128-645: Francis West (28 October 1586 – February 1633/1634) was a Deputy Governor of the Colony and Dominion of Virginia . Born in Salisbury , Wiltshire on 28 October 1586, West was one of four sons of Thomas West, 2nd Baron De La Warr (1556–1602) of Wherwell Abbey in Hampshire and his wife, Anne Knollys who made their fortunes in the Virginia colony. His elder brother, Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr (1577–1618), served as
256-409: A shoal , ruining most of the food supplies and nearly destroying the ship. There are indications that Grenville's fleet was supposed to spend the winter with the new colony, perhaps to immediately begin using it as a privateering base. The wreck of Tiger , however, made that impossible. The remaining provisions could not support a settlement as large as had been planned. Moreover, the shallow inlets of
384-622: A charter to Sir Humphrey Gilbert to explore and colonize territories "unclaimed by Christian kingdoms". Gilbert had helped to crush the first of the Desmond Rebellions in Ireland's Munster province in the early 1570s. The terms of the charter granted by the Queen were vague, although Gilbert understood it to give him rights to all territory in the New World north of Spanish Florida . Led by Gilbert,
512-575: A detailed plan in which his forces would divide into two groups – one traveling north up the Chowan River, the other along the Atlantic coast—to resettle at Chesapeake Bay. However, he decided to defer this mission until the colony received fresh supplies, which Grenville had promised would arrive by Easter. In the meantime, Lane ransomed Menatonon and had Skiko sent back to Roanoke as a hostage. He proceeded with forty men for about 100 miles (160 km) up
640-650: A fort on the north side of the island. There are no surviving renderings of the Roanoke fort, but it was likely similar in structure to the one at Mosquetal. Grenville set sail for England aboard the Tiger on August 25, 1585. Days later, in Bermuda , Grenville raided a large Spanish galleon , the Santa Maria de San Vicente , which had become separated from the rest of its fleet. The merchant ship, which Grenville took back to England as
768-636: A governor of the Virginia Company of London from 1610–1611. His younger brother, John West (1590-ca 1659), served as Acting Governor of Virginia from 1635–1637. A fourth brother, Nathaniel West , died in Virginia in August 1623, aged 30. Francis West was one of the distinguished passengers on Captain Christopher Newport 's third voyage to Jamestown, Virginia , aboard the Mary and Margaret , which arrived in
896-538: A land supposedly called Wingandacoa . "Virginia" was originally a term used to refer to England's entire North American possession and claim along the east coast from the 34th parallel (close to Cape Fear ) north to 45th parallel . This area included a large section of Canada and the shores of Acadia . The name Virginia for a region in North America may have been originally suggested by Raleigh, who named it for Queen Elizabeth I in approximately 1584. In addition,
1024-513: A prize, was loaded with enough treasure to make the entire Roanoke expedition profitable, spurring excitement in Queen Elizabeth's court about Raleigh's colonisation efforts. The Roebuck left Roanoke on September 8, 1585, leaving behind one of the pinnaces under the command of Amadas. Records indicate that 107 men remained with Lane at the colony. However, historians disagree as to whether White returned to England with Grenville, or spent
1152-616: A proprietary charter to two competing branches of the Virginia Company, which investors supported. These were the Plymouth Company and the Virginia Company of London . By the terms of the charter, the Plymouth Company was permitted to establish a colony of 100 sq mi (260 km ) between the 38th parallel and the 45th parallel (roughly between Chesapeake Bay and the current U.S.–Canada border). The London Company
1280-644: A relatively low percentage of the overall population, as opposed to the earlier massacre (the 1622 attack had wiped out a third; that of 1644 barely a tenth). This was followed by an effort by the settlers to decimate the Powhatan. In July, they marched against the Pamunkey , Chickahominy , and Powhatan proper; and south of the James, against the Appomattoc , Weyanoke , Warraskoyak, and Nansemond , as well as two Carolina tribes,
1408-459: A second wave of colonists and supplies. However, Grenville could not know that this expedition had been redirected to Newfoundland, to alert fishing fleets that the Spanish had begun seizing English commercial vessels in retaliation for attacks by English privateers. Until a resupply mission could be arranged, Lane's colony would be heavily dependent on the generosity of the natives. While the Tiger
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#17328592150981536-622: A six-mile-long palisade was completed across the Virginia Peninsula . The palisade provided some security from attacks by the Virginia Indians for colonists farming and fishing lower on the Peninsula from that point. On April 18, 1644, Opechancanough again tried to force the English to abandon the region with another series of coordinated attacks, killing almost 500 colonists. However, this was
1664-554: A smaller proportion of the growing population than had been killed in the 1622 attacks. In 1620, a successor to the Plymouth Company sent colonists to the New World aboard the Mayflower . Known as Pilgrims , they successfully established a settlement in what became Massachusetts . The portion of what had been Virginia north of the 40th parallel became known as New England , according to books written by Captain John Smith , who had made
1792-419: A truce with the Powhatan and proposed a toast using liquor laced with poison. 200 Virginia Indians were killed or made ill by the poison, and 50 more were slaughtered by the colonists. For over a decade, the English settlers attacked the Powhatan, targeting their settlements as part of a scorched earth policy. The settlers systematically razed villages, captured children, and seized or destroyed crops. By 1634,
1920-567: A voyage there. In 1624, the charter of the Virginia Company was revoked by King James I, and the Virginia Colony was transferred to royal authority in the form of a crown colony . Subsequent charters for the Maryland Colony in 1632 and to the eight lords proprietors of the Province of Carolina in 1663 and 1665 further reduced the Virginia Colony to roughly the coastal borders it held until
2048-586: A well-coordinated series of surprise attacks on multiple English colonial settlements along both sides of a 50-mile (80 km) long stretch of the James River, which took place early on the morning of March 22, 1622. This event resulted in the deaths of 347 colonists (including men, women, and children) and the abduction of many others. The massacre caught most of the Virginia Colony by surprise and virtually wiped out several entire communities, including Henricus and Wolstenholme Towne at Martin's Hundred . Jamestown
