WEBVTT 1 00:00:22.039 --> 00:00:28.440 Hello, and welcome to Western CIV. Jamestown Part one. What 2 00:00:28.480 --> 00:00:31.960 you're listening to is the first part in a multi 3 00:00:32.039 --> 00:00:38.920 series deep depth episode into Jamestown, the first English successful 4 00:00:39.479 --> 00:00:42.000 colony in the New World, founded in sixteen oh seven. 5 00:00:43.000 --> 00:00:50.039 This is a fascinating story about trepid adventurers, Indian princesses maybe, 6 00:00:50.320 --> 00:00:53.759 and everything in between, and not just a little tobacco 7 00:00:53.960 --> 00:00:57.280 to keep the whole thing going. The way that this 8 00:00:57.399 --> 00:01:00.280 series is going to function as a deep die is 9 00:01:00.280 --> 00:01:05.359 that every other episode will be available for free on 10 00:01:05.480 --> 00:01:08.920 the main feed. So next week, if you are not 11 00:01:08.959 --> 00:01:12.239 a paid Patreon member, you won't see anything. You'll then 12 00:01:12.280 --> 00:01:16.120 see episode three the week after. Just to be clear, 13 00:01:16.120 --> 00:01:18.920 you can become a member at any time by clicking 14 00:01:18.920 --> 00:01:21.120 the link of the show notes, you can get a 15 00:01:21.159 --> 00:01:24.640 seven day free trial, and with the base subscription, which 16 00:01:24.640 --> 00:01:27.200 gives you access to all of these shows, it's a 17 00:01:27.239 --> 00:01:30.959 dollar a month or twelve dollars a year. Obviously we 18 00:01:31.000 --> 00:01:34.359 appreciate it. But with all that being said, I'm not 19 00:01:34.359 --> 00:01:36.519 going to do this lengthy preamble into the start of 20 00:01:36.519 --> 00:01:38.560 every single one of these, but I wanted to at 21 00:01:38.599 --> 00:01:43.120 least get the ground rules downs that you understood so 22 00:01:44.280 --> 00:02:02.920 let's begin James Town. The rise of the Hoften Chiefdom 23 00:02:03.159 --> 00:02:06.400 was the central political development of the late sixteenth and 24 00:02:06.480 --> 00:02:12.080 early seventeenth centuries. A variety of indigenous now we call 25 00:02:12.199 --> 00:02:15.680 Indian peoples lived throughout the coastal plain what is also 26 00:02:15.680 --> 00:02:20.439 referred to as the tide water of Virginia space around 27 00:02:20.439 --> 00:02:24.280 the Chesapeake Bay, the space around all the various rivers 28 00:02:24.319 --> 00:02:27.439 and tributaries that flow into it. In other words, the 29 00:02:27.479 --> 00:02:34.199 space with all the good land. Now, sometime around fifteen 30 00:02:34.400 --> 00:02:41.319 seventy one, chieftain of the bahatans Wassahunock managed to inherit 31 00:02:41.520 --> 00:02:46.759 all the varied holdings of different peoples and subject tributaries. 32 00:02:47.360 --> 00:02:50.680 He pulled this all together into one great Bahatan nation. 33 00:02:50.800 --> 00:02:54.719 Although for reasons i'll talk about later, it's a mistake 34 00:02:54.800 --> 00:02:56.759 to think about this as sort of like an empire. 35 00:02:56.840 --> 00:02:59.439 It wasn't an empire in the way that we think 36 00:02:59.439 --> 00:03:01.400 of in the West world, and you think of Rome 37 00:03:01.919 --> 00:03:04.520 or the British Empire or anything like that, where everybody 38 00:03:04.560 --> 00:03:10.479 is immediately and directly responsible to the chief executive wherever 39 00:03:10.520 --> 00:03:12.240 he may be at the given time. It's a much 40 00:03:12.280 --> 00:03:16.719 more loose confederation. That being said, it's worth noting that 41 00:03:16.960 --> 00:03:21.919 Wassahanak was definitely the most powerful man in the region 42 00:03:22.400 --> 00:03:28.879 by a strong sense. As described by William Stratchi, a 43 00:03:28.919 --> 00:03:32.639 prominent settler who arrived in Virginia in sixteen ten, was 44 00:03:32.680 --> 00:03:34.439 a hannock who was alive at the time, was a 45 00:03:34.439 --> 00:03:38.400 man of quote goodly looks, well beaten with many cold 46 00:03:38.439 --> 00:03:42.840 and stormy winters, yet of tall stature and clean limbs 47 00:03:42.919 --> 00:03:47.000 end quote. In the earlier years, this same Stratchy wrote 48 00:03:47.039 --> 00:03:49.759 that the great Chief was quote a strong and able 49 00:03:50.000 --> 00:03:55.639 savage who's active of daunting, daring spirit, vigilist, ambitious, subtle 50 00:03:55.680 --> 00:03:59.960 to enlarge his dominions unquote. In addition to the land 51 00:04:00.639 --> 00:04:04.360 that was honok had inherited, the rest of his territories 52 00:04:04.400 --> 00:04:08.400 had quote either been farce subdued onto him or through 53 00:04:08.479 --> 00:04:12.520 fear