daughter of Powhatan) who befriended the English at Jamestown and is said to have saved Captain John Smith's life. She eventually married John Rolfe and taught him how to grow tobacco.

Starving Time

1609-1610 *A period of starvation endured by the Jamestown colonists *The colonists depended upon trade with the local Native Americans for their food supplies *A series of conflicts between the colonists and the Native Americans limited the colonists' ability to trade for supplies and to farm their own food *A large number of colonists died and others tried to flee to England; however, boats arrived with supplies from England intercepted the colonists and forced them to return to Jamestown *Additional support from England, the development of new industries, and the creation of new trade partnerships helped ensure the settlement's long-term survival

Tobacco

Cash crop that made a profit and saved Jamestown

House of Burgesses

Created in 1619, a legislature in Virginia that made laws in America. This was a game changer because people across the ocean wouldn't be in charge of the colonists anymore.

London (Virginia) Company

Group of London investors who obtained charter, and sent ships to Jamestown, 2 crash, others got sick 1609-10 winter was "starving time". Months later they started to sail back but met De La Warr's English ship and turned back. Warr was brutal. Governor Dale starts incentivizing w/private property, which is successful, creating expansion and new settlements.

John Rolfe

He was one of the English settlers at Jamestown (and he married Pocahontas). He discovered how to successfully grow tobacco in Virginia and cure it for export, which made Virginia an economically successful colony.

John Smith

Helped found and govern Jamestown. His leadership and strict discipline helped the Virginia colony get through the difficult first winter. he was originally a prisoner on the one of the first ships to Virginia. He traded with the powhatan indians and learned how to farm from them.

Indentured Servants

Immigrants who received passage to America in exchange for a fixed term of labor. After about seven years, they would be set free and could own their own land.

King James

In 1606 grants a group of London investors a charter for a colony in the Americas

Gentlemen

The second or third sons of wealthy men who wouldn't get much inheritance. They sailed over to Virginia in hopes to make their own wealth.