2176-525: Is no record of them arriving in England with the fleet, and it is possible Drake left them on Roanoke with some of the goods he had previously set aside for Lane. Drake's fleet, along with Lane's colonists, reached England in July ;1586. Upon arrival, the colonists introduced tobacco , maize , and potatoes to England. A single supply ship, sent by Raleigh, arrived at Roanoke just days after Drake evacuated
2304-589: Is now Maine . Approximately three months later, the group landed on a wooded peninsula where the Kennebec River meets the Atlantic Ocean and began building Fort St. George. By the end of the year, limited resources caused half of the colonists to return to England. The remaining 45 sailed home late the next year, and the Plymouth company fell dormant. In 1609, with the abandonment of the Plymouth Company settlement,
2432-610: The Susan Constant , and two smaller ships, the Godspeed , and the Discovery , with 105 men and boys, plus 39 sailors. After an unusually long voyage of 144 days, they arrived at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay and came ashore at the point where the southern side of the bay meets the Atlantic Ocean, an event that has come to be called the "First Landing". They erected a cross and named
2560-475: The weroance Necotowance and the subtribes formerly in the confederacy each became tributaries to the King of England. At the same time, a racial frontier was delineated between Indian and English settlements, with members of each group forbidden to cross to the other side except by a special pass obtained at one of the newly erected border forts. The extent of the Virginia Colony open to patent by English colonists
2688-626: The American Revolution . (The border with North Carolina was disputed until surveyed by William Byrd II in 1728.) After twelve years of peace following the Indian Wars of 1622–1632, another Anglo–Powhatan War began on March 18, 1644, as a last effort by the remnants of the Powhatan Confederacy, still under Opechancanough, to dislodge the English settlers of the Virginia Colony. Around 500 colonists were killed, but that number represented
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#17328592150982816-525: The Bay of Biscay . A severe storm off the coast of Portugal separated Tiger from the rest of the fleet and sank one of the pinnaces. Fortunately, Fernandes had a plan for such an occurrence, wherein the ships would meet up at Mosquetal, on the south coast of Puerto Rico . Proceeding alone, Tiger made good speed for the Caribbean , arriving at the rendezvous point on May 11, ahead of the other ships. While awaiting
2944-649: The Chowanoke and Secotan . In February–March 1645, the colony ordered the construction of four frontier forts: Fort Charles at the falls of the James, Fort James on the Chickahominy , Fort Royal at the falls of the York and Fort Henry at the falls of the Appomattox , where the modern city of Petersburg is located. In August 1645, the forces of Governor William Berkeley stormed Opechancanough's stronghold. All captured males in
3072-559: The Discovery for the colonists' use. However, death from disease and conflicts with the Native Americans took a fearsome toll on the colonists. Despite attempts at mining minerals, growing silk, and exporting the native Virginia tobacco, no profitable exports had been identified, and it was unclear whether the settlement would survive financially. The Powhatan Confederacy was a confederation of numerous linguistically related tribes in
3200-543: The English Civil War . Under the tenure of Crown Governor William Berkeley (1642–1652; 1660–1677), the population expanded from 8,000 in 1642 to 40,000 in 1677. Despite the resistance of the Virginia Cavaliers , Virginian Puritan Richard Bennett was made governor answering to Oliver Cromwell in 1652, followed by two more nominal "commonwealth governors". Nonetheless, the colony was rewarded for its loyalty to
3328-552: The Francis . However, a hurricane hit the Outer Banks, sweeping the Francis out to sea. After the storm, Lane persuaded his men to evacuate the colony, and Drake agreed to take them back to England. Manteo and an associate, Towaye, joined them. Three of Lane's colonists were left behind and never heard from again. Because the colony was abandoned, it is unclear what became of the slaves and refugees Drake had meant to place there. There
3456-730: The Jamestown colonists produced reports that the Roanoke settlers had been massacred, and there were stories of people with European features being seen in Native American villages, but no conclusive evidence was found. Interest in the matter fell until 1834, when George Bancroft published his account in A History of the United States . Bancroft's description of the colonists, particularly White's infant granddaughter Virginia Dare , cast them as foundational figures in American culture and captured
3584-589: The Kingdom of Great Britain in 1775, before the Declaration of Independence was officially adopted, the Virginia Colony became the Commonwealth of Virginia , one of the original thirteen states of the United States, adopting as its official slogan "The Old Dominion". The entire modern states of West Virginia , Kentucky , Indiana , and Illinois , and portions of Ohio and Western Pennsylvania were later created from
3712-456: The Lost Colony , and the fate of the 112 to 121 colonists remains unknown. Roanoke Colony was founded by the governor Ralph Lane in 1585 on Roanoke Island in present-day Dare County, North Carolina . Lane's colony was troubled by a lack of supplies and poor relations with some of the local Native American tribes. A resupply mission by Sir Richard Grenville was delayed, so Lane abandoned
3840-649: The Powhatan ), warning that Lane should bring a considerable force if he sought to make contact. Menatonon also corroborated rumors Lane had heard about a sea just beyond the head of the Roanoke River , apparently confirming English hopes of finding access to the Pacific Ocean. The chief's son Skiko described a place to the west called "Chaunis Temoatan" rich in a valuable metal, which Lane thought could be copper or perhaps even gold. Based on this information, Lane envisioned
3968-466: The Province of Virginia , and occasionally as the Dominion and Colony of Virginia or His Majesty's Most Ancient Colloney and Dominion of Virginia . According to tradition, in gratitude for the loyalty of Virginians to the crown during the English Civil War , Charles II gave it the title of "Old Dominion". The colony seal stated from Latin en dat virginia quintum , in English 'Behold, Virginia gives
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4096-466: The Sea Venture was the mission's Vice Admiral Christopher Newport. Hundreds of new colonists were aboard the ships. However, the weather was to affect the mission drastically. A few days out of London, the nine ships of the third supply mission encountered a hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean. They became separated during the three days the storm lasted. Admiral Somers had the Sea Venture , carrying most of
