Discovering America Podcast

Lord Baltimore had control of Maryland but, this was short lived. The disputes in Europe lead some to take advantage of the New World’s venerability. It didn’t help matters with the execution of Charles I. Claiborne and this time with the assistance of Richard Ingle put the strong arm upon Maryland. Once Oliver Cromwell became the Lord Protector in England, matters about the validity of Baltimore’s charter was finally laid to rest. Maryland was now its own province.

William Claiborne sailed over from England in 1621, became secretary of the province and was later appointed treasurer of Virginia for life. He created a trading post on Kent Island, a convenient place for trading with the Indians, far up the Chesapeake Bay. In 1634 new settlers landed in this area and created a new province naming it Maryland. This group had a charter authorized by the King, taking away land that was considered part of Virginia and this would include Kent Island. So starts the mud flinging between Claiborne and Lord Baltimore.

King James I was gracious enough to grant Lord Baltimore or George Calvert a stretch of land at the South Eastern promontory in Newfoundland a region that was known as Ferryland. It was great in the beginning but, a little on the cold side for his likely. He asked the new king, Charles, for a territory located in a warmer climate. The suggested area was Carolina but, in steps William Claiborne who already had his eye on this land. Next was the land area North of Jamestown, it was ripe for the settling. Yes, it was part of Virginia, not anymore, it would become Maryland. The worst part, this transferred control of the Indian trade and control of the great waterways connected to the great bay known as the Chesapeake to Lord Baltimore and his difference of religion. The Virginians are not going to be happy with this situation.

It seems tough times for Jamestown and Virginia were behind them, not quite. King James annuls the Virginia Company’s charter and then he passes away. The new King, Charles allows them to continue as they were, basically governing themselves in exchange for control of the tobacco trade, sure fair enough.

Happy thanksgiving, may you enjoy the day with friends and family.

Jamestown and Virginia were having a hard time keeping colonists alive. Jamestown was not located in a prime location. Sanitation and unfit drinking water lead to disease and grave sickness. Yet new colonists continued to pour into the settlements. These new arrivals were not the best sort that England could provide. The streets of England had fewer criminals, Virginia and Jamestown was their new home.

After Captain John Smith’s terrible accident, how did this affect the colony of Jamestown, well quite a bit actually. The man kept the colony fed and maintained somewhat friendly terms with the local Indians. Once he left, contentions grew between the Indians and the colonists. The storehouse was in pretty bad shape. The colonists would go through the starving time. Even with the arrival of several ships, surviving another winter looked bleak. Jamestown was abandoned but, just in the nick of time just over the horizon, came new hope to restart it all, Jamestown.

A quick update and couple requests to my listeners.

The New England settlers were still breaking away and creating new colonies. The behavior of Massachusetts was an ache in the side of King Charles II and New Haven wasn’t much better. To bring them back in line he created a rivalry and so Connecticut was given a charter. Did it work? I think when times were tough they stuck together. Such as when the Quakers started making their way across the ocean. The Quakers stood their ground and Charles II backed them up. Religious tolerance was coming to America. And John Eliot was doing his best to teach the Indians the Puritan religion.

After describing the colonization by the Dutch, I realized there was a lot movement by the English in New England, I wanted to further investigate their progress. What I found were groups breaking off to form their own colonies due to religious differences. These English colonists had established 50 settlements east of the Hudson River. There was so much more. They were writing constitutions or fundamental orders to set precedence of how they were to be governed. The start of a new nation yet, they had no idea that’s what they were doing.

The Dutch could no longer maintain control of their holdings. The English had surpassed them in population numbers and the Duke of York wanted his territory. The unsettled European politics didn’t help matters. Pieter Stuyvesant was not willing to let go but, the civilian population was ready for a new government besides, many of the Dutch colonies had English among them. Good-bye New Netherland, hello New York.

With the treaty of Munster in 1648, it gave the United Netherlands a new start from the control of the Spanish crown. The English and the Dutch had been always been on friendly terms, that was about to change. It didn’t help that the United Netherlands were not a tight confederation and there were contentions between the two parties. Most of the sea faring delivery of goods was made by Dutch vessels and added much to its wealth. The Dutch made a treaty with Denmark directed at hindering English interests. In retaliation, the English passed the Navigation act, this lead to the Anglo Dutch war in 1652. On other side of the world, it put the colonies on edge, and Dutch did what they could to fortify their positions.

I start off by talking about the most successful Patroon; Killian Van Rensselaer yet he never saw his estate in America. The further travels of the director general, Pieter Stuyvesant, he did a great job for the company but, not for the people, and finally, the takeover of the Swedish territory by the Dutch.

The choices for Director Generals over New Netherland were poor. Willem Kieft was only in the leadership position for himself and his relation with the Algonquin Indians was deplorable, created a war lasting two years. Their retaliation was devastating. I included a general history written by Author Frederick Jones covering the seven reasons the 3 nations of England, Holland and Sweden did not have an open conflict, disagreements but, no shots being fired. Now arrives Pieter Stuyvesant a better director I’m not so sure.

The Dutch had a hard time increasing their colony populations, due to a couple of factors. Reputable people were not making the trip most likely because of the patroon system and the leaders of the New Netherland. Once Wouter Van Twiller was released from duty, he was replaced with someone who created more problems especially among the Indians, William Kieft. A new nation would settle in the lands, the Swedes, headed by Peter Minuit, a Dutchman and former director general of New Netherland. So now we have the English, the Dutch and the Swedes, oh my!

The Dutch had to contend with the English claims over American territory. In one form or another, the English laid claim to everything, maybe not so much with the French. It’s unfortunate that the Dutch claims were between those of the French and the English. Add to that the Dutch thought introducing a patroon system was a wise move, and finally a few mishaps with the Indians and placing not so wise Dutch governors in charge. How were the Dutch colonies going to survive?

Many explorers had sailed down and mapped the eastern coast of America, each claiming for their sovereign nation a stretch of land. The English were complaining about the Dutch encroaching on English territory, setting up trading posts, and trading with the Indians. The Dutch organized the West India Company and through their charters, it began its side of expansion on American soil.

New colonies were springing up all over New England. The Massachusetts Bay Company needed to keep an eye open to maintain its own legitimacy and legal patients. There was always someone bending the ear of the king. If one Puritan community didn’t agree with your beliefs, one could move to a different one, this included preachers.

Gorges was trying to gain COMPLETE control of New England. His latest scheme was to relinquish the present patents desiring King Charles I to reissue a series of new charters, eight to be exact. Each to be given to eight of his patentees, hoping these would be not considered an illegal arrangement by parliament. Well, the Massachusetts colonists did not take kindly to this underhanded approach to take over their hard work and freedoms. Gorges lost his right hand man, John Mason and along with the troubles in England, he never quite secured the patents covering New England and his province called Maine.

For a time we find Gorges defying the orders of Admiral Thomas Pennington to allow French sailors to board English ships and sail off to fight for the French in a war the English captains wanted no part of. He was able to keep his head but, with a civil conflict between Royalty and the Parliament breaking out in England, his enemies made their thoughts known against him. Finally with this encounter behind him, he proceeded to lay the ground work for his realm.