Jamestown Colony Research Paper

King James I approved of the first colonist ship in 1607 which would create Jamestown. These 110 people originally came for riches. Many colonists died in Jamestown because the English were not prepared to survive against starvation and Indian attacks. Document B is a chronology (timeline) based of a magazine by J. Frederick Fausz. The magazine is entitled “An Abundance of Bloodshed on Both Sides: England’s First Indian War, 1609-1614.”

Colonists and Natives were too confident and they tried to survive in the deathful fighting's and attacks! In 1607 the first English colonists arrived on the James River. They were sent by the Virginia company to find riches like gold, copper, and metal. They brought 104 men with them and three ships: The Susan Constant, the Discovery, and the Godspeed. When they arrived on the James River they also founded Jamestown which was the first English settlement in 1607 although before the colonists even got to the New World the emperor Powhatan was in power. Although why did so many colonists died in early Jamestown between 1607 and 1611? The reason why so many colonists died in Jamestown between 1607 and 1611 was because of disease, attack of Natives, and drought. So in the next few paragraphs, I will prove using historical evidence that colonists died because of disease, drought, and attacks of natives.

Of all the English settlers that arrived in early Jamestown from 1607 to 1611, 80% of them died. The first three ships arrived at the mouth of Chesapeake Bay bringing just over one hundred settlers who would attempt to establish the first English settlement. Fifty miles up the James River, the colonists chose a piece of land that seemed to be full of resources, and called it Jamestown. Those who study early Jamestown often wonder why so many colonists died despite the resources that were originally thought to be available. Environmental problems, lack of settler skills, and poor relationships with Native Americans were the main contributors to the high percentage of colonists’ death.

The founding of Jamestown was brought about in June of 1606 when King James I, granted a charter to the Virginia Company of London. The Virginia Company of London was a joint stock company established during this time with the purpose of growing settlements in North America. This group of London entrepreneurs had hopes of profit in building a secure settlement on Jamestown Island, and with the help of three ships and 100 colonists, The London Company became the first English Settlers in North America.

In spite of the many Indian massacres, Jamestown still grew to be a successful colony. The London Company was the main founder of Jamestown. The London Company's founders believed that there were precious metals in America so they sent a group of settlers to Jamestown. The trip to the Americas was not a very easy one for these settlers. They had to overcome many obstacles just to get to the Americas. In 1619 the House of Burgesses was formed which marked the first legislative body in America. Jamestown was plagued by many disasters. They were faced with one continuous disaster, Indian wars. They fought over land with Indians for many years. The London Company, creation of the colony, and

Throughout the 17th century, the English faced many hardships. The settlers of Jamestown had faced misfortune of the new land such as disease and malnutrition, and failure of crops. Over time the English built their economic and social structure with perfecting crops, indentured slaves and building a new society that would spark others to explore.

James town was the first settlement in North America and was developed mainly to supply to the mother country with new goods. Being the first settlement James Town had challenges they had to overcome versus Massachusetts which was a town started by a religious group known as Puritans who had no obligation to England other than coming to North America to practice their religion freely.

Jamestown is the first permanent settlement in what is now the United States, Jamestown was founded in 1607. Those first colonists are what started it all, without their bravery to explore new lands the United States may not have turned out the same. Those colonists provided the first stepping stone to expand into more and more colonies. People believe that those first English colonists are what molded and continue to mold American character today. There are three reasons that make this true. If you are not lucky enough to be born wealthy you can always work hard to become wealthy. New beginnings are often found in the New World. Also, Religious freedom was first introduced by the leaders of those beginning colonies.

In early Jamestown, colonists were all you would call, “inexperienced” and victims of circumstances. Also, most sought riches and new opportunities. But at the end of their tragic fate, 400 of their men died by 1611. Why did so many colonists perish? They could not adapt, were victims of diseases, attacks by Powhatan Indians, and poor Native American relations.

After Jamestown was settled people in europe began to see that there was opportunity in the new world. While people saw opportunity there was something in the way of their success, the native americans. The settlers and the native americans held a dicate relationship with one another and in the colonies beginnings the indians were not a major problem, but as the the seventeenth came more and more Europeans were in the new world. This caused a change in the relationship with the indians and the English settlers. When the English first begin to explore and colonize the new world they do not fight the indians the make peace with them.

On the 14th of May, colonists established the English settlement of Jamestown. They faced many struggles along the way and sadly, many colonists died. Back then not many people were qualified as doctors, so if people got sick, they most likely wouldn’t make it. When there was no water, the colonists had nothing to quench their thirst, so they died of dehydration. Sometimes they would not have enough grains, therefore when winter came, they had no food. The reason so many colonists died was, disease, drought, and a harsh winter.

There were more reasons why so many colonists died. There was Starving Time, they came during a drought, and the well they had would mix with salt water. The Native Americans in that area that JamesTown was in. They would trade with them for a good deal. But when John Rolfe and Pocahontas left to England. The Native Americans refused to trade with the settlers. With Winter coming and they wouldn’t be able to grow their crops, plus the Native Americans not wanting to trade with them, Starving Time came. There were a lot of settlers that died in the harsh Winter known as the Starving Time. Document B says, “Inference can you make about the cause of this ‘starving time’” (The Lost Colony and JamesTown Droughts). With the settlers having a drought

Even in the dead of night, you can hear the sickness creeping through the hull of the ship. The waves pound against the ship, but can not cover up the screams of pain as disease ravages the passengers. He holds on to his bible, one of his few possessions, as prays to God that he makes it to land alive. By the time the ship comes to an abrupt stop on the beach, only a quarter of the original members remain. Those who survived aren’t in much better condition, and find that the once promising land is really an inhospitable wasteland. In 1600 Jamestown, life for the average settler was filled with starvation and disease. With only a quarter of the 140 settlers making the trip from England, they were already facing loosing odds. Only by holding on to their most prized possessions were the settlers able to cling to the hope of survival. A settler living in 1600 Jamestown would have artifacts that not only reflect their goal of settling in

The English settlement of Jamestown, Virginia, was founded on May 14, 1607 by Captain Christopher Newport and his fleet of a hundred or so Englishmen. During the next nine decades, this settlement would begin as "a verie fit place for the erecting of a great cittie(Tyler, 33)", and develop into "nothing but Abundance of Brick Rubbish, and three or four good inhabited houses(Miers, 107)." Two major factors led to the gradual decay and destruction of Jamestown: (1) The profit-before-survival attitude of the English settlers, and (2) the persistence of the Indians of the area to drive the English from their native lands.

The colonial period in the United States all started when people starting immigrating to Boston in the 1630s. With high articulation of Puritan cultural ideas, the New England colonies have been regarded as the center of early American literature. In class we only talked about a few of the writing throughout the period but in this paper, I am going to tell you about the colonial period as a whole.