4224-976: The Virginia General Assembly , although he was not listed as one of the elected burgesses in Jamestown's first Legislative Assembly. In 1622 Captain West was appointed Admiral to New England, where he served alongside Capt. Christopher Levett , Governor of Plymouth, on a three-man council under Capt. Robert Gorges, named Governor General of the Plymouth Council for New England 's venture in Massachusetts. West subsequently served as Deputy Governor of Virginia from 17 November 1627 to 5 March 1629. He also served as Captain General of Virginia. West married three times. His first wife, Margaret Whitney, whom he married circa 16?5,
4352-529: The West Indies , where they collected fresh water. The two ships then sailed north until July 4, when they sighted land at what is now called Cape Fear . The fleet made landfall on July 13 at an inlet north of Hatorask Island , which was named "Port Ferdinando" after Fernandes, who discovered it. The Native Americans in the region had likely encountered, or at least observed, Europeans from previous expeditions. The Secotan , who controlled Roanoke Island and
4480-453: The patent on Newfoundland and all points north, where geographers expected to eventually find a long-sought Northwest Passage to Asia. Raleigh was awarded the lands to the south, though much of it was already claimed by Spain . Richard Hakluyt , however, had by this time taken notice of Verazzano's "isthmus" – located within Raleigh's claim – and was campaigning for England to capitalize on
4608-469: The treasure fleets of Spain . Despite the broad powers granted to Raleigh, he was forbidden to leave the queen's side. Instead of personally leading voyages to the Americas, he delegated the missions to his associates and oversaw operations from London. Raleigh quickly arranged an expedition to explore his claim. It departed England on April 27, 1584. The fleet consisted of two barques ; Philip Amadas
4736-470: The Croatan, this contingent was attacked by an alliance of mainland tribes shortly after Grenville's fleet left. Five of the English were away gathering oysters when two of the attackers, appearing unarmed, approached the encampment and asked to meet with two Englishmen peacefully. One of the Native Americans concealed a wooden sword, which he used to kill an Englishman. Another 28 attackers revealed themselves, but
4864-835: The Crown . The Virginia Company's two settlements, Virginia and Bermuda (Bermuda's Puritans were expelled as the Eleutheran Adventurers , settling the Bahamas under William Sayle ), Antigua and Barbados were conspicuous in their loyalty to the Crown and were singled out by the Rump Parliament in An Act for prohibiting Trade with the Barbadoes, Virginia, Bermuda and Antego in October 1650. This dictated that: [D]ue punishment [be] inflicted upon
4992-510: The Crown by Charles II following the Stuart Restoration when he dubbed it the ''Old Dominion''. Roanoke Colony The Roanoke Colony ( / ˈ r oʊ ə n oʊ k / ROH -ə-nohk ) was an attempt by Sir Walter Raleigh to found the first permanent English settlement in North America. The colony was founded in 1585, but when it was visited by a ship in 1590, the colonists had inexplicably disappeared. It has come to be known as
5120-401: The English briefly claimed St. John's, Newfoundland , in 1583 as the first English territory in North America at the royal prerogative of Queen Elizabeth I , but Gilbert was lost at sea on his return journey to England. Following Gilbert's death in 1583, Queen Elizabeth divided the charter between his brother Adrian Gilbert, and his half-brother Sir Walter Raleigh . Adrian's charter gave him
5248-425: The English either stay in their fort or leave Virginia. Enraged, De la Warr had the hand of a Paspahegh captive cut off and sent him to the paramount chief with another ultimatum: Return all English subjects and property, or the neighboring villages would be burned. This time, Powhatan did not respond. On August 9, 1610, tired of waiting for a response from the Powhatan, West sent George Percy with 70 men to attack
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5376-414: The English. Wingina changed his name to "Pemisapan" ("one who watches"), suggesting a newly cautious and vigilant policy, and established a new temporary tribal capital on Roanoke Island. The English did not initially recognize that these developments represented a threat to their interests. In March, Lane consulted Pemisapan about a plan to explore the mainland beyond Secotan territory. Pemisapan supported
5504-614: The French in South Carolina ( Charlesfort , 1562–1563). Farther south, the Spanish colony of Spanish Florida , centered on St. Augustine , was established in 1565, while to the north, the French were establishing settlements in what is now Canada ( Charlesbourg-Royal briefly occupied 1541–1543; Port Royal , established in 1605). In 1583, Sir Humphrey Gilbert established a charter in Newfoundland . Once established, he and his crew abandoned
5632-473: The Lane colony with Drake's fleet, were also brought along. This time, the party included women and children, but no organized military force. The expedition consisted of three ships: The flagship Lion , captained by White with Fernandes as master and pilot, along with a flyboat (under the command of Edward Spicer) and a full-rigged pinnace (commanded by Edward Stafford). The fleet departed on May 8. On July 22,
5760-518: The London Company organized another supply mission. They set sail from London on April 1, 1610. Just after the survivors of the Starving Time and those who had joined them from Bermuda had abandoned Jamestown, the ships of the new supply mission sailed up the James River with food, supplies, a doctor, and more colonists. Lord Delaware was determined that the colony was to survive, and he intercepted
5888-430: The London Company's Virginia charter was adjusted to include the territory north of the 34th parallel and south of the 40th parallel , with its original coastal grant extended "from sea to sea". Thus, according to James I's writ, the Virginia Colony in its original sense extended to the coast of the Pacific Ocean, in what is now California, with all the land in between belonging to Virginia. For practical purposes, though,
6016-450: The Lost Colony due to the unexplained disappearance of its population. During a stop to check on Grenville's men, the pilot of the flagship, Simon Fernandes , forced White and his colonists to remain on Roanoke. White returned to England with Fernandes, intending to bring more supplies in 1588. The Anglo-Spanish War delayed his return to Roanoke until 1590, and he found the settlement fortified but abandoned. The cryptic word "CROATOAN"
6144-476: The Netherlands all had competing claims to the region, none of these prevented the English from becoming the first European power to colonize successfully the Mid-Atlantic coastline. The Spanish had made earlier attempts in what is now Georgia ( San Miguel de Gualdape , 1526–1527; several Spanish missions in Georgia between 1568 and 1684), South Carolina ( Santa Elena , 1566–1587), North Carolina ( Joara , 1567–1568) and Virginia ( Ajacán Mission , 1570–1571); and by
