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Nova Britannia Title Page, 1609

CONTENT WARNING

Materials in the Library of Virginia’s collections contain historical terms, phrases, and images that are offensive to modern readers. These include demeaning and dehumanizing references to race, ethnicity, and nationality; enslaved or free status; physical and mental ability; and gender and sexual orientation. 

Context

By the seventeenth century, England was becoming a leader in the intercontinental trade of goods. Wealthy merchants created joint-stock companies which promoted exploration and increased trade routes. Investors in these companies pooled their resources and shared the risks associated with trading in goods from Africa, Asia, and the New World. If a company was successful, all the investors profited. Often, investors would be given the opportunity to be part of a colonization effort and own land in previously unexplored areas.  The Crown, particularly in England, liked this type of business arrangement as it allowed for colonization, which would bring new markets for English goods and discoveries of new natural resources.

One such joint-stock company was the Virginia Company of London, chartered under King James I in 1606 to establish a colony in North America. The investors in the company provided the financial backing needed to take on the difficult operation of paying for supplies and transportation. To be a successful joint- stock company, new investors had to be found and convinced to take a financial risk. In order to increase share sales, a public campaign began in 1609 in which the company published pamphlets and broadsides, like Nova Britannia, in order to raise interest in company stocks.

Note: The printing uses the elongated letter s (resembling the letter f).

Citation: Nova Britannia, title page, 1609. Manuscripts & Special Collections, F229.J676, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Standards

Social Studies: K.8, 1.4, 2.8, VS.3, US1.3, VUS.1, VUS.2

Art: 4.1, 5.1

Suggested Questions

Preview Activity

Look at it: Look at the image and text of the pamphlet title page. What does information does it give? What do you think is the purpose of the pamphlet?

Post Activities

Artistic Exploration: Draw an advertisement or poster promoting the possibilities of investing in a joint-stock company venture in the 1600s. 

Think about it: If you were an English investor at this time, would you invest in the Virginia Company of London? Explain your answer.