Notes:BC1.AH.Conditions in the colonies

2014/05/18 User:Jeff

This article describes the conditions encountered by the colonists from the time of the first colonies to the 1760s when differences between the colonies and England became belligerent.

The first colony that had a continuous population were the collection of small settlements on the James River. These date from 1606, so we begin there.

The source of our information for the first versions of this article are the first two volumes of Edward Channing's History of the United States

Alexander Brown's First Republic states that:

• 1606-1625 5649 emigrants left England for Virginia

1095 colonists were living in Virginia in 1625

• In a 12 month period in 1619 to 1620 1200 sailed for Virginia.

Of these 1000 died en route or in the colony by April 1920.

• In a 12 month period in 1622 to 1623, 347 died in the Indian massacre and 1000 died en route to Virginia or in the colony

These words are from Channing's Vol 1 (pg 205)

"During the years 1618 to 1624, Sandys, . . . made great and successful efforts to send over colonists and supplies; in three years' time no fewer than 3570 emigrants crossed the Atlantic to Virginia. As there were six hundred . . living in the colony at the beginning of this period, the total number . . . to be accounted for is 4170. In March 1622, before the Indian massacre, there were living in Virginia twelve hundred English colonists, showing that in three years nearly three thousand persons had perished from disease and starvation. The "massacre" cost the lives of three hundred and forty-seven more. Instead of carefully searching out the causes of the disasters, the company continued to pour setters into the colony; but in 1624, when a careful enumeration was made, there were only 1232 colonists alive, including in this number twenty three negro slaves."

Reports from members of Sandys' own family who traveled to Virginia painted a grim picture of the conditions of life in Virginia in those days.

Early Virginia

The first colony that had a continuous population were the collection of small settlements on the James River. These date from 1606, so we begin there.

The source of our information for the first versions of this article are the first two volumes of Edward Channing's History of the United States

Alexander Brown's First Republic states that:

• 1606-1625 5649 emigrants left England for Virginia

1095 colonists were living in Virginia in 1625

• In a 12 month period in 1619 to 1620 1200 sailed for Virginia.

Of these 1000 died en route or in the colony by April 1920.

• In a 12 month period in 1622 to 1623, 347 died in the Indian massacre and 1000 died en route to Virginia or in the colony

These words are from Channing's Vol 1 (pg 205)

"During the years 1618 to 1624, Sandys, . . . made great and successful efforts to send over colonists and supplies; in three years' time no fewer than 3570 emigrants crossed the Atlantic to Virginia. As there were six hundred . . living in the colony at the beginning of this period, the total number . . . to be accounted for is 4170. In March 1622, before the Indian massacre, there were living in Virginia twelve hundred English colonists, showing that in three years nearly three thousand persons had perished from disease and starvation. The "massacre" cost the lives of three hundred and forty-seven more. Instead of carefully searching out the causes of the disasters, the company continued to pour setters into the colony; but in 1624, when a careful enumeration was made, there were only 1232 colonists alive, including in this number twenty three negro slaves."

Reports from members of Sandys' own family who traveled to Virginia painted a grim picture of the conditions of life in Virginia in those days.

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