Virginia

Virginia was categorised within the band of ‘Southern Colonies’. The origins of it name relate to the former English Monarch Queen Elizabeth I for her supposed chastity, and it was the colony the first English people came to under the reign of King James I.

Virginia was best known for its large profits in tobacco plantations. These were important in Virginian society, where it quickly became a colony full of wealthy landowners and servants.

Jamestown, Virginia, was successfully colonised in 1607. Initial difficulties arose due to its lack of farming, causing a period of ‘starving time’ during the Winter, where only 1/5^th survived. Jamestown only really prospered from the profits created by tobacco farming and sales abroad. It’s extortionate profits were consequences of its occasional taxation at more than 100% its price, producing huge profits for the English. Tobacco income from Chesapeake made approximately £200,000 per year, and eventually trade with Chesapeake produced 2/3^rd of all the mainland trade all together.

Early shortages of labour came the large diaspora of white indentured servants, who normally had a 4-7 year contract to work on land. It allowed them to have their transportation and accommodation at least partly paid for them, and also gave them the opportunity to earn money for their work. It benefited those who couldn’t afford to purchase their own land. They became an important focus of the society as up to ¾ Chesapeake arrivals came as indentured servants.

Overall, Virginia was hugely important in the colonisation of America. It’s historical influence continued to increase with the first arrivals of slaves in 1619 and the expansion of the slave trade, whereby 45% of the populations of Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia consisted of slaves.  

Picture:
http://www.virginiamemory.com/blogs/out_of_the_box/2013/05/22/tobacco-census-fixing-the-frauds-and-mischiefs-of-the-tobacco-trade/

Sources:

Jack P. Greene and J.R.Pole, ‘The Blackwell Encyclopedia Of The American Revolution’ 1991.

Howard Temperley and Christopher Bigsby, ‘A New Introduction To American Studies’, 2013.

http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/symbol/virginia/state-name-origin/origin-virginia