5 Questions
What was the primary motivator for the settlers to risk the high mortality rate in the Virginia Colony?
To get rich from the profits of tobacco
What was the result of the new charter in 1618?
The colonists were allowed to own land and participate in the colony's governance
What was the significance of the first General Assembly in 1619?
It was the first European representatives assembly in the New World
What was the basis for the economic opportunity and representative government in the Virginia Colony?
The English model of governance
What was the consequence of the profits from tobacco in the Virginia Colony?
A scramble for land and indentured servants
Study Notes
Colonization of Virginia
- By 1618, a new charter was introduced to encourage settlement in Virginia, offering colonists the opportunity to own land and participate in the colony's governance.
- The first General Assembly convened in Jamestown on July 30, 1619, comprising the governor, his council, and 22 elected members of the House of Burgesses.
- The House of Burgesses represented the English settlements along the James River, marking the first European representative assembly in the New World.
Economic Development and Government
- After over 10 years of colonization, the English in Virginia established a solid foundation of economic opportunity and representative government, modeled after the English system.
- Tobacco profits sparked a land rush and an increase in indentured servants, despite the high mortality rate, as settlers sought to accumulate wealth.
- The colony's government and economy were shaped by the English model, which would later influence future generations.
Discover the early struggles and milestones of the American colonies, from settlement to the first General Assembly in Jamestown in 1619.
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