WI: Pilgrims end up in Virginia

[Opunium]

Originally it was the plan of the Pilgrims to go to Virginia, were they had a piece of land, however due a storm they ended up in Massachusetts. What if they landed in Virginia like planned? What would happen to New England? Would the land be divided between New France and New Netherlands? Would New France and New Netherlands survive without the English in the north? And what would the Pilgrim presence mean for Virginia?

I think this really is one interesting minor POD.

 

[Baconheimer]

Maybe they would die in the swamps? Or even come into conflict with the Jamestown people? Where was this slice of land they had?

 

[Opunium]

Maybe they would die in the swamps? Or even come into conflict with the Jamestown people? Where was this slice of land they had?

What I read said: "The Brewster family (who were the leaders of the Pilgrims) got a piece land in Northern Virginia from a friend of the family. However after 65 days on sea...."

Jamestown is in Southern Virginia so I dont think there would be much trouble with them...

 

[Baconheimer]

What I read said: "The Brewster family (who were the leaders of the Pilgrims) got a piece land in Northern Virginia from a friend of the family. However after 65 days on the sea...."

Jamestown is in Southern Virginia so I dont think there would be much trouble with them...

Living in Northern Virginia, I think that the colony might be kind of isolated, and could be wiped out if not enough new settlers arrive. So in order to survive I imagine they would have to connect with th Jamestown colony.

Also I have read that they considered getting land from the Dutch at the mouth of the Hudson River.

 

[FleetMac]

Living in Northern Virginia, I think that the colony might be kind of isolated, and could be wiped out if not enough new settlers arrive. So in order to survive I imagine they would have to connect with th Jamestown colony.

Also I have read that they considered getting land from the Dutch at the mouth of the Hudson River.

Besides, Northern Virginia is just as muggy, swampy and disease ridden as the Jamestown area (D.C. was built on top of swampland, fer cryin' out loud), so I don't see a possible Pilgrim settlement there doing that much better than Jamestown. I agree that linking up with Jamestown would be to their advantage, given the means to travel back and forth across the Chesapeake.

 

[Opunium]

Living in Northern Virginia, I think that the colony might be kind of isolated, and could be wiped out if not enough new settlers arrive. So in order to survive I imagine they would have to connect with th Jamestown colony.

Also I have read that they considered getting land from the Dutch at the mouth of the Hudson River.

Ofcourse, just like in New England they would have needed connecting with the motherland and other settlers, and I think other settlers in Virginia who would help them survive could actually work out even better for them. Many died OTL and if help is only at the other side of the Chesapeake bay they could survive way 'easier'..? (if that's the right word).
What will their presence mean on the long term? Could Northern Virginia become a seperate colony? Or will they just help to expand Virginia even more?

They didnt go to New Netherlands for the same reason they didnt stay in Old Netherlands: they thought it was way too open minded.

 

[Baconheimer]

Ofcourse, just like in New England they would have needed connecting with the motherland and other settlers, and I think other settlers in Virginia who would help them survive could actually work out even better for them. Many died so little help wouldnt be bad. Isnt Northern Virginia also a place thatis very good grow wheat? They could survive their.
But what will their presence mean on the long term? Could Northern Virginia become a seperate colony?

They didnt go to New Netherlands for the same reason they didnt stay in Old Netherlands: they thought it was way too open minded.

I imagine they could survive, around Federicksburg would be the best bet, so they would have easy access to the river. If the US was ever formed in this world, Virignia sure would be different.

 

[Opunium]

I imagine they could survive, around Federicksburg would be the best bet, so they would have easy access to the river.

If the US was ever formed in this world, Virignia sure would be different.

Federicksburg indeed sounds as a good location. I imagine them doing better than OTL.

I think we would have one giant Virginian commonwealth from Georgia to Maryland that spreads north to the Ohio river and west to the Mississippi. In New York and New England we would have a surviving New Netherlands and everything North of the Ohio river and New Netherlands would be New France. This Virginia could retain slavery for a very long time.
Realistic projection or... not?

 

[Baconheimer]

Federicksburg indeed sounds as a good location. I imagine them doing better than OTL.

I think we would have one giant Virginian commonwealth from Georgia to Maryland that spreads north to the Ohio river and west to the Mississippi. In New York and New England we would have a surviving New Netherlands and everything North of the Ohio river and New Netherlands would be New France. This Virginia could retain slavery for a very long time.
Realistic projection or... not?

One problem could be that indenture servants might want to go to Jamestown instead.

 

[Opunium]

One problem could be that indenture servants might want to go to Jamestown instead.

But werent they mostly farmers for their own self sustainment? A bit like the Agrarian Society Jefferson wanted for America in 1830's. Why would they want to leave to Jamestown?

 

[Baconheimer]

But werent they mostly farmers for their own self sustainment? A bit like the Agrarian Society Jefferson wanted for America in 1830's. Why would they want to leave to Jamestown?

No, I mean that people going to be indentured servants might choos to go to Jamestown instead, because is nearer the coast.

 

[Opunium]

No, I mean that people going to be indentured servants might choos to go to Jamestown instead, because is nearer the coast.

In the first 2 or 3 decades that could matter but later on I think something like that wont be a problem anymore.

 

[Dathi THorfinnsson]

What I read said: "The Brewster family (who were the leaders of the Pilgrims) got a piece land in Northern Virginia from a friend of the family. However after 65 days on sea...."

Jamestown is in Southern Virginia so I dont think there would be much trouble with them...

Remember, too, that 'virginia' was a much bigger an illdefined area at the time. I understand they were aiming for somewhere north of modern virginia, if not so far north as they ended up.

 

[Winnabago]

The retrained, pious Puritans combine with the slaving, tobacco-farming Jamestowners. They act as moderating influences upon each other, tempering each others' bad qualities, a little like OTL. Early America is a much more culturally homogenous place.

C'mon, if they didn't come in conflict OTL, they won't here.