Matters became worse, and the colony was being abandoned when a new governor arrived just in time to save it from ruin.

Shortly afterwards Governor Dale took charge of the colony.

He changed the plan of living. Each settler was given a piece of land on which he could work for himself. Later the settlers were allowed to buy land.

This encouraged thrift, and the colonies at once began to prosper. Other colonists came, until in 1619 there were over four thousand people in Virginia.

Tobacco was grown on a large scale, and laborers were needed to work in the tobacco fields.

About this time a Dutch vessel brought twenty negroes up the James River to the colonists. They were sold to the planters as slaves.

They did the work on the tobacco plantations well, and others were soon brought.

This was the beginning of the slave trade which, in after years, caused our great Civil War.

It was in the same year, 1619, that the colonists were allowed to share in the government.

The colonies were divided into "boroughs." Each borough was invited to send two delegates, or "burgesses," to a law-making assembly in Jamestown.

This assembly consisted of the governor and his council, elected by the company, and the burgesses elected by the people. It was called the Houses of Burgesses.

This was the first people's legislature in America.

It was also the beginning of every state legislature of the present day.

Questions and Topics for Discussion

For what purpose were most of the early explorations made?
Were any attempts to settle made for some time?

Where did the Spaniards remain? Why?

Where did the French remain? Why?

What land was unexplored and unsettled?

Who was the first to try to colonize this region?

From whom did he receive a grant of land? Where did it extend? Tell about Raleigh's attempts to settle. Why were they important? By whom were the next attempts to colonize made?

What did they receive from the King of England?

What did the charters grant them? What was this land called?

Where did the London Company settle?

What river did they name? What colony did they found?

Name the first permanent English colony in America.

What experience did the colony have?

Whose courage saved the colony?

What great fault did the colony have?

How was this fault corrected? What was the result?

How many colonists were there in Virginia in 1619?
What product was grown in Virginia?

Tell the story of the beginning of slavery.

How were the colonists allowed to share in the government?
Of what was this the beginning?

LESSON VIII

THE NEW ENGLAND COLONIES

More than 300 years ago there were in England many people who were not allowed to worship God as they wished. They were persecuted by the king, and some of them fled to Holland.

Here they were free to worship in their own way, but they feared that their children would forget the English language and the English customs. So they decided to come to America.

On account of their wanderings they were called Pilgrims. The Pilgrims crossed the ocean in the Mayflower.

Before landing, they drew up the Mayflower Compact, by which they agreed to make their own laws and obey them. They expected to land in Virginia, but the rough winter storms drove them far northward to Cape Cod.

On December 21, 1620, they landed at what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts. This was the second English settlement in America.

The rock where they stepped ashore may be seen at Plymouth to-day.

The Pilgrims suffered great hardships during the long, cold winter that followed.

Land had to be cleared.

Houses had to be built.

Weakened by their long ocean voyage and the rough New England winter, half of their number died.

When spring came the Mayflower went back to England, yet not one of the remaining Pilgrims went with her. They had come to make their homes in the new land, and they stayed.

They were willing to brave the hardships of the wilderness, if they might worship God in their own way.

They set about tilling the soil.

They were friendly to the Indians, who taught them how to plant corn, how to hunt, and where to fish. When autumn came they had a good harvest.

They were very happy. They decided to set apart a few days for rest and Thanksgiving. A great feast was prepared, and the Indians were invited to join in it.

The Pilgrims thanked God for his goodness to them. This was the first Thanksgiving Day.

Thanksgiving Day is now celebrated each year in the United States. It is by custom the last Thursday in November.

Another group of Englishmen, who did not like the services of the Church of England, were the Puritans.

The Puritans also decided to come to America.

In 1630 about two thousand Puritans landed on the Massachusetts shore. They founded what is now the city of Boston.

This was the third English settlement.

Many of the Puritans were educated, and they wished

NEW ENGLAND OF THE PILGRIMS AND PURITANS

their children to be educated. So one of the first things they did was to provide for schools and colleges.

Within the next ten years, thousands of immigrants came to the shores of New England.

Finally there were colonies also in New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.

The colonists worked hard, and their colonies grew and they prospered. So it is with any people who possess certain qualities. These are perseverance, ambition, and willingness to work and save.

Whether such people live in a kingdom, a republic, or a wilderness, they will always succeed. Their numbers will grow and prosper.