In 1607, the first permanent English settlement was founded in North America, on the banks of the James River in what is now Virginia. Over the next several centuries, waves of immigrants would come to this area, establishing towns and communities as they went.
Many of these settlers were fleeing from persecution or seeking opportunity. As a result, a wide variety of people made their homes in Virginia over time, both white and non-white. This led to a richly diverse population with many different cultures, which was one of the factors that ensured its survival and prosperity over time.
By 1676, the population of Virginia was nearly 8,000 people, including free blacks and slaves. While slavery was an integral part of colonial life, most historians agree that the situation in Virginia was less oppressive than in other colonies like South Carolina and Georgia where agriculture depended more heavily on slave labor.
Slavery
Virginia was the first area in the United States where slavery was established and thrived. Slavery began in 1619 when a Dutch ship brought twenty enslaved Africans to Jamestown, Virginia, which is now a historic site.
The first recorded slave owner in Virginia was John yeardley, who later became the first governor of Virginia. He owned two slaves, so it seems as though slavery was well-accepted and normal at this time.
Slavery ended in 1865 with the passing of the Thirteenth Amendment. This amendment stated that slavery and involuntary servitude shall not exist except as a punishment for a crime. Unfortunately, since then there have been many forms of modern slavery that have been recognized and fought against.
There are currently around twelve million people enslaved worldwide with nearly three million of those being children.
Sugar cane
In 1619, the first 20 Africans arrived in Jamestown, Virginia, to start what would become the first permanent English colony in North America. Over the next few centuries, thousands of African men, women, and children were brought to Virginia to work as slaves.
However, by the mid-1800s slavery was abolished in the US and many former slaves migrated north to cities such as New York and Philadelphia. This migration is known as the “Great Migration” and it changed the demographic makeup of Northern cities which had little diversity before this movement.
What many don’t know is that despite being forced to work in fields for little pay, slavery played an integral role in ensuring Virginia’s economic prosperity from the early 1600s until 1865 when slavery was abolished. The sugar cane that was grown in fields across southeast Virginia was one of the colony’s biggest exports at the time making it one of the most wealthy colonies in North America at that time.
Commerce
The tobacco industry was what kept Virginia prosperous for a few decades, but ultimately led to its demise. As mentioned before, tobacco is a cash crop, which means it is marketed for money rather than personal use.
Tobacco is also very susceptible to weather conditions, especially humidity. When tobacco is grown and harvested correctly, it can be a very lucrative crop.
However, when it is not grown or harvested properly, the whole crop can be wasted. This puts the growers at risk of losing money because they are only paid for crops that are sold.
Because of this risk, the production of tobacco declined and so did the economy. The solution? Switch to commerce! By producing more goods and selling them to other places like England, they could get something in return.
Shipping
The answer lies in one of the colony’s most lucrative industries: shipping. At the time, Britain had what was called the Navigation Acts, laws that restricted trade within its empire.
Only British ships could carry goods such as tobacco and sugar from one British colony to another. Or, only ships built and registered in Britain could do so.
This prevented competition and ensured Britain a profit from its colonies by controlling the flow of goods. It also ensured that only British ships were able to transport goods such as tobacco and sugar to mainland Europe where they were sold at a higher price.
Virginia’s “gold” was actually fathoms of timber suitable for shipbuilding. Many colonial craftsmen received training in shipbuilding, which helped ensure a steady supply of quality vessels for Virginia’s navy.
Land development
Another way the colony was kept alive was by the development of land. As more people came to the colony, they needed places to live and work.
The Virginia Company gave large grants of land to wealthy backers of the colony. These wealthy individuals then sold, rented, or traded the land to settlers. This ensured that there was an ample supply of farmland for crops.
As time went on, settlers began to acquire their own land, partly due to the rise in population and partly due to colonists developing trade routes with other countries. This led to an increase in wealth for the colony and growth in population density.
The development of land also led to a shift in economic focus. While agriculture remained important, things such as iron production and shipbuilding became part of the economy as well.
Investment in land
Virginia, during the colonial period and even after the United States was formed, was known for its investment in land.
Many of the wealthiest Virginians owned large tracts of land, where they cultivated tobacco. Others invested in land, either buying it or selling it.
The money from these transactions was put into other businesses and industries, helping to spur economic growth. Moreover, the sale of land helped lower the cost of living in Virginia. This attracted more people to settle there, thus further expanding its economy.
The rich also gave away a lot of their wealth during this time, as documented in various records from this period. Many gave away their wealth to family members or to churches and charities that were helping people at the time.
Early colonial leaders
The early colonial leaders of Virginia, specifically the families and figures that held power, were what ensured the success of the colony in the early years.
These influential people not only funded the expeditions that brought people to the colony, but they also ensured its survival. The wealthy landowners provided land and labor to incoming settlers, while governors implemented laws and enforced them.
Not only did they provide the essential elements of society, such as governance and security, but they also created a market for goods and services. This is evident in how early governors required colonists to plant a certain amount of crops per acre to sell to merchants for a profit.
The most important element these early leaders contributed was establishing a culture of honour and respectability. This ensured that people who came to settle in Virginia would want to contribute to making it a successful colony.
The Virginia Company of London
The Virginia Company of London was a group of wealthy merchants and aristocrats who financed the establishment of the English colony of Virginia.
They established a colony on the island of Bermuda in 1612, and this settlement served as a model for the founding of Jamestown in North America in 1607.
The company was chartered for one year, and after that time, it would no longer have legal authority to operate. This fact ensured that not only did it have to establish a successful colony quickly, but that it also had to do so in such a way that its success would be lasting.
The company’s charter specified that its purpose was to: (1) plant the land of Virginia; (2) normal the life thereof; (3) enlarge the said land; (4) build towns and places thereof; and (5) subdue [the native peoples] to our subjection.
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