American Pageant Chapter 4 Analysis

Colonists came primarily to the Chesapeake region to increase their wealth. The vast variety of immigrants to the Chesapeake region was young men seeking economic opportunity (Doc C). The differences in the New England and Chesapeake’s primary motivations for settlement led to the divergent societies.

Although the settlements of Chesapeake Bay and New England came from the same mother country their social structure was very different and as a result, affected the prosperity of the new born colonies. The New England colony’s population was very

Document F states, “The worst [among us were the gold seekers who] with their golden promises made all men their slaves in hope of recompenses.” This quote displays the major motive of emigrants to the Chesapeake region as gold seekers, or monetary prosperity. Documents G and H show that there were many indentured servants in the Chesapeake area. These indentured servants were often used for the tobacco farms. Since the soil was infertile in New England, the colonists there often focused on trade, small scale manufacturing, fishing, and other sea industries. The economy of each region impacted its social structure, which many indentured servants and slaves in the Chesapeake region while there was much more equality in New England.

Jamestown, an English colony, was in a constant spiral of death and struggles that included diseases, lack of resources and the Powhatan (natives) between 1607 and 1611. Diseases including multiple waterborne diseases from brackishness and a few others just in general. The lack of resources that included clean water and food in general as well as people that defended the colony. The colony was also faced with the challenge of the Powhatan from bad trades to war, they were basically rivals the entire time of 1607 to 1611 were there.

The first difference between the New England colonies and the Chesapeake colonies was political. The New England colonies had a more democratic government system; while it was not completely democratic or representative it had a basis of democratic principals. Alternatively, the Chesapeake colonies were largely run by aristocratic leaders rather than the people working together for the common good. Document A explains how the New England colonies had more of a democracy by stating “we must be willing to abridge ourselves… for the supply of others necessities,” it also states “we are to be looked at as a city upon a hill.” This is relevant to why New England colonies were more democratic because this comes from John Winthrop who was on his way to America to the New England colonies. This more democratic mindset politically from the New England colonies stems back to the Mayflower Compact that was written when the pilgrims were on their way to America, explaining the first difference in these two colonial regions because there were no democratic government documents created for when people were going to the Chesapeake colonies. The Mayflower Compact stated,

Document F states, "The worst [among us were the gold seekers who] with their golden promises made all men their slaves in hope of recompenses." This quote displays the major motive of emigrants to the Chesapeake region as gold seekers, or monetary prosperity. Documents G and H show that there were many indentured servants in the Chesapeake area. These indentured servants were often used for the tobacco farms. Since the soil was infertile in New England, the colonists there often focused on trade, small scale manufacturing, fishing, and other sea industries. The economy of each region impacted its social structure, which many indentured servants and slaves in the Chesapeake region while there was much more equality in New England.

Thesis Statement: When talking about New England and the Chesapeake region, you have to consider the differences in motives and geography. Consider economic situations (reasons for settling where they did, reasons why they came to New England in the first place). One has to think about the family development and demographics, as well as the government structure.

In the 1700's, the Chesapeake and the New England area would bond to become one territory. It was from the very starting, both had very distinct and unique persona. These dissimilarities spurred from one foremost factor: the very reason the settlers came to the New World. This influenced the colonies in literally every way, including economically, communally, and politically. The Chesapeake district of the colonies encompassed Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, Virginia. In 1607, Jamestown, the primary English colony within the New World to thrive and prosper, was founded by an assembly of 104 settlers to a peninsula along the James stream. These settlers wanted to find gold, silver, a northwest passage to Asia, a therapy for syphilis, or

1. How does the growth of the colonial population compare to the growth of the American population today? The growth rate was only at 3.5% back then where as today it must be triple that, or more. Also our population today grows much faster due to medicine for diesaes and such.

In 1607 more than 100 men set out to start a new colony for their king. Young men excited for a new future and new adventure in a new land. What was waiting for them though was not the future they had hoped for. They arrived in a land with unpredictable weather, inhabited by unwelcoming tribes, and they had no idea how to survive the unsettled land. The Jamestown colonists died due to the environment, indian attacks and their lack of experience.

beginning of their new place, they were 104 colonists, by the end only about 38 were

The colony barely lasted until Sir Francis Drake’s fleet sailed by in 1586 when Drake offered supplies or a trip back to their homeland. The settlers, starving and homesick, quickly accept the offer and return to England. Not even a week later a relief ship arrives with supplies to discover the settlement abandoned. The supply ship left fifteen men with a reasonable amount of food before departing (The Settlement).

After two failed attempts to create a successful colony, we learned from our mistakes. We learned that one person cannot just finance a colony. That’s when we went to a joint-stock company to finance our next trip to america. After getting enough coins to adventure back to the new land, we set sail. in 1607. we established Jamestown, the first and best colony ever made. We named the two Peninsulas, Cape Henry and Cape Charles, after the king's sons. In 1609, we had a very bad experience. 80-90% of our population died because of low food. Now we are well prepared thanks to John Smith who made a law to help us survive. He said “He who doesn’t workest, shall not eatest.”

Tobacco was a very important commodity in history. It was important economically as it aided many colonies. Without tobacco, many large corporations such as the Virginia Company, would have made money while aiding the growth of Virginia as well. The progress that has been made about tobacco’s medical use is exponential, as many in modern age know now that tobacco is not beneficial for one’s health and holds more harm than good. Tobacco was a product that was of great economical value and is still of great value in modern age. Tobacco continues to be a great money maker as all global profits total to $35 billion and at least 1 billion people smoking tobacco worldwide. Regardless of the medical issues with tobacco that doctors have discovered

One of the reasons why tobacco is so hard to remove from American society is the depth of which it was buried into American history. Tobacco been used for as long as America was a country, and even before that, in colonial times. European nations first encountered tobacco use by the Native Americans. According to Cotton (1998) on October 12, 1492, Christopher Colombus was offered dried leaves as a token of friendship by native Arawaks. The leaves turned out to be tobacco, which the Native Americans smoked for the purpose of communicating with spirits. (para. 2). As the exploration of the Americas increased, tobacco was brought back to Europe and it quickly caught on. The popularity of tobacco was so great, that at its peak price, it was worth the same as its weight in silver (Cotton, 1998, para. 18). When the colonies were first established, tobacco was