The Popham/Sagadahoc Colony and Other Adventures on the Coast of New England 1602-08 Part 2

12/31/21 • 43 min

This week we continue and complete our story of the English adventures along the coast of New England in the first decade of the 17th century, including the fate, and the historical debate over the fate, of the Popham Colony, the Virginia Company's sister colony to Jamestown. Along the way we learn about the astonishing origin of the word "Iroquois," the first dog names in North America that come down to us, and the medicinal value, or not, of sassafras! Twitter: @TheHistoryOfTh2 Selected references for this episode Henry Otis Thayer, The Sagadahoc Colony: Comprising the Relation of a Voyage Into New England Christopher J. Bilodeau, "The Paradox of Sagadahoc: The Popham Colony, 1607–1608," Early American Studies, Winter 2014. Alfred A. Cave, "Why Was the Sagadahoc Colony Abandoned? An Evaluation of the Evidence," The New England Quarterly, December 1995. "The Voyage of Martin Pring 1603," American Journeys Collection First Charter of Virginia

Previous Episode

The Popham/Sagadahoc Colony and Other Adventures on the Coast of New England 1602-08 Part 1

The English established a colony on the coast near today’s Phippsburg, Maine in 1607, only a couple of months after the founding of Jamestown. It would survive just over a year. The Popham or Sagadahoc Colony was the culmination of several exploratory missions along the New England coast from approximately Cape Cod to Maine between 1602 and 1605. In 1602, Bartholomew Gosnold, who would eventually die at Jamestown, led the first of those missions to the New England coast and gave several famous places names that we use today, including Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard. His expedition would stay in the Elizabeth Islands, which shelter Buzzard's Bay in Massachusetts, for more than three weeks, and have extensive encounters with local indigenous peoples. The Gosnold narrative of those encounters has all sorts of interesting stuff! Twitter: @TheHistoryOfTh2 Selected references for this episode Henry Otis Thayer, The Sagadahoc Colony: Comprising the Relation of a Voyage Into New England Warner F. Gookin, "Who was Bartholomew Gosnold?", The William and Mary Quarterly, July 1949. A briefe and true relation of the discouerie of the north part of Virginia being a most pleasant, fruitfull and commodious soile: made this present yeere 1602, by Captaine Bartholomew Gosnold, Captaine Bartholowmew [sic] Gilbert, and diuers other gentlemen their associats, by the permission of the honourable knight, Sir Walter Ralegh, &c. Written by M. Iohn Brereton one of the voyage.

Next Episode

Jamestown and the Powhatans Part 1

In late December, 1606, in London’s River Thames, three small ships were anchored awaiting a voyage across the Atlantic. Those three ships were the Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery, and they would take 105 men and boys to the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay to establish the Virginia Company’s southern colony. They would plunge into a complex geopolitical morass that would very nearly destroy the venture. This episode looks at the context for the expedition that would become Jamestown, including especially the rise of the powerful Powhatan confederacy that would be waiting there when the English arrived, and prepared by a long-ago confrontation with the Spanish to confront the newcomers . Selected resources for this episode Carl Bridenbaugh, Jamestown, 1544-1699 Charlotte M. Gradie, “Spanish Jesuits in Virginia: The Mission That Failed” James Horn, A Land As God Made It: Jamestown and the Birth of America James Horn, A Brave and Cunning Prince: The Great Chief Opechancanough and the War for America David Price, Love and Hate in Jamestown: John Smith, Pocahontas, and the Start of a New Nation John Smith (Wikipedia)