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Jamestown, Virginia

• 1607
• Reason for Colonization- Britain wanted to make money from Gold, Silver, and Trade (like Spain & France)
• First Permanent Colony
• Virginia House of Burgesses

The Virginia Company

• What was the Virginia Company? The Virginia Company was a Joint Stock Company.
• Joint Stock Company- willing to take a risk in hopes of great profit. Has people make an investment & hopes to pay them back + some!
• The Virginia Company got a charter from the King of England to begin a colony in North America.
• They sent men and supplies to look for gold and silver in 1607.

Problems with Jamestown

• Leadership- there was no one to enforce laws or lead the colonists!
• Colonists- the English Colonists would not work hard! This is because in England, people only work a few hours a day (due to overcrowding)
• They sent Jewelry-Makers, Wine-makers, and Merchants
• These men were "Gentlemen" (did not do physical labor)

Saving Jamestown

• John Smith- At the end of Jamestown's first horrible winter, John Smith stepped up to take control of the colony & and get it back on track.
• Even though he had no Legal Authority over Jamestown, the colonists listened to him!
• He established the "Work or Starve Law" If the colonists didn't work, they didn't eat!
• There was no gold or silver in Jamestown, but the colonists did discover that tobacco grew well in Virginia.
• Because of this, Jamestown grew into a major center for exporting tobacco!

Governing Jamestown

• The charter given to the Virginia Company stated that the King had authority in Jamestown, and the Company under him