yielded end quote. At about the time that the 54 00:04:12.560 --> 00:04:16.319 English arrived, the Chesapeakes, who lived in the entrance to 55 00:04:16.360 --> 00:04:21.160 the bay, and who had resisted absorption into this new kingdom, 56 00:04:21.759 --> 00:04:26.399 were destroyed an attack that resulted in the slaughter of men, women, 57 00:04:26.600 --> 00:04:32.639 and children. A vivid example of the methods that could 58 00:04:32.639 --> 00:04:35.519 be used by this great chief to assert his authorities, 59 00:04:35.560 --> 00:04:40.079 actually recounted by Captain John Smith for reasons that we 60 00:04:40.240 --> 00:04:43.839 truly don't know even today. In sixteen oh eight, Wassahonk 61 00:04:43.959 --> 00:04:48.800 mounted a surprise attack on the neighboring plane Catacks, who 62 00:04:48.839 --> 00:04:51.519 lived along the north bank of the river that bears 63 00:04:51.519 --> 00:04:55.279 that same name. First he sent some of his men 64 00:04:55.319 --> 00:04:58.480 to lodge among them. Then he surrounded their village and 65 00:04:58.519 --> 00:05:02.399 at the appointed time launched a swift and deadly attack. 66 00:05:03.120 --> 00:05:06.879 Two dozen men, according to Captain John Smith, were killed. 67 00:05:07.720 --> 00:05:11.079 The women and children, along with the chief were captured 68 00:05:11.560 --> 00:05:14.439 and presented to Wassahonic so that they could quote unquote 69 00:05:14.519 --> 00:05:18.480 do him service. It was also there because they wanted 70 00:05:18.480 --> 00:05:21.680 to get the scalps. The scalps of warriors taken in 71 00:05:21.720 --> 00:05:26.399 the attack were hung to intimidate visitors, hung between two 72 00:05:26.439 --> 00:05:31.800 trees at Wahasahonok's personal residency. This gives you a flavor 73 00:05:32.439 --> 00:05:36.560 the sort of hit and run tactics favored by Wassahonic 74 00:05:36.600 --> 00:05:38.800 and his peoples, and that are going to give the 75 00:05:38.839 --> 00:05:44.399 English such fits and sleepless nights in years to come. Now, 76 00:05:44.480 --> 00:05:47.360 the Bahatans were, of course not the only peoples in 77 00:05:47.399 --> 00:05:51.639 the area. They were in fact surrounded, effectively confined by 78 00:05:51.639 --> 00:05:55.600 the mountains that were dominated by the Iroquoian and coo 79 00:05:55.839 --> 00:05:59.439 And peoples, and they effectively kept the Bahatans on the 80 00:05:59.480 --> 00:06:04.800 coastal place. As Wasahawk's chiefdom grew throughout the tide water, 81 00:06:04.879 --> 00:06:08.600 so did his wealth and influence. His people were required 82 00:06:08.639 --> 00:06:12.279 to pay tribute in the form of skins, beads, pearls, 83 00:06:12.279 --> 00:06:17.319 food and tobacco, all collected annually and stored in temples 84 00:06:17.360 --> 00:06:20.759 such as those of the Oorpos, one of his capitals, 85 00:06:21.160 --> 00:06:26.519 and another major town, Ottomosuk. He claimed a monopoly on 86 00:06:26.639 --> 00:06:30.839 prestige goods that were traded throughout his lands, including copper, 87 00:06:31.199 --> 00:06:36.560 iron wares, and other items sometimes acquired from Europeans. Copper 88 00:06:36.600 --> 00:06:40.040 could be traded beyond his dominions with other people and 89 00:06:40.199 --> 00:06:45.560 used when necessary to hire mercenary warriors or generally gifts 90 00:06:45.560 --> 00:06:49.959 of tribute goods to lesser chiefs. Wear an ox warriors 91 00:06:50.000 --> 00:06:53.439 and priests throughout his land provided him with a way 92 00:06:53.480 --> 00:06:57.759 of co opting individuals into the regime by rewarding those 93 00:06:58.079 --> 00:07:02.079 that he favored, something that be familiar to monarchs throughout 94 00:07:02.079 --> 00:07:05.160 Europe at the time and something that's still familiar to 95 00:07:05.240 --> 00:07:11.279 politicians today now. The people of the outlying regions on 96 00:07:11.319 --> 00:07:15.120 the edges of the tide water. Now, they might recognize 97 00:07:15.439 --> 00:07:19.000 Wassahonics authority that could provide him support in times of 98 00:07:19.040 --> 00:07:22.600 war or when called upon, but they also pursued their 99 00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:28.519 own independent policies, and an occasion they disobeyed or just 100 00:07:28.600 --> 00:07:31.959 ignored his orders. That is to say, as I mentioned before, 101 00:07:32.360 --> 00:07:36.199 Wasahonic was not an absolute ruler in our traditional sense 102 00:07:36.279 --> 00:07:40.040 of the term, and in fact, one of the ways 103 00:07:40.040 --> 00:07:43.160 that he governed his vast, sprawling territories