They
came by ship from London to Virginia looking for a better life. Some
were looking for riches, others for freedom. They came from all walks
of life. Many were owners in the Virginia Company. Some came
as indentured servants, and some came to get out of jail. Many
were well educated and wealthy, but were unprepared for the rigors of life
in the New World. Life was hard.
On
20 Dec 1606. The 1st fleet of ships leave London for Virginia.
The fleet arrives on 14 May 1607 in Virginia. On 22 June 1607, the
ships Susan Constant, Godspeed and Discovery, commanded by Captain Newport
sail for England for supplies and return to Jamestown, Virginia on Jan
1608 with supplies and about 100 new settlers. Only 38 survivors
of the original settlers are found. The ship Newport returns to London
for a 2nd load of supplies and returns to Virginia in October, 1608.
The ship returns to London in late 1608 with a cargo of pitch, tar, glasse,
frankincense, and soap ashes among other things. On 23 May 1609 a second
charter of the Virginia Co. issued replaces the council with a governor
who has absolute control .On 11 August 1609 Sir George Somers arrives with
6 ships. The ship Sea Venture wrecked on Bermuda with 200-300 men, women,
and children on board. On 10 Sept 1609 Capt. John Smith returnees
to England The winter of 1609-10 Jamestown again suffered
another disaster. This time became known as the starving time.
Desperate colonists ate "doggies, catts, ratts, and myce". Many simply
lost the will to live. By the spring of 1610 all but 60 of the town
500 settlers had died.
They
came to Massachusetts in Nov 1620 from Plymouth, England in the Mayflower.
These people were known as the Separatists. We call them the Pilgrims.
They landed in what is now Provincetown harbor. Before even leaving
the ship thy drew up a self-government plan, know as the Mayflower Compact.
One hundred and two souls came, at the end of the winter of 1620-1621 about
one half had died. They became friends with the native Indians and
learned how to plant crops. They celebrated the first Thanksgiving
in 1621, as they had enough food to last through the winter.
They
came to the Massachusetts Bay area from England in 1630 lead by John Winthrop.
This group of settlers were known as the Puritans. They grew in numbers
from about 1000 to 10,000 in 10 years.
They
continued to come. First from western Europe, then eastern Europe, Asia,
South America, Africa and from all of the world. Why did they come?
Economic, Freedom, Adventure, And, of course, some were brought over against
their will.
|
