Jamestown Virtual Colony

UNIT OUTLINE


Development of
Government

[ Lesson Plans ] [ Unit Objectives ] [ Annotated Bibliography ]
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  1. The Enclosure Movement In England
    1. Students will be able to identify the enclosure movement in English history as it effects the attitudes and motives of early Virginia settlers to relocate in the New Worlds
    2. Students will create a journal or diary entry to briefly show some possible reasons that a person might leave their life behind to go to a land that is unknown.
  2. Rights of Englishmen
    1. Students will obtain copies of the Magna Carta off the WWW.
    2. Students will be able to define some of the rights guaranteed to Englishmen in the Magna Carta.
      1. Due Process of Law
      2. Taxation by Consent
      3. Enjoyment of Habeus Corpus and Jury Trial
      4. Self-Governance
    3. Students will see the need for New World settlers to safeguard their "Rights as Englishmen."
    4. Students will see how these "rights" result in the conflict of the American Revolution.
  3. Englishmen and Virginians
    1. Students will understand the similarities and differences in lifestyles that English and newly-settled colonists enjoyed.
    2. Students will divide into groups of Englishmen and colonists and role play different situations that arise amongst the two groups.
    3. Englishmen and colonists will write letters to one another demonstrating the differences and similarities between the Old World and New World.
    4. Students will discuss how Jamestown colonists came to identify themselves as Virginians.
  4. New World/Old World Emigration
    1. Introduction
      1. America was discovered by accident - Columbus was originally looking for Saipango (Japan) and sailed WEst. Columbus died not knowing that he had "discovered" a new continent.
        1. He was the first to "sail west to get to the East"
        2. Why important? His voyages had a tremendous impact upon other voyages and explorers. i.e.: he excited other voyagers to do the same.
      2. What caused the exploratory urge among the Europeans?
        1. Circumvent the Middle East Muslim traders. European Christians were not excited about trading with the Muslim infidels, nor their Italian counterparts to whom they paid high middle-man prices for goods.
        2. They wished to tap the Africna gold trade directly and by-pass the traders.
        3. Rise of trade was taking place in Europe (The Commercial Revolution) or simple trade competition was on the rise and they were looking for a way to lower costs and make more profits.
      3. Later Reasons...
        1. Search for the NorthWest passage - they assumed there would be a water route through North America - looked for it up until the 1860's.
        2. Establish claims in the New World. There was a scramble in the 1500's to claim new lands for the European countries.
        3. Find precious metals and gems, esp. gold. Gold always has value, always has an international value. Specie = gold coins.
        4. Convert heathen savages of the New World to Christianity (The Mission)
        5. Growth and spirit of adventure coupled with an incredible intellectual curiosity in the physical sciences.
      4. History is Poly-Causal: Many discoveries in history are not planned, in fact, many were accidental.
    2. North American Colonies
      1. Spain - first in the New World
        1. By 1600, Spain had 200,000 settlers iin the N.W. while England was not even here yet.
        2. Spanish were the first here in large numbers and established the largest colonial empire in the history of the world.
        3. Spanish brought Old World diseases that devastated native populations. Within 50 years, as many as 90% of native populations had died.
        4. Spanish stayed to the southern part of the Americas
      2. French and "New France" started with fisheries in Newfoundland, ventured down the St. Lawrence River.
        1. Established Quebec.
        2. Explored Mississippi River Valley - looking for Northwest Passage
        3. Built series of forts and towns: New Orleans to St. Louis, Detroit, etc.
        4. French immigration to the New World was slow and population growth was small.
        5. Primarily caught up in commodities: fur trades, fishing - NOT FARMING
        6. Some came to escape religious persecution - Heugenots.
      3. Other European Settlers in the New World
        1. Holland -Dutch New Amsterdam
        2. Sweden - 1638 Delaware River Valley, by 1655, they were taken over by the Dutch but contributed the Log Cabin.
      4. Early English attmpts at settlement
        1. Trade is what put England on the road to greatness - had wollens and clothe that had to be exported
          1. Developed a large merchant marine.
          2. Developed a navy to protect its merchant marine - 1588, English defeated Spanish Armada, Queen Elizabeth I urged lots of growth and expansion.
        2. 1584-85, Sir Walter Raleigh tried to land a colony at Virginia but it did not succeed.
  5. Jamestown: first permanent English settlement in the New World.
    1. Settlement of Jamestown began in 1607 as a merchant venture
      1. Given a charter from James I.
      2. Merchants were experienced businessmen who saw North America as a new venture.
      3. From the beginning, this was a money-making proposition
    2. Dismal Beginning
      1. started on the James River - primarily to avoid the Spanish although Spanish thought this land unworthy of their trouble.
        1. Capt. John Smith led 105 ashore, only 53 survived the first winter.
        2. 1609 - 400 more arrived. After another winter, only 60 survived.
        3. By 1620, 14,000 had come, only 1100 survived.
      2. How could they have failed? How did they manage to die in such numbers?
        1. Medical - disease
          1. "Tidewater mosquitoes carried off the settlers"
          2. they died of malaria and "swamp fever"