6272-400: The Outer Banks and the mainland. Lane continued to keep Skiko as a hostage. Although Pemisapan met regularly with Skiko and believed him sympathetic to the anti-English cause, Skiko sought to honor his father's intention of maintaining relations with the colony. Skiko informed Lane that Pemisapan planned to organize a war council meeting on June 10 with various regional powers. With the copper
6400-406: The Outer Banks made the region unsuitable as a base for large ships. The colony's top priority would now be to locate a better harbour. After repairs, Tiger continued with the rest of the fleet to Port Ferdinando, where they reunited with Roebuck and Dorothy . The men left behind by Red Lion were presumably also located during this time. On August 5, John Arundell took command of one of
6528-434: The Paspahegh capital, burning the houses and cutting down their cornfields. They killed 65 to 75 Powhatan and captured one of Wowinchopunk's wives and her children. Returning downstream, Percy's men threw the children overboard and shot out "their Braynes in the water". The queen was put to the sword in Jamestown. The Paspahegh never recovered from this attack and abandoned their town. Another small force sent with Argall against
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#17328592150986656-523: The Roanoke River in search of Chaunis Temotan, but they found only deserted villages and warriors lying in ambush. Lane had expected the Moratuc to provide provisions for him along his route, but Pemisapan had sent word that the English were hostile and villagers should withdraw from the river with their food. Lane and his party returned to the colony shortly after Easter, half-starved and empty-handed. During their absence, rumors had spread that they had been killed, and Pemisapan had been preparing to withdraw
6784-410: The Secotan from Roanoke Island and leave the colony to starve. There was no sign of Grenville's resupply fleet, which had not yet even left England. According to Lane, Pemisapan was so surprised that Lane returned alive from the Roanoke River mission that he reconsidered his plans. Ensenore, an elder among Pemisapan's council, argued in favor of the English. Later, an envoy for Menatonon informed Lane that
6912-403: The Secotan had gained from trading with the colony, Pemisapan was able to offer substantial inducements to other tribes to side with him in a final offensive against the English. Oksiko declined to get involved, although individual Weapemeocs were permitted to participate. The plan of attack was to ambush Lane and other key leaders as they slept at the colony, and then signal for a general attack on
7040-421: The Spanish. Lane again built fortifications to protect his men as they brought the salt aboard. Grenville's ships then sailed to La Isabela , where the Spanish set aside hostilities to trade with the well-armed English fleet. On June 7, Grenville left Hispaniola to continue to the Outer Banks. The fleet sailed through an inlet at Wococon Island (near present-day Ocracoke Inlet ) on June 26. Tiger struck
7168-413: The Virginia territory. On January 7, 1587, Raleigh approved a corporate charter to found "the Cittie of Raleigh" with White as governor and twelve assistants. Approximately 115 people agreed to join the colony, including White's pregnant daughter Eleanor and her husband Ananias Dare. The colonists were largely middle-class Londoners, perhaps seeking to become landed gentry . Manteo and Towaye, who had left
7296-517: The Warraskoyaks found that they had already fled, and they destroyed an abandoned Warraskoyak village and the surrounding cornfields. This event triggered the first Anglo-Powhatan War . Among the individuals who had briefly abandoned Jamestown was John Rolfe , a Sea Venture survivor who had lost his wife and son in Bermuda. He was a businessman from London with some untried seeds for new, sweeter strains of tobacco he brought from Bermuda and some novel marketing ideas. It would turn out that Rolfe held
7424-420: The Weapemeoc leader Okisko had pledged fealty to Queen Elizabeth and Sir Walter Raleigh. This shift in the balance of power in the region further deterred Pemisapan from following through on his plans against the colony. He instead ordered his people to sow crops and build fishing weirs for the settlers. The renewed accord between the English and the Secotan was short-lived. On April 20 Ensenore died, depriving
7552-423: The York (Pamunkey) river. Necotowance thus ceded the English vast tracts of still-uncolonized land, much of it between the James and Blackwater. English settlements on the peninsula north of the York and below the Poropotank were also allowed, as they had already been there since 1640. While the newer Puritan colonies, most notably Massachusetts , were dominated by Parliamentarians , the older colonies sided with
7680-406: The appearance of weakness. Amadas and his men burnt down the entire town and its crops, sending the natives fleeing. Manteo arranged a meeting for Grenville and Lane with Granganimeo, to provide land for the English settlement on Roanoke Island. Both sides agreed that the island was strategically located for access to the ocean and to avoid detection from Spanish patrols. Lane began construction of
7808-493: The area of their rights. The London company formed Jamestown in its exclusive territory, while the Plymouth company formed the Popham Colony in its exclusive territory near what is now Phippsburg, Maine. The Popham colony quickly failed because of famine, disease, and conflicts with local Native American tribes in the first two years. The London Company hired Captain Christopher Newport to lead its expedition. On December 20, 1606, he set sail from England with his flagship ,
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#17328592150987936-416: The claim. The company's possession of Bermuda was made official in 1612 when the third and final charter extended the boundaries of Virginia far enough out to sea to encompass Bermuda. Upon their arrival at Jamestown, the survivors of the Sea Venture discovered that the 10-month delay had greatly aggravated other adverse conditions. Seven of the other ships had arrived carrying more colonists but little in
8064-402: The colonists elected West as their "President" in the absence of Sir Thomas Gates or other high official of the London Company, although the following year they elected George Percy to that position. From 1612 to 1617 West was the Commandant of Jamestown. From July 30 through August 4, 1619, based on his position on the Governor's Council, West served in what would later become the upper house of
8192-414: The colonists rarely ventured far inland to what was known as the "Virginia Wilderness." For the third supply, the London Company had a new ship built. The Sea Venture was designed to emit additional colonists and transport supplies. It became the flagship of the admiral of the convoy, Sir George Somers . The third supply was the largest, with eight other ships joining the Sea Venture . The captain of
