Jamestown, Virginia

Jamestown was the first colony for the Englishmen to settle in Virginia. It all began in April 1607, when Englishmen aboard three ships, the Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery sailed off up to forty miles up to the James River. According to Melissa Higgins. (2013). Jamestown Colony, Core Library. (  https://web-p-ebscohost-com.collegeofthedesert.idm.oclc.org/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=08d43251-1955-425e-b265-9466baa436e7%40redis&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=544578&db=nlebk  ) There were in total between the three ships 39 crew members and 104 passengers.  The location was out of sight of the Spanish patrols; however, it was next to many Native American villages.

Little did the Englishmen know that area was a disaster. According to  https://www.americanyawp.com/text/02-colliding-cultures/#V_Jamestown  (section 5) it states that the location was terrible for two reasons “ terrible soil hampered agriculture, and brackish tidal water led to debilitating disease.” Which is why the Indigenous people ignore the location. Regardless of the setbacks, they still decided to build Jamestown.

English interaction with the Native Americans was off-putting. The English had entered in Powhatan Confederacy's land and tried to take over the land, which they succeeded. According to Melissa Higgins. (2013). Jamestown Colony, Core Library. (  https://web-p-ebscohost-com.collegeofthedesert.idm.oclc.org/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=08d43251-1955-425e-b265-9466baa436e7%40redis&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=544578&db=nlebk  ) There first interaction when the Englishmen first got there, two colonists were wounded by arrows so the Englishmen fired back with a musket. So, they were already started on the wrong foot.  

According to  https://www.americanyawp.com/text/02-colliding-cultures/#V_Jamestown  (section 5) they stated “ The colonists were mostly gentlemen and proved entirely unprepared for the challenges ahead.” They wanted the Native Americans to give up all their supplies because as John Smith said, “would rather starve than work.” The Native Americans did not back down so the Englishmen did starve. Due to the fact that the location was not safe and because the English’s supplies arrived spoiled. The Native Americans had no fear because Englishmen were dying from left to right due to starvation and diseases.

The English survived the first winter because John Rolfe married Pocahontas, daughter of Powhatan. According to Price, D. A. (2007). Love and hate in Jamestown: John Smith, Pocahontas, and the start of a new nation. Vintage.(  https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=_EFbS_7fFcYC&oi=fnd&pg=PA3&dq=jamestown+colony&ots=kMa18KD1AR&sig=n3AFd0nP6fmKWqQU2Z9fBvW26ok#v=onepage&q=jamestown%20colony&f=false )   Pocahontas was kidnapped by the Englishmen and was held for ransom from her father since she was kidnapped she adopted the English ways and eventually married John Rolfe.

By 1609-1610, in winter they experienced “starving time.” Their supplies were lost at sea, and they would eat anything could find at last they resulted in cannibalism. By the summer of 1610, only sixty settlers were still alive. For example according to  https://www.americanyawp.com/text/02-colliding-cultures/#V_Jamestown  (section 5) “One man was executed for killing and eating his wife.” Another example would be “They dug up graves to eat the corpses of their former neighbors.”

Since the settlers were starving, they would also eat dogs, cats, rats, mice, and horses. The English religion was Christianity. Jamestown, the colony's political structure was governed by a council of seven, one member being a president. From my understanding, the Englishmen would wear cotton, linen, and wool.

In 1616 John Rolfe came across tobacco strains from Trinidad and Guiana and he planted Virginia’s first tobacco crop. Tobacco saved Jamestown. Tobacco was the Jamestown main economic source. They were exporting over 500,000 pounds of tobacco per year, within 15 years. In 40 years, they exported over 15,000,000.

Notable figures: To start there is John Smith, who helped the colony survive and grow. The next one would be Pocahontas, because of her there was a little peace between the Englishmen and Native Americans, and she helped the English survive for a winter. Another one would be John Rolfe, if he hadn’t married Pocahontas, there would be no small branch between the Englishmen and Native Americans and his discovery of tobacco. Powhatan is also a notable figure because he stood up for his tribe, he fought for them till his death. The last one would be Opechancanough, Powhatan’s brother. I think he’s a notable figure he continued to protect the tribe after his brother died.

In 1622 Powhatan died and his brother, Opechancanough took over and led a surprise attack. On March 22, 1622, killed over 350 colonists. Which led the colonists to retaliate with a massacre, driving Native Americans off their land. In 1676 Jamestown started to struggle with taxes on tobacco. By September Bacon’s Rebellion occurred, and he and his followers set fires to Jamestown, 16 to 18 houses were destroyed. Including the statehouse and church. 1699, the government and capital were moved to Middle Plantation, which was renamed to Williamsburg. People still live in Jamestown and own farm property.

Conclusion:

            Jamestown went through a lot of ups and downs, but the people stuck through it. Despite starvation, disease, fires, and being killed by the Native Americans. They found a source that would bring them out of the struggles, which was tobacco. They did the best could with their resources. It's crazy to think the Englishmen went through all that and saw that the location was horrible and still stuck through it to get the land. It all worked out in the end because people still live in Jamestown.