In the first decade of the 1600's, two companies were given charters from James I to colonize in North America. Both of these were joint stock companies, which limited the risk incase of failure. The Virginia Company was given permission to colonize in the south and the Plymouth Company was allowed to colonize the north. In 1607 the Plymouth Company attempted to make a colony in what is now Maine, but after one winter they returned to Britain and the company folded. The Virginia Company was not as easily discouraged and did settle in the Chesapeake Bay area. Later, the New England Company would be given a charter to settle in the northern territory England had claimed in America and also the Massachusetts Bay Company was given a charter to settle there. Although the settlements in the Chesapeake Bay area and New England were settled in largely by people...