8320-410: The colony and returned to England with Sir Francis Drake in 1586. Grenville arrived two weeks later and also returned home, leaving behind a small detachment to protect Raleigh's claim. A second expedition led by John White landed on the island in 1587 and set up another settlement. Sir Walter Raleigh had sent him to establish the "Cittie of Raleigh" in Chesapeake Bay . That attempt became known as
8448-434: The colony because of the war between England and Spain. When he finally did return in 1590, he found the colony abandoned. The houses were intact, but the colonists had disappeared. Although there are numerous theories about the fate of the colony, it remains a mystery and has come to be known as the "Lost Colony" . Two English children were born in this colony; the first was named Virginia Dare ( Dare County, North Carolina ,
8576-483: The colony of its last advocate in Pemisapan's inner circle. Wanchese had risen to become a senior advisor, and his time among the English had convinced him that they were a threat. Pemisapan evacuated the Secotan from Roanoke, destroyed the fishing weirs, and ordered them not to sell food to the English. Left to their own devices, the English had no way to produce enough food to sustain the colony. Lane ordered his men to break up into small groups to forage and beg for food in
8704-448: The colony's fort. In June, the colonists made contact with the fleet of Sir Francis Drake , on his way back to England from successful campaigns in Santo Domingo , Cartagena , and St. Augustine . During these raids, Drake had acquired refugees, slaves, and hardware with the intent of delivering them to Raleigh's colony. Upon learning of the colony's misfortunes, Drake agreed to leave behind four months of supplies and one of his ships,
8832-508: The colony. The crew could not find any trace of the colonists and left. Two weeks later, Grenville's relief fleet finally arrived with a year's worth of supplies and reinforcements of 400 men. Grenville conducted an extensive search and interrogated three natives, one of which finally related an account of the evacuation. The fleet returned to England, leaving behind a small detachment of fifteen men both to maintain an English presence and to protect Raleigh's claim to Roanoke Island. According to
8960-507: The departing ships about 10 miles (16 km) downstream of Jamestown. The colonists thanked Providence for the colony's salvation. West proved far harsher and more belligerent toward the Indians than any of his predecessors, engaging in wars of conquest against them. He first sent Thomas Gates to drive off the Kecoughtan from their village on July 9, 1610, then gave Chief Powhatan an ultimatum to either return all English subjects and property, or face war. Powhatan responded by insisting that
9088-420: The desertion of the Lane colony, Raleigh was persuaded to make another attempt by Hakluyt, Harriot, and White. However, Roanoke Island would no longer be safe for English settlers, following the hostilities between Lane's men and the Secotan, and the death of Wingina. Hakluyt recommended Chesapeake Bay as the site for a new colony, in part because he believed the Pacific coast lay just beyond the explored areas of
9216-489: The eastern part of Virginia. The Powhatan Confederacy controlled a territory known as Tsenacommacah, which roughly corresponded with the Tidewater region of Virginia. It was in this territory that the English established Jamestown. At the time of the English arrival, the Powhatan were led by the paramount chief Wahunsenacawh, known to the English as Chief Powhatan . On May 31, 1607, about 100 men and boys left England for what
9344-641: The era of the Protectorate and Commonwealth of England . From 1619 to 1775/1776, the colonial legislature of Virginia was the General Assembly, which governed in conjunction with a colonial governor . Jamestown remained the capital of the Virginia Colony until 1699; from 1699 until its dissolution, the capital was in Williamsburg . The colony experienced its first significant political turmoil with Bacon's Rebellion of 1676. After declaring independence from
9472-462: The faster vessels and set sail for England, to report the expedition's safe arrival. The loss of provisions from the Tiger meant that the colony would support far fewer settlers than originally planned. Grenville decided that only about 100 men would stay with Lane, which would be enough to fulfill the colony's objectives until another fleet, scheduled to leave England in June ;1585, could deliver
9600-484: The fifth', with Virginia claimed as the fifth English dominion after England, France , Scotland and Ireland . The Commonwealth of Virginia maintains "Old Dominion" as its state nickname . The athletic teams of the University of Virginia are known as the " Cavaliers ", referring to supporters of Charles II, and Virginia has a public university called " Old Dominion University ". Although Spain, France, Sweden, and
9728-414: The fleet, Grenville established a base camp, where his crew could rest and defend themselves from Spanish forces. Lane's men used the opportunity as practice for building the fortifications that would be needed at the new colony. The crew also set about replacing the lost pinnace, forging nails and sawing local lumber to construct a new ship. Elizabeth arrived on May 19, shortly after the completion of
9856-536: The fort and pinnace. The remainder of the fleet never arrived at Mosquetal. At least one of the ships encountered difficulties near Jamaica and ran out of supplies, causing its captain to send twenty of his crew ashore. Eventually Roebuck , Red Lion , and Dorothy continued to the Outer Banks , arriving by mid-June. Red Lion left about thirty men on Croatoan Island and departed for privateering in Newfoundland. In
9984-488: The key to the colony's economic success. By 1612, Rolfe's strains of tobacco had been successfully cultivated and exported, establishing a first cash crop for export. Plantations and new outposts sprung up starting with Henricus , initially both upriver and downriver along the navigable portion of the James and thereafter along the other rivers and waterways of the area. The settlement at Jamestown could finally be considered permanently established. A period of peace followed
10112-579: The largest city in the region, possibly leading the English to expect something like the wealthy Inca and Aztec kingdoms encountered by the Spanish. Amadas instead found a more modest settlement, although he was impressed with the area's climate and soil quality . Harriot and Gans explored the Virginia territory, meeting Native American tribes and taking stock of natural resources. During his travels, Harriot and his assistants collected data that would eventually be used to produce White's La Virginea Pars map. Although 16th-century science could not explain
10240-505: The mainland between Albemarle Sound and the Pamlico River, soon made contact with the English and established friendly relations. The Secotan chieftain, Wingina , had recently been injured in a war with the Pamlico , so his brother Granganimeo represented the tribe in his place. Upon their return to England in the autumn of 1584, Amadas and Barlowe spoke highly of the tribes' hospitality and
