Jamestown Virtual Colony

Recruiting Adventures

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Objectives: Through class discussion, lecture, and their own research, students will be able to:

  1. Describe the motivations of the English for establishing a colony in the Americas
  2. Relate the structure of the London Company under the different Charters and explain the reasons behind the differences between them.
  3. Explain in clear, concise prose, the similarities and differences between the Jamestown Colony and the earlier Roanoke Colony venture.
  4. Offer plausible explanations for the failure of the earlier attempt and suggestions that may have allowed it to succeed.

Relevance: Explain to students that in order to understand the founding of a nation, they must understand how that nation came to be, politically and philosophically. Knowledge of the founding of Jamestown is indispensable to understanding the foundations of the United States.

Involvement of the Learner: What would be the possible motivations you would need to start your life over in a new environment? What kind of inducement might you require?

Explanation: The teacher will lecture for 15 – 20 minutes, emphasizing the features of each of the Charters. Have the students compare and contrast them.

 

Texts of Charters:

First Charter
Second Charter
Third Charter
Features of each Charter:

First Charter - 1606

Second Charter - 1609

Third Charter - 1612

Settlers had the same rights as the English

Company included merchants and businessmen

Virginia boundaries extended to include Bermuda

Land was property of the crown

Land owned by the London Company

Governmental control left more to stockholders than Company council

Governed by Council in London

Governed by Treasurer (President) and council of the Company

Lottery established to fund colony

Company responsible for recruiting, transport, trade and supply

 

First Representative assembly outside Parliament met 7/30/1619
Outline of content

Activity: Your students are the partners in a joint-stock company. Tell them that in order to realize profit on your investment, you will need to recruit people with the necessary skills to survive in an alien environment. In groups, have them design recruitment fliers or posters to attract talent. Have the class evaluate the results and discuss why some posters may be more effective than others.

Closure - Questions to ask:

  1. What kinds of skills did you deem necessary for your expedition?
  2. How many people would you take with you?
  3. At the end of the Charters you will find a listing of the settlers who made the trip. What kind of skills do you notice? Are they very specific or not?
  4. Look at the major features of the Charters. Did successive versions improve upon the previous ones? Why or why not?

Materials: Lecture notes, chalkboard, paper and pens for posters.

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