Early English Colonization and Religious Settlements in North America

A set of flashcards covering the defeat of the Spanish Armada, early English colonial ventures (Roanoke, Jamestown, tobacco, House of Burgesses), religious migrations (Pilgrims, Puritans), foundational documents (Mayflower Compact), leaders (John Smith, Pocahontas, John Winthrop, Roger Williams), and exploratory claims (John Cabot, Francis Drake).

What event in 1588 crippled Spain’s naval dominance and opened the door for English colonization?

The defeat of the Spanish Armada by English ships and severe storms.

Which early English settlement, founded in 1585, mysteriously disappeared, leaving no trace of its settlers?

Roanoke Island, off present-day North Carolina.

What was the purpose of the London (Virginia) Company formed in 1606?

To raise capital through joint-stock shares and sponsor English colonization in North America.

Which three ships carried the first permanent English colonists to Virginia in 1607?

Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery.

What was the name of England’s first permanent settlement in North America, founded in 1607?

Jamestown, Virginia.

During which brutal winter did Jamestown colonists resort to eating roots, acorns, berries, and even horses?

The ‘starving time’ of 1609–1610.

Who took control of Jamestown during the starving time and later was saved from execution by Pocahontas?

Captain John Smith.

Which Powhatan leader reportedly intervened to spare John Smith’s life?

Pocahontas, the favorite daughter of Chief Powhatan.

Whom did Pocahontas marry in 1614, creating a temporary peace between Powhatans and settlers?

John Rolfe.

What cash crop, labeled a ‘filthy habit’ by King James, ensured Jamestown’s economic survival?

Tobacco.

Who was sent by the London Company to impose strict discipline on Virginia, helping stabilize the colony?

Sir Thomas Dale.

What representative body met in Virginia in 1619, marking the beginning of self-government in English America?

The House of Burgesses (two landowning representatives per settlement).

Why did many English settlers, known as Puritans, wish to leave England in the early 17th century?

To escape religious practices in the Anglican Church and pursue a purified faith.

Which group of radical English Separatists first fled to Holland, then sailed to America aboard the Mayflower?

The Pilgrims.

Where did the Mayflower actually land on 21 November 1620, instead of its intended Virginia destination?

Plymouth, on Cape Cod.

What governing agreement did 41 male passengers sign before disembarking at Plymouth?

The Mayflower Compact, establishing a civil body politic and self-made laws.

Which Native Americans aided the Plymouth settlers by teaching them to farm, fish, and hunt?

Squanto (a Pemaquid) and Samoset, among others.

Which English king granted a charter in 1629 to the Massachusetts Bay Company?

King Charles I.

Who led the 1630 ‘Great Migration’ of more than 1,000 Puritans to New England?

John Winthrop.

What famous phrase did John Winthrop use to describe the Puritans’ mission in New England?

“We shall be as a City upon a Hill; the eyes of all people are upon us.”

Which town became the focal point of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630?

Boston.

What legislative structure did Massachusetts Bay adopt a decade after settlement, creating two houses?

A bicameral General Court (deputies and assistants).

Which Puritan minister was banished from Massachusetts for advocating religious tolerance and respect for Native cultures?

Roger Williams.

What colony and town did Roger Williams found in 1636 based on religious freedom and separation of church and state?

Providence in Rhode Island (charter granted 1644).

Which English explorer’s 1497 voyages along Newfoundland and the North American coast gave England an early claim to North America?

John Cabot.

Under which monarch did English sea captains like Francis Drake attack Spanish treasure fleets, heightening interest in colonization?

Queen Elizabeth I.

What 16th-century conflict between Protestant England and Catholic Spain climaxed with naval confrontation?

The attempted invasion of England by Philip II’s Spanish Armada in 1588.