The Early Years
In what year was Jamestown founded?
A: What is 1607?
Who took control of Jamestown in 1608 and insisted that colonists who did not work should not eat?
John Smith.
In what year did the first General Assembly meet at Jamestown?
1619.
What is representative government?
A system in which people elect representatives to make decisions and laws on their behalf.
In what year did Bacon's Rebellion take place?
1676
Drought
A prolonged period of little rainfall, harming agriculture and water sources.
Indigenous Person
Native American
What English company organized the expedition that founded Jamestown?
The London Company, later known as the Virginia Company.
What was the name given to the terrible winter when Jamestown colonists suffered extreme hunger and many died?
The Starving Time.
Who was the governor of Virginia when the first General Assembly met?
Sir George Yeardley.
How many burgesses represented Virginia's 11 settlements or plantations in 1619?
22
Who led Bacon's Rebellion?
Nathaniel Bacon.
Burgess
A representative to the government with voting rights.
Indentured Servant
Made a deal with a rich person to work for a period of time in exchange for passage to America.
Why did the colonists choose a swampy peninsula for their settlement?
They believed it would be easier to defend against Indigenous groups and the Spanish.
Which crop did John Rolfe help Jamestown grow successfully for sale in England?
Tobacco.
Where did the first General Assembly hold its meeting?
The Jamestown church.
Which groups of people were generally allowed to vote for burgesses under the early system?
Primarily free white men who met the colony's property requirements.
What was one of major causes of Bacon's Rebellion?
Conflicts with Indigenous peoples, economic grievances among frontier farmers, and frustration with the colonial government's response.
Uprising
An organized revolt against an established authority.
Enslaved Person
Forced in a life of labor without choice. It was life long. Many were sold away from their families.
What was the name of the Indigenous nation whose people lived near Jamestown and initially traded food with the colonists?
The Pamunkey, part of the larger Powhatan nation.
Why did relations between the English colonists and the Pamunkey become increasingly difficult?
Disagreements over trade and food, English demands for resources, and conflicts over Indigenous land.
What is a burgess?
An elected representative who represents a community in government.
Why was the House of Burgesses an important step toward self-government?
It allowed some colonists to elect representatives and participate in making laws.
Name one of the grops of the people who joined Bacon's Rebellion?
Small farmers and/or indentured servants
Charter
A formal document outlining rights and regulations.
Susan Constant
Godspeed
Discovery
The three ships the colonist sailed to Virginia
What was the name of the mysterious lost English colony where the word CROATOAN was found carved on a doorpost?
The Lost Colony of Roanoke.
How did tobacco help Jamestown survive economically?
Tobacco became a profitable cash crop that colonists could sell in England.
Name two issues that the burgesses discussed or made rules about during their meetings.
Tobacco, farming, land distribution, relationships with Indigenous peoples, laws, security, or behavior in the colony.
Give one important difference between the early House of Burgesses and the government of the United States today.
The early assembly excluded women, enslaved people, Indigenous people, and many others from political participation, while modern voting rights are much broader.
What was one long-term consequence of Bacon's Rebellion for labor in Virginia?
The increased use of enslaved labor instead of indentured servants, contributing to the growth of racialized slavery.
Colonist
A settler in a new territory with the intention of establishing a permanent presence or colony.
The name of river on which the settlers made their colony
The James River