Virginia Company

The Virginia Company is a company with lucrative goal founded in 1606 by the king of England Jacques Ier to colonize the coast of the North America.

History

Preceding colonization

In 1584 Walter Raleigh establishes the first colony on the ground of North America. This colony, called Virginia , is established in the Outer Banks, on the current territory of the North Carolina. Unfortunately, this one survives only a few years and will thereafter be called the Lost Colony ( the lost colony ).

This expensive attempt will cause to slow down the wills of England for the establishment of new colonies. They are only twenty years later that the decision will be made to start again the colonization of the New world.

The royal charter

Virginia Company is created on charter royal by meeting of two companies distinct, Virginia Company off London (or London Company ) and Virginia Company off Plymouth (or Plymouth Company ) which has identical goals, but occupy of the distinct territories (see the chart).

According to the terms of the charter, the London Company is authorized to establish colonies between the 34e and the parallel 41e . On its side, the Plymouth Company lays out of the same authorizations, but between the 38e and the parallel 45e. In the shared zone, the two companies can be established, but not with less than one hundred mile S one of the other.

Always according to the charter, the two companies are authorized to create local authorities, but the legislative power remains between the hands of the king.

The geographer Richard Hakluyt is named director of the company in 1589.

Establishment of the first colonies

In 1607, the London Company created the first colony named Jamestown (in the honor of the king) on banks of the James To rivet, in the Actual position of Virginia. On its side, the Plymouth Company creates the colony of Popham on banks of the Kennebec River, in the Actual position of the Maine.

Starting from 1609, the Plymouth Company cease its activities and a new charter is given to its rival to take possession of her territories.

The first colonists do not have the easy life. In addition to having to settle and survive in a completely new world, they undergo strong pressures on behalf of the company which seeks to make profits. After seekhaving vainly sought Or and invaluable stones in the surroundings, they must launch out in various industries and cultures, in particular the Tabac, the Goudron and the Bière. However, they cannot spend time sufficiently, with the taste of the company, these tasks with commercial goal.

Decline of the company

The years 1609 and 1610 are very hard for the colonists whose majority will die. This disastrous news will push the company with the financial rout, most of the people having subscribed of the shares refusing to pay those and launching legal proceedings against the company. Moreover, this one will still have to increase its deficit by the programmed sending of hundreds of new colonists. In same time, the hoped profits of the sale of the products cultivated on the other side of the Atlantic do not answer the financial hopes.

To try to counter this bad publicity, the Virginia Company will make placard hundreds of posters in the English streets of city, publish flattering articles in the newspapers, publish Pamphlet S (more than 27 works in all) and even require of the Prêtre S to include, in their sermons, some sentences on the merits of colonization.

All in all, the company will change its strategy of Marketing. Instead of promising with its investors immediate financial returns, it will base its speech on the patriotic and national feelings. Thus, an investor sees himself convincing that the purchase of new actions will make it possible to ensure the role of super power of England.

Last attempts

To avoid sinking, the company will have, starting from 1616, refunding the investors either in financial form, but in their granting vast grounds in the new world. The following year, a new system makes it possible to buy grounds by paying the transport of the colonists who spend some time like servants on the grounds of the owner.

At that time, two different visions clash in the Virginia Company . On a side, visionaries such as Edwin Sandys who preach a development of the colonies and a widening of the national territories allowing to absorb the surplus of population. Other, the financial ones represented by Thomas Smith, see only one means there of carrying out profits.

In 1621, the economic situation is catastrophic, the deficit of the company rising with more 9 000 books. It turns to the disaster the following year, when the Indians Powhatan S attack the colonies, killing more than one quarter of the colonists. Finally, the king modifies the charter which makes of Virginia a royal colony, directed by a governor. The Virginia Company is then dissolved. It did not bring back only one hundred benefit to its shareholders and, by the lack of follow-up in its instructions, because of many problems to the colonists.

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