Q. Who at this time reigned in England? A. Elizabeth. Q. Who were the leading adventurers in forming settlements in America at this time? A. Sir Humphrey Gilbert, and Sir Walter Raleigh. Q. Did they succeed in founding any permanent settlements? A. No. Q. What part of the country did Sir Humphrey Gilbert visit in 1583? A. The island of Newfoundland, where he landed, and took possession in the name of his sovereign. Q. What happened to him on his return to England? A. He was shipwrecked, and perished. Q. Did this disaster discourage Sir Walter Raleigh? A. No: the following year, 1584, Raleigh fitted out two small vessels, under the command of Amidas and Barlow. Q. Where did this party land? A. They first landed on an island at the entrance of Pamlico sound, then proceeded to the isle of Roanoke, where they began a settlement. Q. Where is the island of Roanoke? Pamlico sound? (See map of the United States.) Q. Did this party continue long in the country? A. No: being distressed by famine and the hostility of the natives, they soon returned to England. Q. Did Raleigh make any further attempts to establish a colony? A. Yes: the next year, 1585, he fitted out seven small vessels, with one hundred and fifty men. Q. Where did this colony land? A. On the island of Roanoke, where they were soon reduced to great distress, and they all returned to England with Sir Francis Drake, on his return from the West Indies. Q. Did this end the exertions of Raleigh to plant a colony in America? A. It did. Q. What was the result of these successive misfortunes? A. It withdrew, for several years, the attention of the English from these distant regions. Q. When and by whom was Cape Cod discovered? A. In 1602, by Bartholomew Gosnold, who gave it the name on account of the great quantity of cod-fish which he took near it. Q. Where is Cape Cod? Which way from Boston? Q. What effect had the report of Gosnold in England? A. It revived the spirit of adventure. Q. What discoveries were made in 1603 and 1605? A. Penobscot and Massachusetts bays, and the rivers between them. Q. Where is Penobscot bay? between them? Massachusetts? What rivers are Q. What association was formed through the influence of Richard Hakluyt? A. An association of gentlemen in different parts of England, for the purpose of sending colonies to America. Q. How was the country lying between 34 and 45 degrees of north latitude divided? A. Into north and south Virginia. Q. To what two companies was this granted, by King James, in 1606? A. The London and Plymouth Companies. Q. Why was the country called Virginia? A. It was called Virginia by Queen Elizabeth, as a memorial that it had been discovered during the reign of a virgin queen. SETTLEMENT AT JAMESTOWN. Q. When and where was the first permanent English settlement? A. In 1607, at Jamestown, under the direction of the London Company. Q. How is Jamestown situated? Q. Where had the Spaniards and French made settlements? A. The French had made settlements in Canada, and the Spaniards in Mexico. Q. When and by whom was Quebec founded? A. In 1608, by the French. Q. In whose possession is Quebec now? How situated? Q. What was the character of the first settlers in Virginia? A. They were dissipated and profligate, and destitute of that industry and economy which their situation required. Q. In what were they involved? B A. In war with the natives. Q. What occasioned their sufferings? A. Famine and disease. Q. How many died in the first six months? A. Half of their number. Q. What celebrated commander is mentioned ? Q. By whom was he taken prisoner? Q. To whom did they carry him? A. To Powhattan, the principal chieftain of Virginia. Q. How was Smith treated by him? A. He sentenced him to die. Q. Was the sentence executed? A. No: at the moment of executing the sentence, Pocahontas, the favorite daughter of Powhattan, rushed between the prisoner and uplifted club, and, by her tears and entreaties, prevailed on her father to recall the sentence. Note. This amiable child performed many other services for the English. When Powhattan and his chiefs had secretly formed a plan to cut off the English by a general massacre, one cold, rainy night, when the Indians were confined to their tents, by storm, Pocahontas ventured alone through the wood, and gave timely notice to Captain Smith. By this seasonable information, the English were prepared, and the colony saved. Q. Did Smith continue to reside in the colony? Q. What caused his departure? A. He was so dreadfully mangled by an explosion of gunpowder, that he was under the necessity of returning to England, for medical aid. Q. What effect had the absence of Smith on the affairs of the colony? A. His absence was the occasion of great loss and confusion to the English. Q. How was Pocahontas induced to visit Jamestown? A. She was decoyed thither by an old Indian woman, whom the English had bribed by the reward of a copper kettle. Q. How was she treated? A. She was persuaded on board a ship, where she was kept a prisoner. Q. What effect had her imprisonment on Powhattan? A. Powhattan, who dearly loved her, concluded a treaty with the English, on their own terms. Q. To whom was she married? A. Mr. Rolfe. Q. Where was she taken? A. To England. Q. How was she received in England? A. She was treated with kindness in England, and presented at court. Q. In what was she instructed? A. She was instructed in the Christian religion. Q. Where did she die? A. At Gravesend. Q. Where is Gravesend?-(See map of Europe.)/ Q. What family did she leave? A. One son, from whom are descended some of the principal families in Virginia. Q. When was the cultivation of tobacco introduced? A. In 1616. Q. How was slavery introduced? A. A Dutch ship, from the coast of Guinea, with a cargo of slaves, sailed up the James river, and disposed of a part of her cargo to the planters. Q. What brought the colony to the brink of ruin? A. The Indians attacked them when they were unprepared, and in one hour destroyed one fourth of them. Q. What ensued? A. A long and bloody war ensued, in which the Indians were slaughtered, without regard to age or sex. |