One man killed, salted, and ate his wife! The colony was finally brought to order by a new governor, Lord De La Warr, in 1610. But what ultimately saved the colony from going up in smoke was tobacco. Tobacco Saves the Colony John Rolfe was really the economic savior of the Virginia colony because of his perfection of the tobacco cultivation. European demand for tobacco skyrocketed Tobacco was grown between graves and in the streets of Jamestown The growth of tobacco required heavy labor, and the colony turned first to indentured servants 1618- Virginia adopts the headright system Offered 50 acres of land to any colonist who would pay the cost of transportation for a worker Indentured servants typically agreed to work for 4-7 and were given tools, some food, and money at the end of their term of indenture. A lucky few received a plot of land from their boss. 1619- A Important Year in the Virginia Colony The Africans in British North America were brought to Jamestown and sold by a Dutch warship. While the seeds of American slavery were thus planted, African slaves were far too costly to be used in great numbers for decades. Only three hundred blacks in Virginia in 1650. But by the end of the century, blacks (most enslaved) made up 14% of Virginias population The Virginia Co. authorized the colonists to summon a legislative assemble, known as the House of Burgesses This would be the first representative body in colonial America Included two citizens (or burgesses) from each of Virginia’s eleven districts. Had the authority to raise taxes and pass legislation- subject to the veto of Virginia’s English governor. Clashes with Native Americans Unlike the Spanish, the English had no desire to cohabit the land with the Native American led by Powhatan. “savages,” During the time,” colonists took to raiding indian food “starving supplies Lord De La Warr arrived with orders from the Virginia Co. that amounted to a declaration of war against the Indians.
One man killed, salted, and ate his wife! The colony was finally brought to order by a new governor, Lord De La Warr, in 1610. But what ultimately saved the colony from going up in smoke was tobacco. Tobacco Saves the Colony John Rolfe was really the economic savior of the Virginia colony because of his perfection of the tobacco cultivation. European demand for tobacco skyrocketed Tobacco was grown between graves and in the streets of Jamestown The growth of tobacco required heavy labor, and the colony turned first to indentured servants 1618- Virginia adopts the headright system Offered 50 acres of land to any colonist who would pay the cost of transportation for a worker Indentured servants typically agreed to work for 4-7 and were given tools, some food, and money at the end of their term of indenture. A lucky few received a plot of land from their boss. 1619- A Important Year in the Virginia Colony The Africans in British North America were brought to Jamestown and sold by a Dutch warship. While the seeds of American slavery were thus planted, African slaves were far too costly to be used in great numbers for decades. Only three hundred blacks in Virginia in 1650. But by the end of the century, blacks (most enslaved) made up 14% of Virginias population The Virginia Co. authorized the colonists to summon a legislative assemble, known as the House of Burgesses This would be the first representative body in colonial America Included two citizens (or burgesses) from each of Virginia’s eleven districts. Had the authority to raise taxes and pass legislation- subject to the veto of Virginia’s English governor. Clashes with Native Americans Unlike the Spanish, the English had no desire to cohabit the land with the Native American “savages,” led by Powhatan. During the “starving time,” colonists took to raiding indian food supplies Lord De La Warr arrived with orders from the Virginia Co. that amounted to a declaration of war against the Indians.
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