Transcript File
European Settlements in the
“New World”
Europe’s Interest in the “New World”
As competition between European
countries intensified, explorers and
colonists from all over Europe began
to flood into the “New World” to
claim its land and riches.
Leading European Countries: Spain,
Portugal, France, Netherlands (the
Dutch), and the English
Spain & Portugal: WHO?
The Conquistadors
Spanish conquerors—
young men searching
for riches!
Examples:
Hernan Cortez
(conquered the Aztecs)
Francisco Pizarro
(conquered the Incas)
Spain & Portugal: GOAL
Gold,
Glory,
and
God!
Spain & Portugal: ATTITUDE
At first, they just wanted to find gold.
Later, they began to establish
settlements in order to exploit the
natural resources of the “New World.”
Agriculture plantations
• Enslaved Native Americans
Began the blending of two cultures
(Native & European)
Spain & Portugal: SETTLEMENTS
Plantations and
Missions in:
The Caribbean
Mexico
Central America
South America
Florida
Southern California
New Mexico
Southern Texas
Sugar Plantation in Brazil
Spanish Exploration of North America
The French & the Dutch: WHO?
Adventurous men
looking to make
money!
The French & The Dutch: GOAL
Fur-trapping
Trading with the
Native Americans
The French & The Dutch: ATTITUDE
Early in Exploration:
Peaceful trade with the Natives
Some Catholic missionaries to
covert Native Americans to
Christianity
Later:
Would claim land
Robert de la Salle at the mouth of the Mississippi River
claiming it for the French.
The French & The Dutch:
SETTLEMENTS
Early
Few permanent settlements
Established trading posts in Canada
Later
Colonies in
Canada and
Southern U.S.
Miramichi River, Canada
England: WHO?
At first:
Mostly young
(18-22),
unmarried,
poor, men in
search of gold.
England: GOAL
Later, they establish farms and colonies to
make money!
England: ATTITUDE
Harsh attitude towards the Native
Americans
No blending of cultures—used the Native
help when needed then quickly forgot it!
Wanted resources to make $$ only!
England: SETTLEMENTS
Roanoke
1ST attempt at an
English settlement
was Roanoke Island
off the coast of
South Carolina
Settlers vanished (still a
mystery)
England: SETTLEMENTS
Jamestown
1st permanent English settlement was
Jamestown, established in 1607 in
Virginia.
Founded by a
Joint-Stock Company:
Investors put their $$
together to cover the costs
of colonization & then share
the profits.
Jamestown Joint Stock was
called the Virginia Company.
England: SETTLEMENTS
Jamestown
The leader of Jamestown was
Captain John Smith.
3 ships and 150
passengers (mostly
young men) arrived
to search for gold
and silver.
The Beginning
Jamestown settlers
struggled with
contaminated river
water and hunger.
Settlers weren’t farmers
& refused to work.
By the winter, only 38
colonists survived.
Smith negotiated with
the nearby Powhatan
people to help provide
the settlement with
food.
The “Starving Time”
Smith was forced to leave, and in the
Spring of 1609, 600 new colonists
arrived.
The Powhatan grew alarmed with
the growing number of settlers
began to attack the colonists’
livestock and destroy their farms.
Famine for the colonists followed
and only 60 survived the winter—
this was called the “Starving Time”.
Success in Jamestown
After the “Starving Time,” the
surviving colonists moved away from
the original settlement.
Eventually, the worked hard and the
settlement began to stabilize.
Overtime, the Jamestown settlers
discovered “Virginian Gold.” (What is
this?)
England: SETTLEMENTS
Jamestown
“Virginian Gold”
(Brown Gold)
was
TOBACCO!
Tobacco saved
them!
England: SETTLEMENTS
Jamestown
The success of Jamestown with
tobacco encouraged more colonies to
form.
By the late 1620’s colonists exported more
than 1.5 million pounds of tobacco to
England a year.
These colonies needed workers.
Indentured Servant: laborer who worked
for a master for a period of time in return for
the cost of their voyage.
Also began to import African slaves.
England: WHO?
Pilgrims & Puritans
Who were the Pilgrims & Puritans?
Families who were fleeing England
because of religious persecution.
1st group, called
the Pilgrims,
founded the
Plymouth Colony
in 1620 (the 2nd
permanent English
colony)
England: GOAL/ATTITUDE
Pilgrims & Puritans
Wanted religious freedom from the
Church of England
Wanted to establish new
communities and improve their own
financial situations.
Brought their entire
family to the “New
World” to start a new
life!
Religion & Puritan Life
The Puritans developed a system of
self-government that was closely
tied to the Church.
Also, the family unit was the center
of life.
Puritans kept a watchful eye on the actions
of husbands, wives, and children.
England: SETTLEMENTS
Pilgrims & Puritans
Northeastern coast of North America—
”New England”
Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut
Transformed the land for farming and to
build homes.
The Puritan
communities had
very difficult
relations
with the natives