Textual Analysis Of Richard Frethorne's Letter To Bateman

As Colonial Virginia entered into the 17th century, it was a land marked with opportunity to make a new and also, most importantly, profitable life in the New World. (Cutter Lecture) When the century began, however, it was not the citizens as a whole hoping to make a profit from this new land but rather a small group of greedy landowners profiting off of the work of their indentured servants. (CL) Sure the indentured servants were given a chance to fulfill their contract and one day become free to pursue their own dreams, but the likelihood of this in the beginning was next to none due to harsh living conditions. (CL) According to Richard Frethorne in 1623, "nor is there nothing to be gotten here

Attempts at English colonization of what would later become the United States of America in the early 1600’s had appeared wholly unsuccessful. Between 1608 and 1624, only 3,400 of the 6,000 English settlers of Jamestown survived due to starvation, disease, and attacks from the natives (Stahle). Notoriously, there is evidence that the settlers of Jamestown resorted to cannibalism to feed themselves (O’Brien). Even earlier than Jamestown, the colony of Roanoke seemingly vanished from Roanoke island without a trace (Kupperman). Among the multitude of leading figures in the new world, John Winthrop voyaged to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630 with hopes for a

John Harrower on the other hand, had clothes to wear and food to eat, he had a comfortable home, and since he lived over one hundred year’s. After Frethorne, was in a more colonized and settled Virginia. In contrast, Frethorne had next to nothing. As he said in the letter he wrote to his family, “There is indeed some fowl, but we are not allowed to go and get it, but must work hard both early and late for a mess of water gruel and a mouthful of bread and beef.” Unlike Harrower, Frethorne got the full taste of indentured slave life.

In 1607, three ships sent by King James the first sailed into Chesapeake bay, Virginia carrying each over 100 people. They then sailed up the James river and settled on a piece of land today called James island. This piece of land was home to over 15,000 Powhatan natives. They gentleman who provided the voyage came here to become rich and make money by collecting animal pelts, wood, and iron. The cause of numerous colonist fatalities in early Jamestown was in direct correlation to their relations with the natives, the horrendous lack of essential supplies impeding their survival, and atrocious ailments leading to inevitable disease.

Breen, T.H.. "Looking Out for Number One: Conflicting Cultural Values in Early Seventeent-Century Virginia."Butler, Nathaniel. "Virginia, A Troubled Colony, 1622."Frethorne, Richard. "The Experiences of an Indentured Servant,1623." April 2 & 3, 1623.

1. In chapter eleven of his book How to Read Literature Like a Professor, Thomas Foster examines violence in literature, and particularly the way violence functions on multiple levels. Foster identifies two different kinds of violence in literature, and discusses how those two different kinds create different literal and literary meanings. By examining Foster's categories of violence in more detail, one can see how violence in literature serves as an important link between the internal events of a story and the story itself.

In hope of a new beginning 110 people traveled across the Atlantic Ocean to a small area in Virginia. In 1607, at the mouth of Chesapeake Bay, hopeful spirits had arrived. With a blessing from King James these people had arrived to start a settlement. They had no idea what was in store for them. If only they knew that the story of their death would later be told for many years. The colonists who came to Jamestown from 1607 - 1611 died because of polluted water, starvation, and different reasons for death.

Sir William Berkeley arrived in Virginia in 1642 to act as the Colonial Governor of Virginia. He was the King’s envoy in Virginia, though he was a selfish royalist who believed in himself before the King. He brought together some

The source of these letters is from John Smith, The General Historic of Virginia in London 1624. Written in the standpoints of English leader John Smith and North American Indian leader Powhatan, these letters were intended for the English settlers, Powhatan's Indians tribe, and the King of England. John Smith desired to share with his country the impactful yet unbeneficial loose knit agreement that they two leaders attempted to orchestrate. By using this form of effective writing, the author created a way for Smith to expound on the trials and hardships of the peculiar and unknown world. On the other hand, Powhatan shared his perspective on the rash and unforeseen arrival of these pale-faced settlers. Notably, the author's main purpose for writing these letters from both leader's points of view was to show the differences between the experiences both culturally and socially in the aspects of the strange world and those who inhabited it. Both John Smith and Powhatan saw

