During the colonial era England strove to cash in on the riches being found and exported from the "new world." In an effort to do this, the Jamestowne and Plymouth colonies would be formed. Though these colonies were similar in some ways they were largely different.
Economically, Jamestowne was the most profitable of the two colonies even though
Jamestowne did not always return a profit to England. Because the Virginia Company thought the new world would contain an abundance of gold and silver, the majority of the crew on the
Jamestowne colonist ships were gold miners, jewelry smiths, and noble in nature. The
Jamestowne colonists were disappointed to find out there was a lack of gold and silver. These colonists would struggle to survive their first winter primarily as a result of these nobles feeling that they were of to high of stature to perform peasant work like building and farming. Though many of them brought their servants, and while some were of a working class, they did not make up for the vast amount of settlers that were unfit for the task at hand, leaving them unprepared for a harsh North American winter. This led to nearly half of the colonists dying that in the winter due as a result of cold and starvation. To the colonists, their chances seemed bleak, and they feared that they too would end up dying in this new land. In fact, in the next year many more would die from the same causes. Their saving grace came forth when John Rolfe traded to obtain a specific type of tobacco plant. The tobacco plants flourished in the soil around Jamestowne and would finally bring a profit to the struggling colony. In part this was due the increasing popularity with Englishmen who smoked it more recreationally; allowing tobacco to rise 3 pence a pound. For a short time it would make many colonists in Jamestowne wealthy, unfortunately, it would also bring about severe class divisions that would later impact the colony. Unlike the Jamestowne colony, the Plymouth colony was established primarily as a religious community allowing these colonists to practice the religion of their choice. The bulk of Plymouth's economy came from farming, hunting, and fishing. The men of the village would hunt and skin deer hides to use as clothing - trading both back in England and with the local native tribes. Plymouth colonists also traded corn, and far more with the local natives than did Jamestowne colonists. As a result of these positive trading experiences, the Plymouth colonists would invite the local natives to a celebration of both the success of their corps as well as the overall success of the colony in what would be eventually be termed the first Thanksgiving. The politics of Jamestowne is all over the place. When the colonists first landed they had harsh encounters with the natives, causing them to fight constantly. These relations did not much improve over the colonists' lifetime, as the Indians …show more content…
The goal of the trade agreement was two-fold: not only would this help Jamestowne get trade items it needed, it also created a barrier between Jamestowne and the more aggressive Indian villages. One of the prominent colonist, Nathaniel Bacon, was unfortunately opposed to the trade agreement. Bacon believed that the only way of protecting the colony was to eliminate the local Indians with force or enslave them. Though Barkeley denied Bacon's request to do this, Bacon rallied an army of colonists and proceeded with his plan. After raiding
Indian village, Bacon would rally enough support to kick Barkeley out of control and become the new governor. This was coup was short lived due to Bacon's tragic early death, after which
Berkeley would again take control of the colony.
As opposed to the Jamestowne colony, the Plymouth colony developed a list of rules and rights beforelanding which would dictate how the colony would be set up and run. This set of rules and right, where named by the colonists the "Mayflower Compact." With the Mayflower
Compact in place, Plymouth was able to stay organized and had few governing problems.
Furthermore, Plymouth had much better relations with the local Indian tribes. Instead of
Economically, Jamestowne was the most profitable of the two colonies even though
Jamestowne did not always return a profit to England. Because the Virginia Company thought the new world would contain an abundance of gold and silver, the majority of the crew on the
Jamestowne colonist ships were gold miners, jewelry smiths, and noble in nature. The
Jamestowne colonists were disappointed to find out there was a lack of gold and silver. These colonists would struggle to survive their first winter primarily as a result of these nobles feeling that they were of to high of stature to perform peasant work like building and farming. Though many of them brought their servants, and while some were of a working class, they did not make up for the vast amount of settlers that were unfit for the task at hand, leaving them unprepared for a harsh North American winter. This led to nearly half of the colonists dying that in the winter due as a result of cold and starvation. To the colonists, their chances seemed bleak, and they feared that they too would end up dying in this new land. In fact, in the next year many more would die from the same causes. Their saving grace came forth when John Rolfe traded to obtain a specific type of tobacco plant. The tobacco plants flourished in the soil around Jamestowne and would finally bring a profit to the struggling colony. In part this was due the increasing popularity with Englishmen who smoked it more recreationally; allowing tobacco to rise 3 pence a pound. For a short time it would make many colonists in Jamestowne wealthy, unfortunately, it would also bring about severe class divisions that would later impact the colony. Unlike the Jamestowne colony, the Plymouth colony was established primarily as a religious community allowing these colonists to practice the religion of their choice. The bulk of Plymouth's economy came from farming, hunting, and fishing. The men of the village would hunt and skin deer hides to use as clothing - trading both back in England and with the local native tribes. Plymouth colonists also traded corn, and far more with the local natives than did Jamestowne colonists. As a result of these positive trading experiences, the Plymouth colonists would invite the local natives to a celebration of both the success of their corps as well as the overall success of the colony in what would be eventually be termed the first Thanksgiving. The politics of Jamestowne is all over the place. When the colonists first landed they had harsh encounters with the natives, causing them to fight constantly. These relations did not much improve over the colonists' lifetime, as the Indians …show more content…
The goal of the trade agreement was two-fold: not only would this help Jamestowne get trade items it needed, it also created a barrier between Jamestowne and the more aggressive Indian villages. One of the prominent colonist, Nathaniel Bacon, was unfortunately opposed to the trade agreement. Bacon believed that the only way of protecting the colony was to eliminate the local Indians with force or enslave them. Though Barkeley denied Bacon's request to do this, Bacon rallied an army of colonists and proceeded with his plan. After raiding
Indian village, Bacon would rally enough support to kick Barkeley out of control and become the new governor. This was coup was short lived due to Bacon's tragic early death, after which
Berkeley would again take control of the colony.
As opposed to the Jamestowne colony, the Plymouth colony developed a list of rules and rights beforelanding which would dictate how the colony would be set up and run. This set of rules and right, where named by the colonists the "Mayflower Compact." With the Mayflower
Compact in place, Plymouth was able to stay organized and had few governing problems.
Furthermore, Plymouth had much better relations with the local Indian tribes. Instead of