        2. Peculiar nature of people who came to VA - only one third were genuine laborers, two thirds were landed gentry who would have nothing to do with labor. THEY WOULD NOT DO THE WORK THAT WAS NEEDED TO STAY ALIVE.
        3. Angry Natives: numerous attacks and massacres
        4. Orientation to their goals - trying to find gold and a Northwest Passage - found no gold but spent lots of time digging for it.
  6. Specific Political Development in Virginia
    1. House of Burgesses
      1. Theirs was the first elected assembly in the New World
      2. The body sat as a legislative and judicial branch
      3. The people had direct representation and the right to tax exclusively
        1. Men making laws were directly representing the people
        2. The right of legislators to levy taxes was very important to Virginian
      4. House of Burgesses was a model for other colonies.
    2. The First Assembly 1619
  7. Source of American Political Development in Virginia
    1. Suspicious of Government - afraid it would become too powerful or corrupt
      1. Grew out of the 30-60 yr. period before the Revolution
      2. Believed that a strong legislative branch was needed to control a strong executive.
        1. Grew out of 17th c. thinking called:
    2. Whig Ideology (opposition or country thought)
      1. Spread to the Americas by the 1730's from the opposition party in England, known as the Whigs.
      2. Tenets
        1. Concentration of power is dangerous
        2. A balanced form of gov't. is the best form of gov't.
        3. Elected legislatures are necessary to counter the executive
        4. Standing army is a dangerous thing to have because it could be used by a powerful tyrant against the people.
        5. Eternal vigilance by the people is the best insurance against their liberty being taken away. Constant watchfulness against tyranny
    3. Whig Ideology was spread in America by newspapers
      1. First Newspaper: Boston News-Letter, 1704
      2. In time, newspapers became common and more widely read - esp. because American literacy rates were so high.
        1. By 1730 there are 7 newspapers
        2. By 1760 at lease one paper in each colony
        3. Only 1 in 20 subscribed, but they were passed around in the local taverns, hand-to-hand or posted on walls.
        4. Majority of people in the cities read newspapers, a minority in the rural areas read. More in New England than anywhere else.
        5. Unlike their English Counterparts, American Newspapers had no qualms about exposing corruption and abuse of power by the Royal authorities. In England, the papers were loyal and sympathetic to the King.
          1. Most people are thinking whigish in America, and accept it as truth.
          2. Most people are NOT thinking whigish in England - who viewed it as rhetorical propaganda.
  8. Governors (1607-1652)
    1. Students will be able to identify the prominent governors of Virginia from the founding of Jamestown through 1652.
    2. Students will understand the roles and contributions of Virginia's governors during this time period.
    3. Students will understand how the actions of Virginia's governors affected outcomes for the colony.
    4. Possible Steps:
      1. Brief summary of coverage of the Jamestown unit up to this point.
      2. Lecture/ Discussion of prominent governors of VA/Jamestown
      3. Students combine in groups to write "speeches" for each governor that was covered.
      4. Groups report their "speeches" to class.
  9. Colonial Leaders
    1. Students will understand the roles and responsibilities of Jamestown's early governors.
    2. Students will understand the responsibilities of leading a "new settlement."
    3. Students will practice decision-making processes involving key settlement decisions.
    4. Students will be aware of the complexities in creating prosperous colony.
  10. VA Indians at and prior to 1607
    1. Students will identify through use of map (provided) the particular Virginia Indian Tribe of their own geographical location.
    2. Students will discuss possible influence of that or alternative Virginian cultures of their area.
    3. Students will then be given a short outline on some characteristics of VA Indians at the time of Jamestown's beginning.
    4. Students will be allowed 15-20 minutes for a written response on how they picture life in their particular area.
  11. Indian and Settler Relations Prior to 1640
    1. Students will be able to identify the trend of Indian and English relations in early Jamestown/VA in regards to:
      1. English attempt to Christianize Indians
      2. Inconsistency of Indian acceptance of settlers.
      3. English "governance" was actually declaration of war on Indians (lasting until late 1800's)
    2. Students will be asked to discuss possible other options of the English as well as why the Indians may have reacted to the whites.
    3. Students will realize the importance of Pocahontas and John Rolfe's marriage to the survival of Jamestown and, ultimately, Virginia.
  12. Mutual Lands of English and Indians and Account the Warfare
    1. Students will study through the map included and will recognize the surge of Jamestown settlement into Indian lands.
    2. Students will identify common tribal areas and the corresponding white settlement
    3. Students will read and analyze "A Massacre and a Marinet" section (included) to gain insight as to the conflict of the Indians and English
    4. Students will assume the role of governor of VA and find their own ways of dealing with Indians who they are to "govern."

This Content Outline was produced by Julia Duncan, Bill Dudley, Chris Kim, and Ken Watson, students at the University of Virginia's Curry School of Education.

[ Lesson Plans ] [ Unit Objectives ] [ Annotated Bibliography ]

[ Teaching About Jamestown Main Page ] [ Jamestown Virtual Colony Main Page ]

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