Jamestown and the Southern Colonies

Leading up to Colonization

Prior to development of an English colony in North America, the Spanish, French, and Dutch had already crossed the Atlantic Ocean and explored the New World. These explorations created a demand for new products and competition for more land. In addition, several groups fled Europe in search of religious freedom. In this interactivity, learn what caused the Europeans to begin preparations for building permanent settlements in the New World. Click the player button to begin.

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The Jamestown Settlement

The first permanent English settlement in North America was founded at Jamestown in 1607. At this time, North America already had colonies created by both the Portuguese and Spanish. England chose to locate its settlement in Virginia. Did you know the first attempt at an English settlement failed? The inhabitants of Roanoke Island vanished. It seems that the early colonists either starved or were attacked by American Indians, also referred to as Native Americans. In this interactivity, explore the history behind America's first settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. Click the player button to begin.

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Southern Society

In Virginia and other Southern colonies, the social structure was oriented around family and the ownership of land. The more land your family owned, the greater your social stature. Since most large landowners were found in the eastern lowlands, those families tended to dominate colonial government. Many of these powerful Southern families maintained an allegiance to the Church of England, which meant they had a stronger social connection to Britain than other colonists.

Life in the Southern colonies revolved around plantations or small farms. Plantations were estates on which crops such as tobacco, indigo, and rice were produced. Plantations took the place of towns and were self-sufficient. A woman’s role in the southern society was limited to domestic work. Indentured servants and slave labor were used to complete the harsh and demanding labor. In this interactivity, learn about Southern society during colonial times. Click the player button to begin.

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Slavery in the Southern Colonies

During the colonial time period, mercantilism was promoted by the countries that were developing colonies. Mercantilism was an economic practice based on trade where the purpose of European colonies was to send goods to and buy products from the mother country in ways that benefited the mother country. This system led to a trade network that created interdependence between the mother country and its colonies.

This trade network created a demand for crops grown in the Southern colonies, which also increased the need for a large labor force. However, indentured servants were becoming too expensive and there were not enough of them. To increase their labor force, Southern colonists acquired the labor of enslaved Africans. African slaves were already being used in the West Indies. Slavery was first introduced to America in 1619 when enslaved Africans were transported to Jamestown. In this interactivity, you will investigate the evolution of slavery of the Southern colonies. Click the player button to begin.

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Jamestown and the Southern Colonies Review

Now that you have learned about Jamestown and the Southern colonies, it is time to check your knowledge. In this non-graded activity, answer all of the questions by following the directions on each question slide. Click the player button to get started.