CCSS RI. 8.4: I can determine the meaning of words and phrases used in the text.

CCSS RI 8. 1-2: I can determine the central idea of the text and use textual evidence to support my answers
VIRGINIA COMPANY! MAY 24, 1607

Jamestown A Rough Start!

What is a Joint-Stock
Company?
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________________________________

What are some of the challenges

that the colonists at Jamestown
face during the first 3 years?
__________________________________
__________________________________
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In the spring of 1607, a joint- By 1608 only 38 colonists
stock company known as the survived, and a man named John __________________________________
Virginia Company financed a trip of Smith takes over as the leader of __________________________________
104 men to the Chesapeake Bay Jamestown. John Smith was able to
region of the New World. The convince their neighbors led by How did John Smiths departure
colonists established the first Chief Powhatan to trade with influence the colony?
permanent settlement on the James Jamestown helping the colony to ___________________________________
River, called Jamestown. survive. ___________________________________
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The poor economic conditions In 1609, after he is injured in a
in England at the time made the gunpowder explosion, John Smith
thought of riches in the New returns to England. That same year
World, along with economic about 400 more colonists come to Think about it.... What will the
colonists need to do to survive and
freedom seem very promising to Jamestown, including a few women. to make sure the colony is
may colonists. Many of the The winter of 1610 was successful?
colonists were English gentleman especially harsh, known as the __________________________________
who refused to work. starving time. When John Smith __________________________________
Life in Jamestown was not easy. left for England, Chief Powhatan __________________________________
Colonists faced many issues refused to trade further with the __________________________________
including diseases, starvation, water colonists. The colonists were ___________________________________
poisoning, and hostile natives. confined to their fort with very ___________________________________
Furthermore, the colonists did not little to eat. By the end of the
find any gold! winter only 65 colonists remain.
Fun
Fact!
We were constrained to eat cats, dogs, rats, snakes, toadstools,
Three small ships sailed to
horsehides, and what not; one man out of the misery endured, Jamestown they were named, Susan
killing his wife, powdered (salted) her up to eat her, for which he Constant, Godspeed, and
was burned. Many besides fed on the corpses of dead men. Discovery!
~Jamestown Colonist during Starving Period
! PAGE 1
 VIRGINIA COMPANY! MAY 24, 1607

THINGS START LOOKING UP!

Vocabulary:
In May of 1610, Jamestowns population As a result the company allowed colonists to
had been reduced from around 500 colonists own their own land. The company also Marketable
commodity:
to only 60 people. Surprisingly a 175 shipwreck encouraged new colonists to move to
_________________
survivors arrived. The remaining colonists and Jamestown by oering a grant of 50 acres of
_________________
the shipwreck survivors decided to abandon land to any man or woman that could pay their
the colony. At the mouth of the James River way to the colony. _________________
they met a rescue fleet of English ships _________________
The tobacco crop is growing so well the
carrying new colonists and supplies. Grant:
colonists need help to produce it. In 1619, the _________________
Jamestown was saved! first African American slaves are brought to _________________
Great changes needed to be made in order the colony. The population of Jamestown
_________________
for Jamestown to turn around. The Virginia begins to increase quickly and is over 2,000
_________________
Company decides it needs a marketable people by 1621!
commodity or something that they can sell Some people could could not aord the
or trade back to Europe to make money. Indentured
passage to Jamestown were encouraged to Servants:
As a result, the colonists give up their become indentured servants. These men or _________________
search for gold and and learn to grow food and women sold their labor to the person that _________________
crops instead. agreed to pay their passage to Jamestown. _________________
In 1612, John Rolfe developed a tobacco After working for a set amount of days, the
_________________
crop from seeds he had brought from indentured servants were considered free.
Bermuda and taught the colonists how to grow One major thing missing in Jamestown was Servitude:
it. The climate of Virginia was perfect for family life. The colony began to encourage _________________
growing tobacco, and the crop was wildly arranged marriage in 1620 in order to bring
_________________
successful. The tobacco crop changed women to Jamestown. However, many women
_________________
Jamestown in many ways. in Jamestown faced a life of poverty or
_________________
The colonists wanted to share the profit of servitude and men continued to outnumber
the tobacco crop with the Virginia Company. women, five to one.

How did the introduction of

THE HOUSE OF BURGESS
The governor of Jamestown
had very harsh rules. The colonists
quickly grew tired of the martial
law or military rule so the
company decided that burgess, or
elected representatives, would
meet once a year in an assembly to
make laws. They created the
House of Burgess in 1619, which
became the first representative
assembly in the American colonies.
The House of Burgess was not
like the model of democracy that
we are used to today. Under this
government only landowners could
vote, and the company appointed
the governor. The company also
had the ability to strike down any
laws that the House established.
Vocabulary:
Martial Law:
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___________________________
House of Burgess:
___________________________
___________________________
tobacco and development of the
House of Burgess change
Jamestown?
__________________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
_____________________________
How important was John Rolfe to
Jamestown? Why?
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What saved Jamestown from failure?
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! PAGE 2