Early English Colonization and Political Context

35 question-and-answer flashcards covering early English colonization, key figures, religious conflicts, Jamestown, Roanoke, and foundational political documents such as the Magna Carta.

What 1588 event gave England naval dominance and encouraged overseas colonization?

The defeat of the Spanish Armada.

Which queen commissioned Sir Walter Raleigh to establish an English colony in North America?

Queen Elizabeth I.

On which island did Sir Walter Raleigh’s expedition settle in 1587?

Roanoke Island in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

What name did Raleigh give the new colony in honor of Queen Elizabeth I?

Virginia, after the "Virgin Queen."

Who served as the first governor of the Roanoke colony?

John White.

What was discovered when John White returned to Roanoke in 1590?

The colony was abandoned with only the word "Croatoan" carved on a post.

Who was Virginia Dare?

The first English child born in America and granddaughter of John White.

Give two leading theories explaining the disappearance of the Roanoke colonists.

Drought/starvation or a Spanish/native attack (or assimilation with Croatoans).

In what year did Queen Elizabeth I die?

1603.

What were England’s two primary economic goals for its American colonies?

Supplying raw materials and serving as a market for English manufactured goods.

Name three groups England often sent to people the colonies besides investors.

Religious dissenters, prisoners/convicts, and orphans/social rebels.

Which king granted the Virginia Company its charter, and in what year?

King James I in 1606.

What was the first permanent English settlement in North America?

Jamestown, Virginia.

Why was Jamestown named "Jamestown"?

To honor King James I.

List three major hardships the early Jamestown settlers faced.

Disease, drought/starvation, and violent conflict with Native peoples.

What large Native confederacy surrounded Jamestown and about how many people did it include?

The Powhatan Confederacy, roughly 14,000 people.

What happened to the 17 English settlers caught stealing corn from the Powhatan?

They were executed by order of Chief Powhatan.

Which military leader imposed strict discipline that helped Jamestown survive?

Captain John Smith.

Who became king of both England and Scotland after Elizabeth, forming Great Britain?

James VI of Scotland, who became James I of England.

Which religious group sought to purify the Church of England of remaining Catholic elements?

The Puritans.

Name two worship practices the Puritans wanted to eliminate.

Use of holy water and incense (also candles or the organ).

What nickname did Anglicans give to Puritans who broke away completely from the Church of England?

Separatists.

What is another common name for these Separatists who migrated to America?

Pilgrims.

Which monarch succeeded James I and strongly opposed the Puritans?

Charles I.

What major political mistake did Charles I make that heightened conflict with his subjects?

He dissolved Parliament to try to restore absolute monarchical power and arrested some members.

In what year was the Magna Carta signed?

1215.

What core principle did the Magna Carta establish regarding the law?

That the king and all people are subject to the rule of law.

Which two chambers make up the English Parliament?

The House of Lords and the House of Commons.

What critical financial power did Parliament hold that limited the monarch?

The authority to impose and collect taxes.

Why did control of taxation give Parliament leverage over the king?

Because the monarch needed parliamentary approval for revenue.

What long-term effect did the Magna Carta have on English governance?

It limited royal power and laid groundwork for parliamentary government.

Why did many Puritans depart England during the reigns of James I and Charles I?

Religious persecution and conflict with the crown and Anglican Church.

Which early English colony became a cautionary tale of failure before Jamestown endured?

The "Lost Colony" of Roanoke.

Name three raw materials England hoped to obtain from its colonies.

Timber, tobacco, and fur pelts.

How did the defeat of the Spanish Armada influence English colonization efforts?

It removed Spain’s naval threat, giving England confidence to establish overseas colonies.

What was the specific reason Raleigh named the Roanoke colony "Virginia"?

To honor Queen Elizabeth I, also known as the "Virgin Queen."

What types of challenges besides conflict and disease were significant hardships for early Jamestown settlers?

Drought and starvation.

Which branch of English government possessed the power to impose and collect taxes, thereby limiting the monarch?

Parliament.

Beyond conflict with the crown, what was a primary reason for Puritans leaving England under James I and Charles I?

Religious persecution.

What tribe or island did the word "Croatoan" likely refer to for the lost Roanoke colonists?

The nearby Croatoan Native American tribe or Croatoan Island.

What was the broader nature of the relationship between the early Jamestown settlers and the Powhatan Confederacy?

It was often characterized by violent conflict and tensions over resources.

What was Charles I's primary goal in dissolving Parliament, which led to heightened conflict?

To try to restore absolute monarchical power.

Why did England send groups such as religious dissenters, prisoners, and orphans to its American colonies?

To people the colonies and establish a workforce, often including those considered undesirable or marginalized in England.