Chesapeake Bay Colony Analysis

The purpose of Jamestown was for Britian to gain it's share of oversea colonies, trade, and wealth. The British colonies were established by a profit-seeking corporation verses France and Spains monarchy approach. “In 1606, King James I chartered a joint-stock enterprise called the Virginia Company.” King James I motive was to spread Christian religion to the Indians who he believed “live in darkness and miserable ignorance of the true knowledge and worship of God.” The stock holders motives were for profit. They viewed the colony as a source of gold, minerals, wine, olive oil, trade, and forest products that would decrease British dependence on Spain. The Virginia Company located its first permanent colony in the Chesapeake Bay area. They followed a river with a northwest bend, hoping to find a passage to Asia, and settled forty miles inland. They called the river James and the colony Jamestown. The Virginia Company appointed Captain John Smith to manage the new colony in America. After nine months in America, only 38 of the 105 settlers survived. Captain John Smith led with strict discipline, “he that will not work shall not eat.” Dealing with conflict, …show more content…
Governor Lord De La Warr arrived in Virginia with 150 men. They created new settlements up stream at Henrico (Richmond) and two more colonies down stream. Lord De La Warr returned to England and in 1611, Sir Thomas Gates took charge of the colony. He established a strict and harsh punishment system of law. If a “man was caught stealing oatmeal, the authorities thrust a long needle through his tongue, chained him to a tree, and let him starve to death as a grisly example to the community.” Sir Gates had the Anglican church repaired and the colonists attended services on Thursdays and Sundays. He wanted a colony where “God [would be] duly and daily served.” Religion thus became a part of public policy and civil duty in colonial