3 10 21 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/f4cc9b5724a626ba172b1bda7d391f50.jpg 5352ea3496a8ac62b80802769d5b14e1 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/a6f5db850249c72790d425246a6ddb8b.pdf 384b63cc2ddf24b497f08140deee2869 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/8c94f93ab4c695d4ea85b4c95a954f0a.pdf ea02145d6e97e5ea95aa40d3bb89d97b Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Colonization and Settlement Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1607-1763 Description An account of the resource The colonial era in American history is essential in setting the framework for all the eras to follow. Nearly two centuries of colonization on the continent and in the Caribbean provide three distinct groups to study: Europeans, indigenous peoples, and Africans brought to the colonies as enslaved persons. The varying reasons for departure from Europe set the stage for how different colonies came into being and interacted with each other. Violent conflicts, importation of disease, and dispossession of native lands were all results of Europeans’ interactions with the indigenous populations. The importation of enslaved people also led to an economic structure in some colonies that became, in their minds, reliant on the continued existence of slave labor. Government structure and political life had distinct characteristics in New England, the Mid-Atlantic, and the South as they groped their way toward mature political institutions. Economics were affected by geographic location and the local natural resources, adding to regional differences, and sometimes, divisions. Religion and politics were often influenced by the European nation who colonized the area – French, Spanish, Dutch, or English. Religion was a defining characteristic of some colonies, as opposed to the economic reasons for which others were established. Ideas of religious freedom, denominationalism, and the Great Awakening all impacted daily life. Learn more in the <a title="This external link will open in a new window." href="http://www.nchs.ucla.edu/history-standards/us-history-content-standards/united-states-era-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National U.S. History Content Standards</a>. Lesson Plan A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction. Context Indigenous Virginians and the English colonists conceived landownership in different ways. Tribal members did not "own" land individually, but lived in small communities and hunted, planted, and gathered food or other materials in the larger surrounding area. The English colonists patented their land and claimed exclusive right to that property. Treaties signed between Virginia tribes and the colonial government during the 17th century granted land to the tribes but did not contain patents or legal rights to ownership of the land. In 1723, Meherrin tribal members petitioned the royal governor, Hugh Drysdale (d. 1726). They informed the governor that Englishmen were taking their land and threatened "to take our corn" that they had grown. Describing themselves as obedient subjects, they asked for the governor's help by putting a stop to such harassment and theft. The Meherrin, an Iroquois people, lived on the banks of the Meherrin River in southeastern Virginia, near present-day Emporia. At the end of the 17th century they had complained to the governor that colonists were encroaching on their land and sought to obtain ownership of it. In 1705, the Virginia Assembly assigned the boundaries of a reservation for the Meherrin and ordered that offenses committed by the English within the reservation to be handled by the county court. The reservation was in an area of dispute between Virginia and North Carolina, and after the border was finalized the Meherrin became tributaries of North Carolina in 1729. The Meherrin received formal tribal recognition from the North Carolina government in 1986. Citation: Virginia (Colony), Colonial Papers, Petition of the Meherrin Indians, Sept. 9, 1723. Accession 36138. State Government Records Collection, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia. Standards VS.2, VS.3, USI.2, USI.3, VUS.4 Suggested Questions Preview Activity Scan It: Scan the transcription of the document. What word or phrases stand out to you? What do those word or phrases tell you about the people involved in writing the petition? Post Activities Analyze: We know today that the colonists seized the lands that Indigenous Virginians were living on with very little compensation given to them. Why do you think the colonists felt justified in doing this? Think about the social, religious, and economic issues of the time. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Petition of the Meherrin to the Governor, 1723 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1723 American Indian History Government and Civics