was through a 104 00:07:43.199 --> 00:07:46.399 network of family members, the most important of which was 105 00:07:46.399 --> 00:07:57.959 his brother Apichinaka. Apichinacha was the most powerful of Wassahonaks relatives. Now, 106 00:07:58.000 --> 00:08:02.279 at the beginning of the seventeenth century, Wasahonics lands were 107 00:08:02.680 --> 00:08:06.839 decently well populated. There were maybe about fifteen thousand total 108 00:08:06.879 --> 00:08:10.800 people that lived in the Chesapeake Bay region. The most 109 00:08:10.839 --> 00:08:14.959 populous areas were actually inland, away from the exposed crags 110 00:08:14.959 --> 00:08:17.959 of the coast. High Ground close to the water was 111 00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:21.160 preferred because it protected against possible flooding and provided a 112 00:08:21.240 --> 00:08:23.439 vantage point for keeping an eye on the comings and 113 00:08:23.480 --> 00:08:27.040 goings along the river or also to the approaches from 114 00:08:27.040 --> 00:08:32.080 inland rivers and coastal waters. Provided a superb means of travel, 115 00:08:32.399 --> 00:08:35.279 and were commonly used for transporting men and goods over 116 00:08:35.360 --> 00:08:40.480 long distances. Most Pahatan settlements were small by European standards, 117 00:08:40.799 --> 00:08:44.440 usually consisting of a fewer than one hundred people at 118 00:08:44.480 --> 00:08:48.440 the most. But it's worth noting, and we'll get to 119 00:08:48.440 --> 00:08:51.679 this again in future episodes, that when John Smith and 120 00:08:51.720 --> 00:08:55.679 the other English arrive in sixteen oh seven to establish Jamestown, 121 00:08:56.600 --> 00:08:59.120 the land that is effectively seated to them is land 122 00:08:59.120 --> 00:09:03.559 that the Powhatan people didn't want because they had already 123 00:09:03.639 --> 00:09:09.240 established the most effective settlements for themselves across the Chesapeake Bay. Thus, 124 00:09:09.720 --> 00:09:14.000 what Smith and his companions got was decidedly second class, 125 00:09:14.080 --> 00:09:18.279 to say the least. Bohatan Society was organized for war 126 00:09:18.879 --> 00:09:22.039 a response to the threat posed by powerful enemies to 127 00:09:22.120 --> 00:09:26.279 the north and west. Warfare involved a variety of tactics, 128 00:09:26.720 --> 00:09:32.720 including frontal assaults, hidden run and ambush and deception. Most 129 00:09:32.759 --> 00:09:36.039 attacks took the form of raiding parties, which are the 130 00:09:36.080 --> 00:09:41.320 smaller sort of hid and run style attacks. Pitched battles 131 00:09:41.320 --> 00:09:44.080 between anything that would have looked remotely like a Western 132 00:09:44.240 --> 00:09:48.240 standing army were credibly uncommon. In a mock battle witnessed 133 00:09:48.240 --> 00:09:51.919 by John Smith, the natives divided themselves into two companies 134 00:09:51.960 --> 00:09:54.919 of about one hundred men, one called Monocans, the other 135 00:09:54.919 --> 00:09:58.559 called Phatans. Each company ordered into ranks of fifteen men 136 00:09:58.559 --> 00:10:01.879 of breast. We are agreeing to terms that the women 137 00:10:01.879 --> 00:10:03.600 and the children of the vanquish would be the prize 138 00:10:03.600 --> 00:10:06.720 of the victors. The two armies approached each other, the 139 00:10:06.759 --> 00:10:10.559 men quote leaping and singing after their accustomed tune, which 140 00:10:10.600 --> 00:10:14.320 they only used in war end quote. Each side then 141 00:10:14.360 --> 00:10:16.919 shot at the other. When they had discharged all of 142 00:10:16.919 --> 00:10:20.679 their arrows, they joined in hand to hand fighting, and 143 00:10:20.919 --> 00:10:24.000 here is according to Smith quote, as they got advantage, 144 00:10:24.000 --> 00:10:26.039 they catched their enemies by the hair of their head 145 00:10:26.919 --> 00:10:30.919 and acted the beating the loser's brains with wooden swords 146 00:10:31.000 --> 00:10:35.919 end quote. Womennocan numbers decreased. The Bahatans charged in the 147 00:10:35.960 --> 00:10:39.679 half moon formation, ever to surround them, at which the 148 00:10:39.679 --> 00:10:42.799 Monocans fled quote in all troop to the cover of 149 00:10:42.840 --> 00:10:46.480 nearby woods. But this was just a ploy the lure 150 00:10:46.480 --> 00:10:49.279 of the Beehatans into an ambush where fresh warriors were hiding. 