Britain in the New WorldU.S. History

Before the English arrived in North America, the Spanish, the Dutch, the Swedish, and the French were already on the scene. This map shows the areas claimed by these European countries.

One of England's most adventurous sea captains, Sir Walter Raleigh was granted a charter in 1584 to seek out new lands.

Early Ventures Fail

When John White returned to Roanoke Island in 1590, the colonists he hoped to find had vanished. Their homes were gone, and the only clue was the word "CROATOAN."

Sir Francis Drake was the first Englishman to circumnavigate the world. Connect the dots to trace his routes.

The first English baby born in the new colony, Virginia Dare, disappeared along with the rest of the "lost colony."

One of the most renowned Elizabethan seamen, Sir Francis Drake played a major role in the defeat of the Spanish Armada.Photo is from the National Maritime Museum, London

Joint-Stock Companies

As the city of London filled to capacity in 1600, Richard Hakluyt suggested to Queen Elizabeth that settlements in the New World might relieve the city of some of its poorer folks.

Granted a charter by King James I in 1606, the Virginia Company was a joint-stock company created to establish settlements in the New World. This is a seal of the Virginia Company, which established the first English settlement in Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607.

Jamestown Settlement and the "Starving Time"

Jamestown, Virginia, was the site of the first permanent English settlement in the Americas. The settlers chose a location close to the water, hoping to establish a thriving community.

An early advocate of tough love, John Smith is remembered for his strict leadership and for saving the settlement from starvation.

Pictured are the three ships that brought the original settlers to Jamestown in 1607: the Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery.

The Growth of the Tobacco Trade

Among 18th-century Europeans, tobacco smoking indicated a high social class. In this 1793 etching by James Gillray, wealthy men are seen indulging in tobacco at what was known as a "smoking club."

Known among his peers as "an ardent smoker," John Rolfe introduced the tobacco plant to the Virginia colony. This plant became the cornerstone of the Virginia economy.

Tobacco cultivation was demanding work. Signs such as this one were posted in England to round up more workers (indentured servants).

War and Peace with Powhatan’s People

Despite his suspicions, Chief Powhatan helped the British settlers through their first winters. But the good relations did not last, and Powhatan was forced to fight.

Pocahontas was the daughter of Chief Powhatan and wife of Jamestown settler John Rolfe.

As illustrated by Victor Nehlig's 1870 painting Pocahontas and John Smith, the story of Pocahontas was glorified not only in literature, but in historical painting as well.

The House of Burgesses

After his arrival in Jamestown in 1619, Governor George Yeardley immediately gave notice that the Virginia colony would establish a legislative assembly. This assembly, the House of Burgesses, first met on July 30, 1619.

The House of Burgesses, the first legislative assembly in the American colonies, held its first meeting in the choir at Jamestown Church in the summer of 1619. Its first order of business: setting a minimum price for the sale of tobacco.

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