The Period of Colonization
Shortly after the discovery of the New World, European rulers began sending out exploration teams to claim land as colonies. The main settlers came from Spain, England, France, and Scotland. Medals were struck in these countries to commemorate the founding of new land and the accomplishments of those explorers. You will notice that many of these medals represent prayers for peace and prosperity while exploring the New World.
Beginning in 1606, James 1 made a grant to the London Company and the Bristol Company for all of the land lying between the 34th and 45th parallels, from the Atlantic Ocean to the West. The London Company explored to the south of the Chesapeake Bay, and the Bristol Company moved east at the Kennebec River. 14 years later, the Bristol Company received a new charter under the name of The Council of Plymouth in New England and granted land as The New England Company. Another grand was issued by James I to the first Lord of Baltimore, George Calvert, for territory in Newfoundland. There he established the colony of Avalonia. Sir William Alexander, the Earl of Stirling, received a Charter in 1621 for Nova Scotia, where he struck copper coins that eventually circulated in Scotland.
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In 1630, Charles I created the colony of Carolina by a Royal grant to Sir Robert Heath for all of the land between the 31st and 36th parallels, from the Atlantic to the South Sea. Charles II later gave charters to various Colonies, noblemen, and gentlemen under the name Carolina. The old grant to Sir Robert Heath was still in effect for this area also.
All of the aforementioned information to say, the London, New England, and Carolina Companies were the main English settlers in America and are commemorated on several of the Betts Medals within this category. As previously mentioned, many of the medals bear prayers for the Lord’s preservation from disease and death.
Finally, the French made their first settlement in Canada in 1541 under the exploration of Jacques Cartier who named the settlement St. Lawrence. This was the first settlement of “New France” which is located at present-day Quebec. The first French Medal to allude to their possessions in the New World is the Viceroy D’Ampville medal from 1658, and given the catalog number Betts-39.
The Period of Colonization Betts Medals include Betts-34 to Betts-170.
