PART III. COLONIAL HISTORY. PARENT COLONIES. A. D. 1607-1754. CHAPTER IX. VIRGINIA-THE FIRST CHARTER. HE first settlers at Jamestown were idle and improvident. Only THE twelve of those who came in 1607 were common laborers. There were four carpenters in the company, six or eight masons and blacksmiths, and a long list of gentlemen. If necessity had not soon driven these to toil, the colony must have perished. The few married men had left their families in England. 2. The affairs of the colony were badly managed. King James had made out sealed instructions; and the names of the governor and members of the council were unknown during the voyage. In this state of misrule, Captain John Smith, the best man in the colony, was suspected of making a plot to murder the council and to make himself king of Virginia. He was arrested and confined until the end of the voyage. When at last the colonists reached their destination, the king's instructions were unsealed and the names of the Inferior Council made known. A meeting was held and Edward Wingfield elected first governor of Virginia. Smith was now charged with sedition and excluded from the council. But when it was found that his enemies could bring nothing against him, he was restored to his place. 3. As soon as the settlement was well begun, Smith and Newport, with twenty others, explored James River for forty-five miles. Just below the falls, near the present site of Richmond, the explorers found the capital of Powhatan, the Indian king. But the "city" was only a squalid village of twelve wigwams. The monarch received the foreigners with courtesy and showed no dislike at the intrusion. The company returned to Jamestown, and on the 15th of June Newport embarked for England. CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH. 4. The colonists now began to realize their situation. They were alone in the New World. Winter was approaching. Dreadful diseases broke out in the settlement, and the colony was brought almost to ruin. At one time only five men were able to go on duty as sentinels. Gosnold died, and before the middle of September one-half of the colonists had been swept off by the malady. But the frosts of autumn came, and the ravages of disease were checked. 5. Civil dissension was added to other calamities. President Wingfield and George Kendall were detected in embezzling the stores of the colony, and were removed from office. Ratcliffe was then chosen president, but was found incompetent. Only Martin and Smith now remained in the council, and by common consent the latter took charge of the colony. 6. The new president was an Englishman by birth; a soldier, a traveler, and a hero. Under his administration the new settlement soon began to show signs of progress. His first care was to 76. Bacon's Rebellion. 7. VIRGINIA colonized by the Lon- 43. Persecutions of the Baptists and Quakers. 42. Berkeley's administration. 80. Virginia becomes a 84. Royal govern 60. Berkeley's second administrat'n. 92. Will 19. Establishment of the House of Burgesses. 24. The London Company 51. NORTH CAROLINA colonized by the English. 24. The royal government. 29. Harvey's administration. 34. MARYLAND colonized by the Baltimores. 86. Troubles with 36. RHODE ISLAND colonized by Roger Williams. 30. CONNECTICUT granted to Warwick. 33. Hartford founded. 37. Pequod War. 63. The charter. 87. Union with 87. Hiding of the 87. Andros' Usu 75. Captain Bull's defense of 39. Constitution framed. 62. Winthrop, governor. |