Virginia Studies B Standard VS.3 STANDARD VS.3 GEOGRAPHY –REASON FOR LOCATION AT Study Guide JAMESTOWN Condensed format created by SOLpass. www.solpass.org How geography (2008 revised standards) influenced the decision to settle at Jamestown Where is Jamestown STANDARD VS.3A located? REASONS FOR COLONIZATION When the settlers arrived in 1607, Jamestown was Explain the reasons for English colonization located on a narrow peninsula bordered on three sides by the James River. What were the reasons for English colonization in Today, Jamestown is located on an island in the James America? River. Location and physical characteristics influenced Reasons for English colonization in America the decision to settle at Jamestown. Some European countries, including England, were Why did the settlers choose the site at Jamestown? in competition to increase their wealth and power by expanding their empires to America. Reasons for site choice The location could be easily defended from attack by England wanted to establish an American colony to sea (Spanish). increase her wealth and power. • England hoped to find silver and gold in The water along the shore was deep enough for ships America. to dock. • An American settlement would furnish raw They believed they had a good supply of fresh water. materials that could not be grown or obtained in England, while opening new markets for trade. STANDARD VS.3C What were the reasons why the Jamestown settlers CHARTERS came to America? Importance of the charters of the Virginia Company of The first permanent English settlement in America was London in establishing the Jamestown settlement. Jamestown, founded in 1607 as an economic The King of England had the power to grant charters venture. allowing settlement in North America. Jamestown What was the importance of the charters of the Jamestown was Virginia Company of London to the Jamestown primarily an economic venture. settlement? The stockholders Importance of Virginia charters of the Virginia Company of The King of England granted London financed the charters to the Virginia Company settlement of Jamestown. of London to: Jamestown establish a settlement in North America, and became the first permanent English settlement in North America in 1607. extend English rights to the settlers. What was the impact of the arrival of Africans on STANDARD VS.3D the Jamestown settlement? GENERAL ASSEMBLY Africans arrived in Jamestown against their will Importance of the General Assembly (1619) as the first in 1619 representative legislative body in English America Portuguese sailors captured As Jamestown grew, the system of government evolved. African men and women from what is present-day What was this system of government called? Angola. The status of these System of government early African men and In 1619, the governor of Virginia called a meeting of women as either servants or the General Assembly. The Assembly included two slaves in Virginia is citizen representatives (called “burgesses”) from each unknown. of the divisions of Virginia along with the governor’s The arrival of Africans made council, and the it possible to expand the tobacco economy. governor. They met as one legislative body. ( At that time, STANDARD VS.3F only certain free adult men had a right HARDSHIPS to take part.) The hardships faced by settlers at Jamestown and the What was the changes that took place to ensure survival. Virginia House of What hardships did the Jamestown settlers face? Burgesses, and why was it important? The English settlers found life in Jamestown harder than they had expected. By the 1640s, the burgesses became a separate legislative Hardships faced by the settlers body, called the House of Burgesses. They met separately • The site they chose to live on was from the Governor’s Council as one of the two legislative marshy and lacked safe drinking water. bodies of the General Assembly. • The settlers lacked some skills House of Burgesses necessary to provide for themselves. The House of Burgesses was the first elected • Many settlers died of starvation and legislative body in English America giving settlers the disease. opportunity to control their own government. What changes took place that resulted in survival of The current Virginia General Assembly dates from the the settlers? establishment of the House of Burgesses at Jamestown in 1619. Changes that resulted in survival The arrival of supply ships, the forced work program and strong leadership of Captain John Smith, and the STANDARD VS.3E emphasis on agriculture resulted in the survival of the AFRICANS & WOMEN ARRIVE colony Arrival of Africans and women to the Jamestown settlement Jamestown became a more diverse colony by 1620. What was the impact of the arrival of additional women on the Jamestown settlement? The arrival of women in 1620 made it possible for the settlers to establish families and a more permanent settlement at Jamestown. How did Powhatan STANDARD VS.3G contribute to the survival of the settlers? ENGLISH & POWHATAN The Powhatan people contributed to the survival Interactions between the English settlers and the Powhatan of the Jamestown settlers people, including the contributions of the Powhatans to the in several ways. survival of the settlers. Powhatan, chief of How did the native peoples and the English settlers many tribes, provided interact? leadership to his people and taught the The native peoples and the settlers survival skills. English settlers at Jamestown established trading Pocahontas, daughter of Chief Powhatan, served as a relationships and for a while contact between the native peoples and the English. had positive interactions. The native peoples showed the settlers how to plant Captain John Smith initiated corn and tobacco. trading relationships with the native peoples. Why did the relationship between the Jamestown settlers and the native peoples change? The native peoples traded mainly food with the English Over time, the native peoples realized the English in exchange for tools, pots, settlement would continue to grow. and copper for jewelry. The native peoples came to see the settlers as invaders who would take over their land. .