151 00:10:49.919 --> 00:10:53.240 The Bohatans, perceiving the danger, withdrew to an area of 152 00:10:53.279 --> 00:10:56.519 the field where they had arranged their own ambush, but 153 00:10:56.639 --> 00:11:00.399 the Monocans declined to pursue them and instead disappeared into 154 00:11:00.399 --> 00:11:04.919 the forest. Now, obviously there's a lot of subterfuge and 155 00:11:05.120 --> 00:11:08.879 ambush here going on. There's not a lot of British 156 00:11:08.960 --> 00:11:12.159 style lining up with redcoats and just simply firing into 157 00:11:12.159 --> 00:11:16.919 the opponent. Still, men were expected to display courage and 158 00:11:17.000 --> 00:11:21.440 strength in hand to hand combat. The Bahatans made up 159 00:11:21.519 --> 00:11:26.480 the core of was Sanahawk's fighting forces, and combined may 160 00:11:26.519 --> 00:11:31.159 have numbered five or six hundred men together. Of course, 161 00:11:31.159 --> 00:11:35.519 Wassanahak could call upon the varying allied and subjugated tribes 162 00:11:35.559 --> 00:11:38.799 to provide warriors and get an army somewhere between twelve 163 00:11:38.879 --> 00:11:42.320 hundred and fifteen hundred enough, which was more than easily 164 00:11:42.399 --> 00:11:47.240 capable of overwhelming any local resistance to his will. Now, 165 00:11:47.240 --> 00:11:51.639 Wahanak did not act alone. As I mentioned previously, He 166 00:11:51.679 --> 00:11:54.440 was supposed to take advice from his counselors and priests, 167 00:11:54.480 --> 00:11:58.559 and he did. Priests were vital intermediaries between the people 168 00:11:58.759 --> 00:12:02.759 and spiritual force. Is an infused earthly society with a 169 00:12:02.799 --> 00:12:08.360 spiritual good. Religion and spirituality were of fundamental importance to 170 00:12:08.480 --> 00:12:10.879 the peoples of the region and weren't expressed in a 171 00:12:10.919 --> 00:12:15.879 variety of beliefs about powerful deities, local spirits, founding myths 172 00:12:15.879 --> 00:12:20.559 and prophecies. The Bahatans revered a quote unquote great good God. 173 00:12:21.080 --> 00:12:25.120 His name was a Hoone, who lived in the heavens above, 174 00:12:25.519 --> 00:12:30.279 and whose perfection was boundless. A hon had created the cosmos, 175 00:12:30.639 --> 00:12:33.480 the earth, and the lesser gods had taught the Indians 176 00:12:33.480 --> 00:12:36.799 how to plant corn. He was quote unquote the author 177 00:12:36.960 --> 00:12:40.559 of great good He made the sun shine, and through 178 00:12:40.639 --> 00:12:44.039 his virtues and influence, all the fruits of the seasons 179 00:12:44.080 --> 00:12:49.480 were brought forth. A Hoone was a remote god, unconcerned 180 00:12:49.519 --> 00:12:53.320 with the affairs of men and everyday affairs. The most 181 00:12:53.360 --> 00:12:58.320 important deity in the Indians pantheon was Uchius, who, unlike 182 00:12:58.399 --> 00:13:02.279 the peace loving a Hone, looked quote into all men's 183 00:13:02.279 --> 00:13:05.159 actions and judged them according to a severe scale of 184 00:13:05.399 --> 00:13:09.519 justice end quote. The vengeful god punished the people with sickness, 185 00:13:10.039 --> 00:13:14.120 struck down their ripe coin with storms, and stirred up wars. 186 00:13:14.960 --> 00:13:19.919 He was a quote unquote malicious enemy of mankind. Okius 187 00:13:20.080 --> 00:13:23.720 was the origin of all harm and misfortune. To appease him, 188 00:13:24.039 --> 00:13:27.919 the Bahapans dedicated their temples to him, offered him sacrifices, 189 00:13:27.919 --> 00:13:31.200 and worshiped him. But Okius was also the god the 190 00:13:31.240 --> 00:13:34.159 priest would consult to ask to intercede in times of 191 00:13:34.200 --> 00:13:39.039 war and crisis. From the oaks and conifer forests of 192 00:13:39.039 --> 00:13:42.360 the Blue Ridge Mountains to the fertile lowlands bordering the 193 00:13:42.440 --> 00:13:46.799 Rivers and Bay, the Indian peoples, the Iroquoian, Siaquoyan, and 194 00:13:46.840 --> 00:13:51.440 Algonquin and all evolved highly successful methods of harvesting the 195 00:13:51.519 --> 00:13:55.639 natural resources of the land and the rivers. Early European 196 00:13:55.639 --> 00:14:00.000 observers were unanimous in their admiration for the Indians adaptime 197 00:14:00.039 --> 00:14:03.120 Hati to their environments, and were aware of the subtle 198 00:14:03.360 --> 00:14:06.519 as well as more obvious distinctions between the various peoples 199 00:14:06.519 --> 00:14:11.399 who inhabited this land. Throughout the region, different tribes might 200 00:14:11.720 --> 00:14:16.039 enjoy a good deal of autonomy, but everywhere the edges 201 00:14:16.120 --> 00:14:19.919 of conflict were evident, resulting from the expansion of the 202 00:14:19.960 --> 00:14:24.759 Bohoptan chiefdom and