10368-407: The mainland the following morning. On June 1, Lane, his top officers, and twenty-five men visited Dasamongueponke under the pretense of discussing a Secotan attempt to free Skiko. Once they were admitted into the council, Lane gave the signal for his men to attack. Pemisapan was shot and fled into the woods, but Lane's men caught up to him and brought back his severed head. The head was impaled outside
10496-543: The marriage in 1614 of colonist Rolfe to Pocahontas , the daughter of Chief Powhatan. Another colonial charter was issued in 1611. The relations with the Natives took a turn for the worse after the death of Pocahontas in England and the return of Rolfe and other colonial leaders in May 1617. Disease, poor harvests, and the growing demand for land to cultivate tobacco caused hostilities to escalate. After Chief Powhatan died in 1618, he
10624-504: The meantime, Grenville established contact with local Spanish authorities, in the hopes of obtaining fresh provisions. When the Spanish failed to deliver the promised supplies, Grenville suspected they would soon attack, so he and his ships abandoned the temporary fort. Grenville captured two Spanish ships in the Mona Passage , adding them to his fleet. Lane took one of these ships to Salinas Bay , where he captured salt mounds collected by
10752-406: The metal to its origin. The colonists spent the autumn of 1585 acquiring corn from the neighboring villages, to augment their limited supplies. The colony apparently obtained enough corn (along with venison, fish, and oysters) to sustain them through the winter. Little information survives, however, about what transpired at the colony between September 1585 and March 1586, making a full assessment of
10880-411: The mission's supplies, deliberately driven aground onto the reefs of Bermuda to avoid sinking. However, while there was no loss of life, the ship was wrecked beyond repair, stranding its survivors on the uninhabited archipelago , to which they laid claim for England. The survivors at Bermuda eventually built two smaller ships, and most of them continued to Jamestown, leaving a few on Bermuda to secure
11008-650: The north bank of the James River and Popham Colony on the Kennebec River in modern-day Maine , both in 1607. The Popham colony quickly failed because of famine, disease, and conflicts with local Native American tribes in the first two years. Jamestown occupied land belonging to the Powhatan Confederacy ; it was also on the brink of failure before the arrival of a new group of settlers and supplies by ship in 1610. Tobacco became Virginia's first profitable export,
11136-413: The opportunity. Raleigh's charter, issued on March 25, 1584, specified that he needed to establish a colony by 1591, or lose his right to colonization. He was to "discover, search, find out, and view such remote heathen and barbarous Lands, Countries, and territories ... to have, hold, occupy, and enjoy". It was expected that Raleigh would establish a base from which to send privateers on raids against
11264-492: The other Englishman escaped to warn his unit. The natives attacked with flaming arrows, setting fire to the house where the English kept their food stores, and forcing the men to take up whatever arms were handy. A second Englishman was killed; the remaining nine retreated to the shore, and fled the island on their boat. They found their four compatriots returning from the creek, picked them up, and continued into Port Ferdinando. The thirteen survivors were never seen again. Despite
11392-535: The phenomenon, Harriot noticed that each town the colonists visited quickly suffered a deadly epidemic, which may have been influenza or smallpox . Some of the Secotan suspected the disease was caused by supernatural forces unleashed by the English. When Wingina fell sick, his own people could not treat him, but he recovered after requesting prayers from the English. Impressed, Wingina asked the colonists to share this power with other stricken communities, which only hastened
11520-521: The plan and advised Lane that the Chowanoke leader Menatonon was meeting with his allies to plan an attack on the English, and that three thousand warriors had gathered at Choanoac. At the same time, Pemisapan sent word to Menatonon that the English would be coming, ensuring that both sides would expect hostilities. When Lane's well-armed party arrived at Choanoac, he found representatives of the Chowanoke, Mangoak, Weapemeoc , and Moratuc. Since this gathering
11648-465: The point of land Cape Henry in honor of Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales , the eldest son of King James. They were instructed to select a location inland along a waterway where they would be less vulnerable to the Spanish or other Europeans seeking to establish colonies. They sailed westward into the Bay and reached the mouth of Hampton Roads , stopping at a location now known as Old Point Comfort . Keeping
11776-424: The production of which had a significant impact on the society and settlement patterns. In 1624, the Virginia Company's charter was revoked by King James I, and the Virginia Colony was transferred to royal authority as a crown colony . After the English Civil War in the 1640s and 1650s, the Virginia colony was nicknamed "The Old Dominion" by King Charles II for its perceived loyalty to the English monarchy during
11904-421: The public imagination. The Outer Banks were explored in 1524 by Giovanni da Verrazzano , who mistook Pamlico Sound for the Pacific Ocean, and concluded that the barrier islands were an isthmus . Recognizing this as a potential shortcut to China , he presented his findings to King Francis I of France and King Henry VIII of England, neither of whom pursued the matter. In 1578, Queen Elizabeth I granted
12032-419: The rest. Based on this information, Lane sent disinformation to the Secotan indicating that an English fleet had arrived, to force Pemisapan's hand. Forced to accelerate his schedule by the possibility of English reinforcements, Pemisapan gathered as many allies as he could for a meeting on May 31 at Dasamongueponke. That evening, Lane attacked the warriors posted at Roanoke, hoping to prevent them from alerting
12160-439: The results of Raleigh's expedition. In 1585, during a ceremony to knight Raleigh, she proclaimed the land granted to him " Virginia " and proclaimed him "Knight Lord and Governor of Virginia". Sir Walter Raleigh proceeded to seek investors to fund a colony. For the first colony in Virginia, Raleigh planned a largely military operation focused on the exploration and evaluation of natural resources. The intended number of colonists
12288-637: The said Delinquents, do[es] Declare all and every the said persons in Barbada's, Antego, Bermuda's and Virginia, that have contrived, abetted, aided or assisted those horrid Rebellions, or have since willingly joyned with them, to be notorious Robbers and Traitors, and such as by the Law of Nations are not to be permitted any maner of Commerce or Traffique with any people whatsoever; and do[es] forbid to all maner of persons, Foreiners, and others, all maner of Commerce, Traffique and Correspondency whatsoever, to be used or held with
