Chapter 2: The First Century of Settlement in

the Colonial South

Captain John Smith—from Powhatan’s viewpoint: a boastful bully

Powhatan’s strategy—use the “inferior” white tribe to his advantage—how?

An Indian village on the Chesapeake at the

time of the Jamestown Colony—simple,

totally functional, and semi-permanent.

An artist’s depiction of what Powhatan, leader of the Pamunkeys,

may or may not have looked like.

Captain John Smith: soldier, one-time slave in Turkey,

escapee, world adventurer, and self-promoter, but effective for Virginia.

Captain John Smith was the only survivor of a food-gathering party attacked by members of Powhatan’s tribe. The captive was to be executed when 13-year-old Pocahontas, Powhatan’s daughter, intervened to save his life. Some years later she warned settlers of an attack, saving many lives.

Pocahontas in a Europeanized portrait (bottom left) with more white characteristics than Indian. When 18, she became a Christian, taking the name Rebecca for her new life in white society.Soon she fell in love with and

married John Rolfe, had a son, Thomas, and in 1616 all

traveled to England where they were given an audience at the

royal court. As they prepared to return home, Pocahontas

became ill and died. She was buried in England at

Gravesend. At right is a probably more accurate

portrait. Rolfe left son in England, returned, remarried.

English Society on the ChesapeakeInstability of the southern colonies—rough start caused turn to slavery

Mercantilism—nations prosper by encouraging a favorable

“balance of trade”; colonies enable exports to dominate imports;

Virginia Company of London was a “joint stock company”

Jamestown’s problems—disease, “gentlemen,” bullied natives

Adam Smith, who developed the concept of “mercantilism.”

Jamestown, and (right) a scene from the desperate

“Starving Time.”

Key reforms—“headright” system, representative assembly (House of Burgesses), abolished martial law

Indentured servants—four to seven years, but used hard and death rate (40%) higher than Europe in epidemics

War with the confederacy—booming tobacco pressures Opechancanough’s people, leading to slaughter/investigation: royal colony

Decline in mortality rates—

tobacco prices level off,

workers driven less, more food

produced rather than all tobacco The Capitol building in Williamsburg where the

general assembly, called the House of Burgesses, met.

Opechancanough, maybe. Powhatan’s brother, he lead his last rebellion at age

100 in 1644, carried on a stretcher. Captured at the end of the two-year war, he was murdered by a resentful soldier.

Proprietary Colonies—monarchs gifts to loyal followers (Calverts): “manors,” “tenants,” and “quintrents”—Europe recreated (who needs it?)

The English Civil War—Parliament/Puritans vs. Monarchy; After Restoration: Navigation Acts to make sure colonies contributed—how?

An Anglican priest commends Charles I’s spirit to God at his execution at White Hall in London. Members of Oliver Cromwell’s New Model Army look on and keep order. Charles wore two undershirts to his execution.

Charles Stuart (far left) was only 4’11” and much shorter after execution; Oliver Cromwell ruled as dictator till his death. After “Restoration,” his body was dug up, dragged through the streets, and head put on a pike.Charles II, son of the executed Charles I, his brother the

Duke of York (for whom New York would be named and who would later become the Catholic King James I), and Nell Gwynn, an actress who was one of Charles’s many mistresses, but perhaps his favorite.

Diminishing opportunities—big tobacco

pushed small farmers into dangerous frontier

Nathaniel Bacon—led little guys against

Indians, then Gov. Berkeley’s buddies

Growing stability—power sharing avoided conflicts

The lives of servants and slaves—originally, not much difference, but slavery soon seen economically

superior to indentured servitude

--Why?

Chesapeake Society in Crisis

Nathaniel Bacon William Berkeley

First slaves arrive in Virginia 1619. Eventually 13 million slaves would be

shipped to the Americas with one-third dying in route.

Effect of slave trade on Africa—

central part of commerce: corrupting

Middle Passage—shipboard ghastly;

estimated 1/3 of

13 million perished

—1st year in Americas

just as deadly

Racism—poor whites would not join with slaves in common interest

Opportunities for white settlers—lower taxes, vote, stable prices, new land, more women

End of Reading

From the Caribbean to the CarolinasTransformation of the Caribbean—disease, ecology transform islands

Caribbean sugar—riches greater than mainland colonies/but death

Slavery in the Caribbean—state of siege / seven uprisings: Carolina bound

North Carolina—relatively desolate w/ poor harbors

South Carolina–-magnet

Fundamental Constitutions—ideal/dead

Anthony Ashley Cooper, who wished to create ideal utopian society

under proprietary governor and hereditary

nobility.

(Above) Carolina’s Fundamental Constitutions; (Left) Charles Town house on Battery.

Yamasee War—Yamasee/Creeks v.

Cherokee/Whites: thank goodness for Cherokee

The end of proprietary rule—no protection:

now royal colony instead

Slavery in South Carolina—rice cultivation required

experienced slaves; importation brings population

ratio to 2 to 1; slave codes

James Oglethorpe—trustees for 21 yrs., then royal colony; Georgia to be haven for “worthy” poor: 50 acres, tools, year’s supplies

Utopian designs—Georgian resistance made ideals (500 acre restrictions, no slavery, liquor) pipe dreams—why?

Similarities among the plantation colonies—elements: 1) single staple crop, 2) slavery, 3) slave codes, 4) racism

Idealist James Oglethorpe

The Spanish BorderlandsSt Augustine and Santa Fe—drains;

missionaries kept them going

Mission communities—coexistence not English eradication or evacuation

Indian resistance—Pueblo Revolt under Pope evicted Spanish more

than decade; Serra led

missionary drive in

California

*Beyond the Black Legend--Yes or No?

Spanish fort at St. Augustine (above) in what is now Florida; and Taos

Pueblo (below) near Santa Fe.