Colonial America: 1587-1770

1. Colonial America: 1587-1770 The Southern Colonies

2. Life in Virginia • Life different here than New England Colonies • Few towns b/c relied on rivers to ship goods • Ships sail up rivers bringing European goods right to plantations • Take tobacco from plantation for sale in England • Few Schools scattered population • More concerned with making $$$- Kids worked!!! • Establish Families not important- tough too! • 6x more men • High death rate- • marry several times • Kids raised by step-parents or orphaned • Virginia Company of London brings more women for them to start families • Believed important for colony to prosper

3. Labor Problems • Land Cheap • Each person paying for passage received 50 acres of land • Labor • Passage was expensive • People would pay for others in exchange for labor • Indentures: contracts guaranteeing to work as servant for them until debt paid • Known as indentured servants • at one point 75% of Virginians were under indenture • Also if U pay for others… • You kept their land (50 acres) until indenture paid off • Known as a headright • Slavery • 1619- Dutch ship brings 1st 20 Africans • Now race part of determining status • Until 1690 indentured servants were preferred • Cost of slave higher • Soon changes b/c logic • Once debt paid off indentures” become competition

4. Bacon’s Rebellion • 1676- planters begin to eye good land guaranteed for Powhatan in 1646 treaty • Nathaniel Bacon raises lg. force to fight for it • Virginia Governor refuses to allow it • Bacon does it anyway • Force massacres peaceful natives • Governor declares them “rebels” • Bacon’s force turns on gov’t • Sets fire to capital Jamestown and drives governor into exile • October 1676- Bacon falls ill and dies • Rebellion dies with him • Leads to changes, not more land • People had right to vote- now used it • More slave use • Trouble-making indentures not wanted anymore • When debt paid- become competition • Slaves always do what told • Get kids too • Soon completely dependent on slaves

5. New Southern Colonies * Virginia population over 750 * Tobacco exports over 1 million pounds * Prosperity encourages more colonies * Maryland The Carolinas • 1632- King Charles I gives land to Lord Baltimore- George Calvert • But dies B4 receiving grant, son takes over and establishes • Founds Maryland as refuge for Catholics • Protestants welcomed too • Toleration Act (1649) • Guaranteed religious freedom • Successful b/c learned from mistakes of Jamestown • Turned right to tobacco, but required 2 acres of corn for every 1 acre of tobacco • 1636- King Charles II sets up proprietary colony (for making $$$) south of Virginia • Called “Carolina” meaning… Charles’ Land • Gave the colony to friends who helped him regain throne • Settlers begin arriving in 1670 • Found city Charles Town in 1680, later Charleston • Becomes busy trading center and port city • Social and political center • 1719- settlers rebel b/c wanted greater role in gov’t • After 10 yrs. of fighting… • King steps in and separates into 2 colonies • North Carolina • South Carolina

6. Georgia • Last of Southern Colonies • Not founded until 1733 • James Oglethorpe and a few others start it as a colony for the poor • Debtors and poor use it as a place for new start • Few come • b/c fear Spanish and Oglethorpe’s strict rules • No liquor • No slaves • 1752- colony failing • Colonists not happy • Tired of fighting w/ them • Gives the crown control of colony