The American encyclopedia of history, biography and travel (1857) (14772129104)

Identifier: americanencyclop00blak (find matches)
Title: The American encyclopedia of history, biography and travel
Year: 1857 (1850s)
Authors: (Blake, William O.) (from old catalog)
Subjects: World history Biography
Publisher: Columbus, Published by J. & H. Miller
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation



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broken fortunes in their native land made them eager tobrave the perils of a desperate enterprise. Thus often rescued from thebrink of ruin, the colony struggled on, till its members at last becameinured to their novel situation, and acquired the habits of life which alonecould meet its exigencies. Novel recruits were sent out from time to timeto keep up their numbers. In 1619, ninety young women arrived, of ir-reproachable character, who were sold at the price of their passage, tobecome wives to the planters. Many cargoes of vagrants, thieves, andjail-birds also came, to serve as indented servants for a term of years, andafterwards to become free colonists. Then a more lasting impression wasmade on the future character and fortunes of the settlement by the intro-duction of twenty negro slaves, who were brought by a Dutch tradingvessel, and readily purchased by the settlers. Tobacco had now becomethe staple product of the colony, and slaves were profitably employed in itscultivation.
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DEPARTMENT OP HISTORY. 337 The savages had occasionally given much trouble, and in 1622, theywere nearly successful in a plot -which they had formed for the entire de-struction of the settlements. In one day, they killed three hundred andforty-seven of the whites. A furious war succeeded, in which the Indians,indeed, were defeated and driven back with great slaughter, so that theynever became formidable again. But the colony had received a fearfulblow, from which it recovered with slowness and difficulty. The numberof settlements was reduced from eighty to eight, and a famine ensued thatdestroyed many lives. The first colonial assembly was called by GovernorYeardley in 1619, and two years afterwards, a special ordinance confirmedthe right of holding such a local legislature. The proceedings of the Company in England had now awakened thejealousy of the crown; and these misfortunes gave King James the pretextthat he wanted for depriving them of their charter, and taking the govern-ment