long standing hostility between Algonquins and neighboring 203 00:14:24.960 --> 00:14:29.960 con and Iroquoian peoples. When the English arrived in Virginia 204 00:14:30.000 --> 00:14:33.720 early in the new century, they would encounter a powerful 205 00:14:33.960 --> 00:14:39.320 and complex chiefdom. It was therefore lucky that when Wassanahonok 206 00:14:39.519 --> 00:14:42.879 first came face to face with Captain John Smith, the 207 00:14:42.919 --> 00:14:46.039 Great Chief took the opportunity to describe to him quote 208 00:14:46.399 --> 00:14:51.200 his great and spacious domains end quote, then impressed upon 209 00:14:51.240 --> 00:14:54.440 the Englishman in case he missed the point that he 210 00:14:54.519 --> 00:15:23.000 knew everyone under his territories. Now, for much of the 211 00:15:23.039 --> 00:15:27.519 sixteenth century, England played only a minor role in Western exploration. 212 00:15:28.639 --> 00:15:33.240 Even the famed exploits of the conquistadors in Mexico and Peru. 213 00:15:33.679 --> 00:15:37.519 The overthrow of the Mexica and Inca Empires made seemingly 214 00:15:37.559 --> 00:15:42.919 little impact on England. During Queen Elizabeth the First reign, however, 215 00:15:43.519 --> 00:15:47.919 an awakening of interest and the possibility of establishing English 216 00:15:48.000 --> 00:15:51.960 colonies in America occurred. For the first time, colonization was 217 00:15:52.039 --> 00:15:54.480 viewed as a project that would be of great benefit 218 00:15:54.559 --> 00:15:58.240 not only to individuals and to their financial backers, but 219 00:15:58.320 --> 00:16:01.840 also to the nation as a whole. In fifteen eighty three, 220 00:16:02.159 --> 00:16:05.960 Sir George Peckham, a prominent Catholic supporter of colonial ventures, 221 00:16:06.399 --> 00:16:10.240 wrote a lengthy treatise that set out the quote unquote 222 00:16:10.519 --> 00:16:14.960 law of nations sanctioning trade between Christians or what he 223 00:16:15.039 --> 00:16:19.240 called the infidel or savages, and the law of arms 224 00:16:19.639 --> 00:16:23.039 which allowed the taking of lands by force, and of course, 225 00:16:23.039 --> 00:16:28.600 finally the law of God, which required Christian rulers to 226 00:16:28.720 --> 00:16:33.360 settle these lands. Quote for the establishment of God's word 227 00:16:33.600 --> 00:16:37.080 end quote. He went on to write that from ancient 228 00:16:37.159 --> 00:16:41.799 times quote, since the Nativity of Christ Mighty and Pussian 229 00:16:42.080 --> 00:16:46.440 emperors and kings had performed the like I say, to plant, 230 00:16:46.759 --> 00:16:53.120 possess and subdue end quote. Also, the infamous John d 231 00:16:53.440 --> 00:16:59.000 astrologer to the Queen, alchemist, mathematician, etc. Etc. Advocated building 232 00:16:59.000 --> 00:17:02.519 a strong navy that could be the foundation of a 233 00:17:02.559 --> 00:17:07.240 British empire. He laid out the basis of Queen Elizabeth's 234 00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:10.839 right to take possession of foreign regions, followed simply by 235 00:17:10.880 --> 00:17:14.119 the same principles that were currently being used by the 236 00:17:14.200 --> 00:17:19.000 kings and queens of Spain. But it really fell to 237 00:17:19.160 --> 00:17:22.319 a gentleman by the name of Richard Hayuk. He was 238 00:17:22.400 --> 00:17:26.759 the foremost proponent of colonization of his age, and he 239 00:17:26.839 --> 00:17:34.359 was the one who really got the ball rolling. Planting 240 00:17:34.359 --> 00:17:38.119 English colonies in America would believed would be a quote, 241 00:17:38.119 --> 00:17:42.079 mostly godly and Christian work that would ultimately lead to 242 00:17:42.160 --> 00:17:45.880 quote gaining the souls of millions and of those wretched 243 00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:50.039 people by which he meant the Native Americans, and bringing 244 00:17:50.079 --> 00:17:55.119 them from darkness to light end quote. Of course, this 245 00:17:55.200 --> 00:17:58.759 is nothing new, you know. The Spanish and the Portuguese 246 00:17:58.839 --> 00:18:02.720 to an extent he used Christianization as a justification for 247 00:18:02.880 --> 00:18:07.680 colonization as well. So it makes perfect sense that the English, 248 00:18:07.720 --> 00:18:11.200 who saw themselves as the leading Protestant nation, should seek 249 00:18:11.240 --> 00:18:16.599 to do the same. Moreover, include believed that perhaps conversion 250 00:18:16.759 --> 00:18:19.519 for the English could be achieved not by the brutal 251 00:18:19.599 --> 00:18:23.119 methods employed by the Spanish, but by way of quote, 252 00:18:23.279 --> 00:18:27.920 a gentle course without cruelty and tyranny, such as the 253 00:18:28.039 --> 00:18:32.160 swereth of a profession of a Christian end quote. Exactly 254 00:18:32.400 --> 00:18:37.400 what he meant by that was unclear now. But more 255 00:18:37.440 --> 00:18:41.359 important than all the Christian zeal and this is true 256 00:18:41.400 --> 00:18:45.359 for Spanish colonization as well, was the likelihood of profit. 