Pocahontas, the favorite daughter of Chief Powhattan, acted as the intermediary for Jamestown. Pocahontas was kidnapped and held for a ransom of captured English prisoners and weapons (“Jamestown and the Indians: The First Decade.”). When the tribe refused to pay the ransom, she agreed to marry John Rolfe and take the name Rebecca in order to gain her freedom (“Pocahontas.”). She played the role of diplomat and translator during negotiations with the Powhattan to obtain a truce that lasted until 1622 (“Pocahontas.”). As a way to promote their endeavors in the New World, The Virginia Company celebrated Pocahontas when she accompanied her husband to England (“Pocahontas.”). The role Pocahontas played helped the English gain an advantage in interactions with the Natives, but failed to diminish long term hostilities. In contrast, Massasoit acted as a voluntary intermediary with Plymouth. In 1620, Massasoit, wearing heavy red face paint and a beaded necklace, approached Plymouth accompanied by 60 of his men with goad of trading food for small trinkets (“Massasoit.”). On several occasions, Massasoit and his tribe saved Plymouth when the warned of impending attacks by other tribes, (“Massasoit.”). He even welcomed a starving religious renegade, Roger Williams, into his own house (“Massasoit.”). He acted

White and his men dropped anchor off the Outer Banks of North Carolina and rowed toward the island. Crewman sounded familiar tunes on trumpets to alert the colonists, but not a single human figure was seen. The landing party made its way through the woods to the settlement at the island’s northern end. Bracing himself for the worst, White entered the clearing where he had parted from the colonists, including his daughter, Eleanor Dare and his granddaughter, the first child born in the colonies, Virginia Dare (Davis, 2009). He found the settlement deserted, weeds and vines sprouting where houses had once stood. The houses themselves had been carefully dismantled and removed. Gone, too, were the fort’s small cannon; buried chests were found, containing some of the colonists’ possessions. All the evidence suggested a planned and orderly withdrawal (McGill, 2009).

The first one-fourth of the seventeenth century transmigration was mostly to the Virginia colony and specifically to Jamestown, the first everlasting settlement in America. Although most of Jamestown’s historical documentation came from an eyewitness account of the colony’s development from Captain John Smith, his understanding of the events occurring around him could be misinterpretations of normal Native American culture and the North American environment. Nevertheless, it is undeniable that English citizens who risked the harsh voyage to the Americas were looking for

Life in England during the early 1600’s was harsh for a multitude of the poor. The country was just coming out of the Thirties Year’s War with a flood of citizens and laborers displaced. In fact, PBS (2015) indicated that “the timing of the Virginia colony was ideal.” The Thirty Year 's War had left Europe 's economy depressed, and many skilled and unskilled laborers were without work. A new life in the New World offered a glimmer of hope; this explains how one-half to two-thirds of the immigrants who came to the American colonies arrived as indentured servants” (para. 3). This opportunity for those willing to receive free passage to the New World and start a new life was enticing. Granted, the work was difficult it was not without reward.

Colonists arrived on Roanoke Island in 1587, with the hopes of becoming the first English colony in America (Bernstein 2:55). The colony was to be governed by John White and was composed of English families who wished to make a new home for themselves, among the colonists was John White 's daughter, Virginia Dare. Several months later the colony 's governor sailed back to England for supplies. The shortage of supplies was due to skirmishes with the Natives, loss of supplies due to storms, and with the time for planting over the colonists had no way to find enough food. John White promised to return as quickly as possible, but due to unforeseen circumstances was unable to return as soon as was expected. Three years later, John White returned only to find

Jamestown, the birthplace of America was the first permanent english settlement in North America. In April 1606, King James I established Jamestown and on May 13, 1607, colonists began to arrive at Jamestown. When establishing Jamestown as a colony, the Virginia Company was in search of economic opportunities. The citizens wanted to escape poverty and prosecution. They wanted to be able to believe in what they wanted. The first month in Jamestown was a struggle for all passengers. The moment the passengers came ashore, they immediately began on settlement. Serious problems soon emerged when about 15,000-25,000 Indians were already living in the Chesapeake Bay when the colony was founded. The Indians were part of the Powhatan Confederacy which was ruled by Powhatan, a powerful leader. At this time, the English settlers were looking for gold that no one was farming. In this situation, Captain John Smith became the colony’s leader and established a “no work, no food” policy. Smith had been instrumental in trading with the Powhatan Indians for food but their relationship was tense in all aspects. After he was injured by a burning gunpowder in 1608 and left for England, the “starving time” began. This was a period of warfare between the colonists and Indians and the depth of many English men