The House of Burgesses

The House of Burgesses

Many people came to America in search of religious freedom, and to escape persecution in their old land. The colonists wanted a chance to worship freely and have a choice in want religion to practice. To establish a church like the Church of England is not what they wished to do. The Pilgrims that arrived on the Mayflower in 1620 were being exiled from the Church of England. Plymouth Colony, now known as Massachusetts was by Puritans upon the Mayflower who wished to purify the Church of England. Another group upon the Mayflower was known as the Separatists, who composed the Mayflower Compact which was the first American Constitution that would guide them in establishing a new community.
Virginia, earlier known as Jamestown was founded by the London Company granted by King James I. Founded with the desire to gain wealth from cash crops and tobacco. It was until 1612 until things got better for Jamestown due to the previous Indian attacks, famine, and deaths. John Rolfe introduced tobacco agriculture to the colony and the economic system grew. It also forms the first legislative body in America, The House of Burgesses.
Pennsylvania was founded for the sole purpose of religion, but unlike the other colonies it proclaimed that al religious beliefs would be tolerated to build population. Many colonies were founded upon diverse religions, because their primary reason was to make profits and populate the country. These economically motivated colonies were New Jersey, New York, Carolinas, and Pennsylvania after it changed it religious toleration.
Anthony Johnson arrived in Virginia in 1621 and worked on a tobacco plantation. He was considered to be a lucky man when he was one of the four men that survived the attack of the colony by the Powhatan Indians. All the workers on the plantation were men; eventually a woman named Mary arrived. Anthony and Mary eventually got married and had children. They acquired much land, where they raised livestock, after they purchased...

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