257 00:18:46.440 --> 00:18:53.680 English settlements in America, the gentleman confidently asserted, would promote commerce, prosperity, 258 00:18:54.039 --> 00:18:58.200 and social benefits at home. Trade with the Native Americans 259 00:18:58.200 --> 00:19:01.559 would bring a valuable return, but to produce the goods, 260 00:19:01.680 --> 00:19:05.599 England needed large numbers of people would have to colonize America. 261 00:19:06.559 --> 00:19:11.680 This would be doubly advantageous. Not only would an expansive 262 00:19:12.039 --> 00:19:17.119 new market for English goods be created thereby stimulating production 263 00:19:17.480 --> 00:19:21.880 and providing relief for poor workers and depressed English manufacturing centers, 264 00:19:22.480 --> 00:19:25.720 but also the country would profit from the growing number 265 00:19:25.720 --> 00:19:27.839 of colonial goods that could be sold at home and 266 00:19:27.880 --> 00:19:33.759 in Europe, and the colonies, able bodied and unemployed, idle 267 00:19:33.839 --> 00:19:37.640 people who were a drain on the country could be 268 00:19:37.680 --> 00:19:41.680 found to work on their own for the nation's advantage. Remember, 269 00:19:42.319 --> 00:19:47.440 the process of enclosure had pushed so many people off 270 00:19:47.440 --> 00:19:50.400 of their land in England that they didn't have any 271 00:19:50.440 --> 00:19:54.839 means of supporting themselves. Thus, the colonies could work as 272 00:19:55.000 --> 00:19:58.480 sort of a pressure release valve for England. It would 273 00:19:58.519 --> 00:20:01.000 allow a place for all of the people who had 274 00:20:01.039 --> 00:20:05.079 been the economic have nots in this situation to have 275 00:20:05.119 --> 00:20:08.480 a place to go and the means of supporting themselves. 276 00:20:08.839 --> 00:20:11.880 It's not the way Kluke or any other Englishmen would 277 00:20:11.880 --> 00:20:15.240 have put it, but that was the economic message that 278 00:20:15.279 --> 00:20:19.480 he was preaching. He proposed the creation of permanent English 279 00:20:19.559 --> 00:20:23.440 societies in America, where these new lands lying on latitude 280 00:20:23.480 --> 00:20:27.279 stretching from North Africa to Scandinavia could be developed to 281 00:20:27.319 --> 00:20:33.079 produce commodities traditionally imported from Europe. All of these arguments 282 00:20:33.480 --> 00:20:37.559 found a receptive year in Queen Elizabeth the First. She 283 00:20:37.759 --> 00:20:41.200 was acutely aware that the threat posed by Spain to 284 00:20:41.240 --> 00:20:45.200 her kingdom and was incomparably greater than it had been 285 00:20:45.559 --> 00:20:49.759 even in her father's time fifty years earlier. And much 286 00:20:49.799 --> 00:20:53.759 of the reason that Spain posed this greater problem now 287 00:20:53.799 --> 00:20:57.119 than in the reign of Henry the Eighth is because 288 00:20:57.279 --> 00:21:01.039 of their colonial wealth. The only way to offset this, 289 00:21:01.799 --> 00:21:04.640 many in the English court asserted was for England to 290 00:21:04.680 --> 00:21:08.079 do the same. If Spain was to have extensive colonies, 291 00:21:08.599 --> 00:21:12.599 then England needed extensive colonies. The logic was pretty simple. 292 00:21:14.200 --> 00:21:18.039 Initial English efforts to colonize New World colonies were a 293 00:21:18.160 --> 00:21:23.960 complete and total failure. There were three voyages between fifteen 294 00:21:24.119 --> 00:21:28.119 seventy six and fifteen seventy eight off the southern shore 295 00:21:28.119 --> 00:21:31.240 of Baffin Island in search of gold and a northwest 296 00:21:31.279 --> 00:21:35.000 passage around the top of the American continent, but those 297 00:21:35.200 --> 00:21:40.480 ended in bankruptcy and ruin. A few years later, Sir 298 00:21:40.680 --> 00:21:45.680 Humphrey Gilbert hatched a scheme to establish plantations in Newfoundland 299 00:21:45.960 --> 00:21:48.480 and along the course of the North American seaboard, but 300 00:21:48.559 --> 00:21:52.920 that too was a disaster, resulting in total financial loss 301 00:21:53.319 --> 00:21:57.920 