12416-629: The said Rebels in the Barbada's, Bermuda's, Virginia and Antego, or either of them. The act authorized Parliamentary privateers to act against English vessels trading with the rebellious colonies: "All Ships that Trade with the Rebels may be surprized. Goods and tackle of such ships not to be embezeled, till judgement in the Admiralty; Two or three of the Officers of every ship to be examined upon oath." Virginia's population swelled with Cavaliers during and after
12544-591: The ship Swallow to trade with the nearby Patawomeck people. During the incident, West and his crew killed several native people and took away corn and grain. Instead of returning to the suffering Jamestown, West and his crew set sail for England. On their journey home they met the supply mission of Francis's brother, Thomas West, in the Azores. Francis West returned to Jamestown on the Mary Ann Margett in 1610. The new colony had been suffering from lack of provisions, and
12672-661: The shoreline to their right, they then ventured up the largest river, which they named the James , for their king. After exploring at least as far upriver as the confluence of the Appomattox River at present-day Hopewell , they returned downstream to Jamestown Island , which offered a favorable defensive position against enemy ships and deep water anchorage adjacent to the land. Within two weeks, they had constructed their first fort and named their settlement Jamestown. In addition to securing gold and other precious minerals to send back to
12800-402: The site and returned to England. On the return trip, Gilbert's ship capsized, and all aboard perished. The charter was abandoned. In 1585, Raleigh sent his first colonization mission to Roanoke Island (in present-day North Carolina) with over 100 male settlers. However, when Sir Francis Drake arrived at the colony in the summer of 1586, the colonists opted to return to England because there
12928-450: The spread of disease. The epidemic likely had a severe impact on the fall harvest, at a time when Lane's colony would be heavily dependent on its neighbors to supplement its limited food supply. By spring, relations between the Secotan and the colony were strained, most likely due to the colony's over-reliance on Secotan food. The death of Granganimeo, who had been a powerful advocate for the colony, apparently helped to turn Wingina against
13056-503: The strategic location of Roanoke. They brought back two natives: Wanchese , a Secotan, and Manteo , a Croatan whose mother was the chieftain of Croatoan Island . The expedition's reports described the region as a pleasant and bountiful land, alluding to the Golden Age and the Garden of Eden , although these accounts may have been embellished by Raleigh. Queen Elizabeth was impressed with
13184-533: The summer of 1608. Newport returned to London with a load of iron ore sold to the East India Company. Francis West was selected to the Governor's Council in 1609, and remained such for the rest of his life, although he returned to England many times and the colony's private charter was superseded by a royal charter in 1624 (two years after attacks by native Americans killed many settlers). In November 1609, West used
13312-588: The term Wingandacoa may have influenced the name Virginia." On his next voyage, Raleigh learned that while the chief of the Secotans was indeed called Wingina, the expression wingandacoa heard by the English upon arrival actually meant "What good clothes you wear!" in Carolina Algonquian and was not the name of the country as previously misunderstood. The colony was also known as the Virginia Colony ,
13440-512: The territory encompassed, or claimed by, the colony of Virginia at the time of further American independence in July 1776. "Virginia" is the oldest designation for English claims in North America. In 1584, Sir Walter Raleigh sent Philip Amadas and Arthur Barlowe to explore what is now the North Carolina coast. They returned with word of a regional king ( weroance ) named Wingina , who ruled
13568-402: The village over age 11 were deported to Tangier Island . Opechancanough, variously reported to be 92 to 100 years old, was taken to Jamestown. While a prisoner, Opechancanough was shot in the back and killed by a soldier assigned to guard him. His death disintegrated the Powhatan Confederacy into its component tribes, whom the colonists continued to attack. In the peace treaty of October 1646,
13696-444: The voyage. The fleet consisted of seven ships: The galleass Tiger (Grenville's flagship, with Fernandes as pilot), the flyboat Roebuck (captained by John Clarke), Red Lion (under the command of George Raymond), Elizabeth (captained by Thomas Cavendish ), Dorothy (Raleigh's personal ship, perhaps captained by Arthur Barlowe) and two small pinnaces . On April 9, 1585, the fleet departed Plymouth , heading south through
13824-541: The waiting investors in England, the survival plan for the Jamestown colonists depended upon regular supplies from England and trade with the Native Americans . They selected a location largely cut off from the mainland with little game for hunting, no natural fresh drinking water, and minimal ground for farming. Captain Newport returned to England twice, delivering the first and second supply missions during 1608 and leaving
13952-629: The way of food and supplies. Combined with drought and hostile relations with the Native Americans , the loss of the supplies that had been aboard the Sea Venture resulted in the Starving Time in late 1609 to May 1610, during which over 80% of the colonists perished. Conditions were so adverse it appears, from skeletal evidence, that the survivors engaged in cannibalism. The survivors from Bermuda had brought few supplies and food with them, and it appeared to all that Jamestown must be abandoned, and it would be necessary to return to England. Samuel Argall
14080-404: The winter at Roanoke despite his absence from the list of colonists. Many of the colonists had joined the mission expecting to discover sources of gold and silver. When no such sources were located, these men became dispirited and decided the entire operation was a waste of their time. The English also researched where the local Native Americans obtained their copper, but ultimately never tracked
14208-514: The winter impossible. The colonists most likely exhausted their English provisions and American corn by October, and the resulting monotony of their remaining food sources no doubt contributed to the men's low morale. Amadas spent the winter exploring Chesapeake Bay , traveling as far as Cape Henry and the James River . While there his party made contact with the Chesapeake villages of Chesepioc and Skicóak . The Secotans had described Skicóak as
14336-526: Was 69, but approximately 600 men were sent in the voyage, with about half intended to remain at the colony, to be followed by a second wave later. Ralph Lane was appointed governor of the colony, and Philip Amadas would serve as admiral, although the fleet commander Sir Richard Grenville led the overall mission. Civilian attendants included Joachim Gans , metallurgist, Thomas Harriot , a scientist, and John White , an artist. Manteo and Wanchese, returning home from their visit to England, were also passengers on
