Jamestown Field Trip

In 1606, King James I granted a charter to establish a settlement in North America. The expectation of this movement was to find riches, spread the teachings of Jesus Christ, and possibly find a new route to China. The founding of Jamestown (The United States’ first permanent English colony) in Virginia on May 14, 1607 commenced a series of cultural encounters that helped shape the nation. The government, language, customs, beliefs and desires of these early settlers are still part of the United States’ heritage today. However, the survival of this colony was achieved by a hair's breadth. Certain circumstances caused drawbacks and problems for the Jamestown Settlers such as: disease, conflict with the local Native American tribes, incapability of survival due to occupations, and starvation so brutal they even resorted to cannibalism. These complications nearly brought the settlement to an end.

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.

There were many hard obstacles along the way. The colonists went to Jamestown because they thought there was a lot of gold there but what they didn’t know was that there were Native Americans near by where they camped and landed. Many of the Colonists died because of 3 reasons: lack of preparation, bad location, and unexpected events.

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.

Jamestown land was desirable because of the many trees for building houses and ships,growing crops, and good hunting ground.

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.

The more southern colonies were under very different circumstances than their religious neighbors up north. Document five does show the thirsty and greedy psyche’s of the colonists on their way to the Virginia colony. This greed was fueled by the south’s land was more fertile and arable and allowed for larger amounts of cash crops and increased profits and much more monetary incentive to become a colonist rather religious incentive. After the initial crisis of the Jamestown colony, Jamestown’s population grew exponentially after large amounts of people, as seen in document four, crossed the ocean not for God but for gold. Soon the colony grew at such a rate the governor Berkeley was forced to beseech the king and parliament for more soldiers

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.

People have wondered why so many people have died in early Jamestown. Lots of people who went to Jamestown did not survive to the age of 16. I think it’s because the people did not have enough resources in order to live and that there were many diseases because of the lack of hygiene.

Scientists have found the bones of four members of Virginia’s Jamestown colony. All had died more than 400 years ago. Their graves also held artifacts that showed us the lives and deaths of these early American leaders.

Both small and big things the early americans did affected the growth and ways of their colony of Jamestown by a lot. For instance, when they first began there journey to find a new colony, they sent 144 men aboard, some being the spoiled, greedy gentlemen and some being the poor, hard working commoners. Since each group of people were very different compared to the other, it created fights and bickering among the men, dividing them on the ships. They may have not even found land yet, but already trouble was brewing.

The first known african in America came here with Spanish explorers in 1513 his name was Juan Garrido he was free and he helps cortez took Mexico. In 1534 20 years later a black men’s struggle to cross the Texas desert he was called Esteban the moor he was one of four survivors of a Spanish expedition that went wrong, he served as a guide and a translator across the forbidding landscape by the year 1536 they have walked 15000 miles Guerido and Estevan were among the first African to come to America they found hope and opportunity but things change quickly. Jamestown, Virginia is the first British colony in what became the United States. Anthony Johnson despite his skin color he found opportunity in Jamestown he works side by side with his

Jamestown, Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay; three colonies whose origins lie in the early sixteen hundreds. Enduring hardship after hardship, they struggled to survive with disease, savages, and each other. Through the midst of their strife, however, they developed systems of government that would address the needs of their inhabitants, ultimately becoming a basis for the government we have today.