Royal Virginia 3: The thrusting out of Governor Harvey

Listen on: iTunes Subscribe on Android Stitcher and more   A 17th Century American Revolution John Harvey’s governorship had some real highs.  The population doubled in his term, war with the Powhatan was ended, food shortages disappeared, and tobacco problems started to be fixed. But, he was in a difficult political situation, and was not a skilled politician.  Read more about Royal Virginia 3: The thrusting out of Governor Harvey[…]

Royal Virginia 2: Factions, again …

Listen on: iTunes Subscribe on Android Stitcher and more   Governor Harvey arrives John Harvey was one of the most important 17th Century Virginia governors, but he was a volatile ship’s captain trying to navigate the tricky politics of colonial Virginia.  And Virginia had unique politics even for an English colony.  The king, the merchants, the former Virginia Read more about Royal Virginia 2: Factions, again …[…]

Virginia under Charles I, ep. 1: Transition

Listen on: iTunes Subscribe on Android Stitcher and more   From company-owned to royal control The years 1625-1630 saw Virginia stabilize and grow, under governors like Francis Wyatt, George Yeardley, Francis West and John Pott.  The King’s quo warranto proceedings to take over the Virginia Company were popular in the colony, but some new and recurring issues did Read more about Virginia under Charles I, ep. 1: Transition[…]

Jamestown 10: The Virginia Company – King vs. Parliament

    [mc4wp_form id=”123″] Listen on: iTunes Subscribe on Android Stitcher and more   Another collapse … This is it, the final (final) episode on Jamestown.  It’s here that everything comes together, and the seeds of future adventures are planted. When the Sea Venture sank off the coast of Bermuda, the Virginia Company once again began to collapse.  Read more about Jamestown 10: The Virginia Company – King vs. Parliament[…]

Jamestown 9: The politics of Virginia in England

  [mc4wp_form id=”123″] Listen on: iTunes Subscribe on Android Stitcher and more The History of the Virginia Company of London In this two-part episode, we discuss the politics of colonization in England.  England hadn’t successfully set up any New World colonies when Gosnold and Archer started to push for a new attempt, and the colony immediately became the Read more about Jamestown 9: The politics of Virginia in England[…]

Jamestown 8: Bloodletting

  [mc4wp_form id=”123″] Listen on: iTunes Subscribe on Android Stitcher and more The massacre of 1622 On March 22, 1622, Powhatan warriors ambushed and killed 347 people – a quarter of Virginia’s colonists.  In just a few hours, the colony was transformed from boomtown into rubble.  Worse, it was about to collapse into a second starving time. Over Read more about Jamestown 8: Bloodletting[…]

Jamestown 7: The kidnapping of Pocahontas

  [mc4wp_form id=”123″] Listen on: iTunes Subscribe on Android Stitcher and more The defeat of the Powhatan After five years of attrition warfare, Samuel Argall kidnapped Pocahontas.  Wahunsenaca couldn’t get her back, and the fact that he couldn’t get her back signaled to his entire empire that he couldn’t defeat the English.  He played his hand as well Read more about Jamestown 7: The kidnapping of Pocahontas[…]

Jamestown 6: A new era

[mc4wp_form id=”123″] Listen on: iTunes Subscribe on Android Stitcher and more Replacing anarchy with tyranny As the Jamestown settlers prepared to abandon North America, they met up with Lord Delaware’s fleet.  It was the first ship the Virginia Company had been able to fund since the disastrous Third Supply, and it was largely thanks to Delaware’s influence that Read more about Jamestown 6: A new era[…]

Jamestown 5: The Tempest

[mc4wp_form id=”123″] Listen on: iTunes Subscribe on Android Stitcher and more The Sea Venture castaways had spent nearly a year trying to get to Jamestown, but when they reached Virginia, starvation had overtaken the settlement.  Settlers in Jamestown had resorted to cannibalism to survive, and over two thirds were dead.  After reuniting, though, they had to make a Read more about Jamestown 5: The Tempest[…]

He that will not work, shall not eate.

Jamestown 4: Gunpowder

[mc4wp_form id=”123″] Listen on: iTunes Subscribe on Android Stitcher and more The attempted assassination of John Smith John Smith was trying to hold Jamestown together as hostile Powhatan refused to trade, food shortages threatened the colony, and the colonists themselves fell into disarray.  It was then that made his most famous proclamation, “He that will not work, shall Read more about Jamestown 4: Gunpowder[…]