The Beginner's American HistoryMontgomery, D. H. (David Henry)
History
The Beginner's American History
Montgomery, D. H. (David Henry)
United States -- History
47. What Captain Smith did for Virginia.--Captain John Smith was in
Virginia less than three years, yet in that short time he did a great
deal. First, he saved the settlers from starving, by making the
Indians sell them corn. Next, by his courage, he saved them from the
attacks of the savages. Lastly, he taught them how to work. Had it
not been for him the people of Jamestown would probably have lost
all heart and gone back to England. He insisted on their staying,
and so, through him, the English got their first real foothold in
America. But this was not all; he wrote two books on Virginia,
describing the soil, the trees, the animals, and the Indians. He also
made some excellent maps of Virginia and of New England. These books
and maps taught the English people many things about this country,
and helped those who wished to emigrate. For these reasons Captain
Smith has rightfully been called the "Father of Virginia."
[Illustration: A SETTLER'S LOG CABIN.]
48. Negro slaves sent to Virginia; tobacco.--About ten years after
Captain Smith left Jamestown, the commander of a Dutch ship brought
a number of negro slaves to Virginia (1619), and sold them to the
settlers. That was the beginning of slavery in this country. Later,
when other English settlements had been made, they bought slaves,
and so, after a time, every settlement north as well as south owned
more or less negroes. The people of Virginia employed most of their
slaves in raising tobacco. They sold this in England, and, as it
generally brought a good price, many of the planters[9] became quite
rich.
[Footnote 9: Planter: a person who owns a plantation or large farm
at the South; it is cultivated by laborers living on it; once these
laborers were generally negro slaves.]
49. Bacon's war against Governor Berkeley;[10] Jamestown
burned.--Long after Captain Smith was in his grave, Sir William
Berkeley was made governor of Virginia by the king of England. He
treated the people very badly. At last a young planter named Bacon
raised a small army and marched against the governor, who was in
Jamestown. The governor, finding that he had few friends to fight
for him, made haste to get out of the place. Bacon then entered it
with his men; but as he knew that, if necessary, the king would send
soldiers from England to aid the governor in getting it back, he set
fire to the place and burned it. It was never built up again, and
so only a crumbling church-tower and a few gravestones can now be
seen where Jamestown once stood. Those ruins mark the first English
town settled in America.
[Illustration: THE BURNING OF JAMESTOWN.]
[Footnote 10: Berkeley (Berk'li).]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account