14464-419: Was a British colonial settlement in North America between 1606 and 1776. The first effort to create an English settlement in the area was chartered in 1584 and established in 1585; the resulting Roanoke Colony lasted for three attempts totaling six years. In 1590, the colony was abandoned. But nearly 20 years later, the colony was re-settled at Jamestown , not far north of the original site. A second charter
14592-402: Was a lack of supply ships, abandoning the colony. Supply ships arrived at the abandoned colony later in 1586; 15 soldiers were left behind to hold the island, but no trace of these men was later found. In 1587, Raleigh sent another group to attempt to establish a permanent settlement. The expedition leader, John White , returned to England for supplies that same year but was unable to return to
14720-476: Was a three-time widow lastly married to Edward Blayney, and who died within two years. In March 1627 West remarried, to the widow of Governor George Yeardley , Temperance Flowerdew . She died in December of the same year, and West unsuccessfully litigated against the former Governor's orphaned children for possession of her estate. He married thirdly Jane Davye. He had one son, Francis West in 16??. In 1632, his estate
14848-419: Was captain of the larger vessel, with Simon Fernandes as pilot, while Arthur Barlowe was in command of the other. There are indications that Thomas Harriot and John White may have participated in the voyage, but no records survive which directly confirm their involvement. The expedition employed a standard route for transatlantic voyages, sailing south to catch trade winds , which carried them westward to
14976-658: Was defined as: All the land between the Blackwater and York rivers, and up to the navigable point of each of the major rivers – which were connected by a straight line running directly from modern Franklin on the Blackwater, northwesterly to the Appomattoc village beside Fort Henry, and continuing in the same direction to the Monocan village above the falls of the James, where Fort Charles was built, then turning sharp right, to Fort Royal on
15104-431: Was found carved into the palisade , which White interpreted to mean that the colonists had relocated to Croatoan Island . Before he could follow this lead, rough seas and a lost anchor forced the mission to return to England. The fate of the approximately 112–121 colonists remains unknown. Speculation that they had assimilated with nearby Native American communities appears in writings as early as 1605. Investigations by
15232-531: Was in Elizabeth Citie , south of the land of James Knott. According to some records, he died in February 1633/1634, although this is not certain. However, two years later, fellow colonists "thrusting out" royal governor Governor Sir John Harvey selected his brother, John West , who had previously served as a burgess, as the temporary replacement. Colony and Dominion of Virginia The Colony of Virginia
15360-565: Was issued in 1606 and settled in 1607, becoming the first enduring English colony in North America . It followed failed attempts at settlement on Newfoundland by Sir Humphrey Gilbert in 1583 and the Roanoke Colony (in modern eastern North Carolina ) by Sir Walter Raleigh in the late 1580s. The founder of the Jamestown colony was the Virginia Company , chartered by King James I , with its first two settlements being in Jamestown on
15488-420: Was named in her honor), who was among those whose fate is unknown. The word Croatoan was found carved into a tree, the name of a tribe on a nearby island. Following the failure of the previous colonization attempts, England resumed attempts to set up colonies. This time, joint-stock companies were used rather than giving extensive grants to a landed proprietor such as Gilbert or Raleigh. King James granted
15616-399: Was not planning an attack, Lane caught them by surprise. He easily captured Menatonon, who informed him that it was Pemisapan who had requested the council in the first place. Menatonon quickly gained Lane's trust by offering information about lucrative opportunities in lands the English had not yet discovered. He described a rich and powerful king to the northeast (presumably the leader of
15744-404: Was permitted to establish between the 34th parallel and the 41st parallel (approximately between Cape Fear and Long Island Sound ) and also owned a large portion of Atlantic and Inland Canada. In the area of overlap, the two companies were not permitted to establish colonies within one hundred miles of each other. During 1606, each company organized expeditions to establish settlements within
15872-423: Was published in 1588, with engravings of White's illustrations included in the 1590 edition. Following this initial exploration, a silver cup was reported missing. Believing the item stolen, Grenville sent Amadas to lead a detachment back to Aquascogoc to demand the return of the missing property. When the villagers did not produce the cup, the English decided that severe retribution was necessary in order to avoid
16000-519: Was spared from destruction because an Indian boy named Chanco learned of the planned attacks from his brother and warned colonist Richard Pace with whom he lived. Pace, after securing himself and his neighbors on the south side of the James River, took a canoe across the river to warn Jamestown, which narrowly escaped destruction. However, there was no time to warn the other settlements. A year later, Captain William Tucker and John Pott worked out
16128-407: Was succeeded by his own younger brother, Opechancanough . On the surface, he maintained friendly relations with the English, negotiating with them through his warrior Nemattanew . Still, by 1622, after Nemattanew had been slain, Opechancanough was ready to order a limited surprise attack on the colonists, hoping to persuade them to move on and settle elsewhere. Chief Opechancanough organized and led
16256-425: Was the captain of one of the seven ships of the third supply that arrived at Jamestown in 1609 after being separated from the Sea Venture , whose fate was unknown. Depositing his passengers and limited supplies, he returned to England with word of the colonists' plight at Jamestown. The king authorized another leader, Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr , later better known as "Lord Delaware", to have greater powers, and
16384-436: Was under repair, Grenville organized an expedition to explore Pamlico Sound and the Secotan villages of Aquascogoc , Pamlico , and Secotan. His party made contact with the locals, presenting Harriot and White with an opportunity to extensively study Native American society. Although much of their research did not survive the 1586 evacuation of the colony, Harriot's extensive survey of Virginia's inhabitants and natural resources
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