and Gilbert's loss of life. Now to the south, in 302 00:21:57.960 --> 00:22:02.640 the warm tropical waters of the Caribbean, English privateers enjoyed 303 00:22:02.680 --> 00:22:08.319 better fortunes. John Hawkins and Francis Drake, along with many others, 304 00:22:08.799 --> 00:22:13.160 plundered gold, silver, pearls, and precious commodities carried by the 305 00:22:13.200 --> 00:22:17.680 Spanish treasure fleets and pillaged Spain's possessions in the West 306 00:22:17.759 --> 00:22:23.400 Indies and along the Spanish main Even so, despite notable 307 00:22:23.400 --> 00:22:27.599 achievements like Drake's daring raid on a mule train taking 308 00:22:27.640 --> 00:22:30.759 a fortune in Peruvian silver on the coast of Panama 309 00:22:30.799 --> 00:22:34.640 in fifteen seventy three, and his voyage around the world 310 00:22:34.720 --> 00:22:38.480 between fifteen seventy seven and fifteen eighty, the English still 311 00:22:38.480 --> 00:22:42.880 had not succeeded in establishing a single New World colony 312 00:22:42.960 --> 00:22:47.839 of their own now. As we know from the last episode, Roanoke, 313 00:22:48.319 --> 00:22:51.720 off the coast of North Carolina, was England's most important 314 00:22:51.759 --> 00:22:54.839 attempt at establishing a permanent settlement in the New World 315 00:22:55.160 --> 00:23:00.400 prior to Jamestown. When news reached London that guild had 316 00:23:00.400 --> 00:23:05.160 perished at sea. The Queen's new favorite, Walter Raleigh, wasted 317 00:23:05.400 --> 00:23:09.319 little time in petitioning her for the exclusive rights to 318 00:23:09.400 --> 00:23:13.799 explore and colonize North America. He gathered an extensive and 319 00:23:13.880 --> 00:23:17.519 remarkable group of men who brought together their scientific knowledge 320 00:23:17.519 --> 00:23:21.480 and experiment to try to make this the most successful 321 00:23:21.480 --> 00:23:26.359 English effort yet. Now why Raleigh chose to plant this 322 00:23:26.480 --> 00:23:30.440 colony along the mid Atlantic coast, we honestly have no idea. 323 00:23:31.000 --> 00:23:33.559 The decision may have been influenced by his reluctance to 324 00:23:34.000 --> 00:23:36.759 risk the same fate as Gilbert, who was his half brother, 325 00:23:37.319 --> 00:23:41.920 who in far northern waters had searched for a northwest passage, 326 00:23:42.079 --> 00:23:47.039 but more likely was simple geography and Spain. He saw 327 00:23:47.079 --> 00:23:50.759 the opportunity to halt the advance of the Spanish in 328 00:23:50.839 --> 00:23:54.400 North America from a fortification well to the north of 329 00:23:54.759 --> 00:23:59.720 earlier French settlements in Florida, which had been destroyed. Yet 330 00:24:00.160 --> 00:24:02.799 this would also be a location that would still be 331 00:24:02.920 --> 00:24:06.000 within easy reach of the important sea lanes of the 332 00:24:06.039 --> 00:24:11.039 Caribbean and Western Atlantic. A colony could also simply lay 333 00:24:11.160 --> 00:24:14.640 claim to North America for England, and serve also as 334 00:24:14.680 --> 00:24:18.480 a base from which to launch raids on Spanish silver fleets, 335 00:24:19.039 --> 00:24:22.799 and this would of course have obvious appeal to Raleigh, 336 00:24:22.920 --> 00:24:28.160 who was interested in potential financial benefit, and it would 337 00:24:28.160 --> 00:24:33.279 also help him attractive masters. So, following a successful reconnaissance 338 00:24:33.359 --> 00:24:36.599 voyage in fifteen eighty four that brought back glowing reports 339 00:24:36.599 --> 00:24:40.160 of the outer banks of North Carolina, a small garrison 340 00:24:40.160 --> 00:24:42.480 of a little more than one hundred men established Ronok 341 00:24:42.559 --> 00:24:44.720 the following year under the command as we know of 342 00:24:44.880 --> 00:24:49.799 Ralph Lane, an experienced and veteran soldier. In September fifteen 343 00:24:49.839 --> 00:24:53.279 eighty five, he had high hopes, writing back, quote, it 344 00:24:53.359 --> 00:24:56.200 is the goodliness and most pleasing territory of the world. 345 00:24:56.680 --> 00:24:59.680 For the soil of the continent is of huge, unknown 346 00:24:59.720 --> 00:25:03.759 great and the very well peopled and towned, though savage, 347 00:25:04.079 --> 00:25:06.799 and the climate so wholesome that we have not had 348 00:25:06.839 --> 00:25:11.079 one six since we touched land here quote that, of course, 349 00:25:11.119 --> 00:25:14.799 would be the one and only glowing report to come 350 00:25:14.799 --> 00:25:18.920 back from Roanoke. Explorations during the summer revealed a low, 351 00:25:19.000 --> 00:25:22.880 flat country heavily wooded, but the one major disadvantage of 352 00:25:22.880 --> 00:25:25.680 the region was the shallowness of the waters and the sound, 353 00:25:25.720 --> 00:25:30.200 which were not suitable for large vessels. And so subsequently, 354 00:25:30.640 --> 00:25:34.119 as winter approached, Lane decided to send out an exploratory 355 00:25:34.160 --> 00:25:36.559 party in search of a deep water harbor where the 356 00:25:36.599 --> 00:25:40.119 colony could be relocated to the following year, and that's 357 00:25:40.160 --> 00:25:43.720 when they discovered Chesapeake Bay to the north in what 358 00:25:43.839 --> 00:25:47.960 is today Virginia. They may also have made a brief 359 00:25:48.000 --> 00:25:51.319 exploration of the tip of the James York Peninsula before 360 00:25:51.480 --> 00:25:55.680 finally returning to Roanoke in late February or early March 361 00:25:55.720 --> 00:26:01.240 fifteen eighty six. By then, unfortunately, the prospect of relocating 362 00:26:01.240 --> 00:26:05.599 the colony was all but obsolete. Hostilities with local people, 363 00:26:06.279 --> 00:26:11.599 notably the neighboring Setuckins, intensified over the next few months. 364 00:26:11.720 --> 00:26:15.480 There were several pitched battles, and the Satakian chief, Winniga, 365 00:26:15.759 --> 00:26:20.039 was killed. Without the support of the local natives, Lane 366 00:26:20.079 --> 00:26:22.119 could not see how his colony could survive, and so 367 00:26:22.640 --> 00:26:25.720 he determined that he would have to abandon Roanoke as 368 00:26:25.759 --> 00:26:29.559 soon as humanly possible, and he got his chance in June. 369 00:26:30.160 --> 00:26:33.200 Sir Francis Drake, which had been asked by Raleigh to 370 00:26:33.599 --> 00:26:35.880 sort of call in and check on his colony. After 371 00:26:35.920 --> 00:26:38.599 cruising around the West Indies a bit arrived off the 372 00:26:38.599 --> 00:26:41.359 Outer Banks and offered to take the men back to England. 373 00:26:42.720 --> 00:26:46.160 Roanoke had proved unsuitable because its shallow waters could not 374 00:26:46.200 --> 00:26:51.079 accommodate ocean going vessels, but the critical discovery of fertile 375 00:26:51.160 --> 00:26:55.359 lands farther north on the Chesapeake, they seemed to hold much, 376 00:26:55.480 --> 00:27:00.519 much greater potential. Now his goal, Ralph Lane Gold this 377 00:27:00.599 --> 00:27:03.680 time is that he would have a new expedition, a 378 00:27:03.720 --> 00:27:07.039 new kind of expedition very different. It would be made 379 00:27:07.119 --> 00:27:10.440 up of civilians instead of soldiers, who would hopefully not 380 00:27:10.640 --> 00:27:14.799 antagonize local peoples as the previous expedition had done, and 381 00:27:14.920 --> 00:27:20.279 could become largely self sufficient. This new expedition departed Plymouth 382 00:27:20.319 --> 00:27:23.359 in early May. There were three ships carrying one hundred 383 00:27:23.359 --> 00:27:27.759 and seventeen colonists, including seventeen women and nine children. They 384 00:27:27.839 --> 00:27:30.839 arrived off the Outer Banks in mid July, where they 385 00:27:30.839 --> 00:27:33.839 intended to acquire about the fate of a small garrison 386 00:27:33.880 --> 00:27:37.079 of fifteen men left on Roanoke Island the previous year. 387 00:27:37.119 --> 00:27:42.599 Shortly after Lane's departure. What followed was a fiasco. The 388 00:27:42.680 --> 00:27:45.599 pilot refused to take the colonists any farther, claiming that 389 00:27:45.640 --> 00:27:49.039 it was already too late in the season for privateering ventures, 390 00:27:49.039 --> 00:27:50.640 and that his men wanted to get back to the 391 00:27:50.640 --> 00:27:55.000 Caribbean as soon as possible. Whether this was really the reason, 392 00:27:55.480 --> 00:27:58.480 we don't know, but at any event, after six weeks 393 00:27:58.519 --> 00:28:01.599 on the island, it had become clear, following attacks on 394 00:28:01.640 --> 00:28:05.319 the settlers, that the Secociins and other neighboring Indians were 395 00:28:05.359 --> 00:28:07.960 as hostile to the new colony as they had been 396 00:28:08.039 --> 00:28:10.440 to the last colony, not that it was ever their 397 00:28:10.480 --> 00:28:13.440 goal in the first place to go back to Roanoke. 398 00:28:14.559 --> 00:28:18.640 The colonists then decided that their leader, one White, should 399 00:28:18.720 --> 00:28:22.000 return to England and alert the backers to the unlikely 400 00:28:22.000 --> 00:28:25.720 turn of events and raise fresh supplies. In the meantime, 401 00:28:26.160 --> 00:28:30.279