The Founding Of
Jamestown
In 1607, three ships owned by a new British
company arrived in Virginia. The Discovery, the
Godspeed, and the Susan Constant, carried 101 men
and 4 boys who sought a place to build a fort and
search for riches in the New World. On May 12,
1607, they established Jamestown, Virginia, the
first permanent British settlement on the North
American continent. These colonists were not
the first to attempt such a colony in the
Americas. After all, in the 17th century,
England was looking for a foothold on the
new continent before the Americas were
lost completely to England’s political and
economic rivals such as Spain. However, all
other British settlements had failed. In fact,
the colony of Roanoke had disappeared,
and to this day we don’t know what
happened to the people who were living
there. Why did Jamestown succeed? It almost didn’t.
The men who sailed to Jamestown had a variety of
occupations and experiences. About half of the
colonists were artisans, laborers, and craftsmen. The
other half were listed as “gentlemen.” These
gentlemen were, for the most part, lesser nobles who
helped finance the undertaking and hoped to increase
their wealth with riches from the New World.
That was the goal of the new colony. At that time,
Europeans had discovered that there are many
valuable commodities in different parts of the world.
They were acquainted with and desired goods such as
precious metals (gold and silver) and spices found in
Asia and the Americas. Various trading companies
were formed in European nations to conduct
commerce all over the globe. To help them find and
transport goods, the companies established colonies in
India, China, Africa, and Indonesia. These companies
were also always on the lookout for new shipping
routes, as the trip around Africa was long and
dangerous. After the discovery of America, these
private companies hoped that the New World would
provide them with similar products and an easier
route around the globe.
When the Virginia Company was formed in 1606,
King James I of England gave it certain rights and
responsibilities in its charter. Specifically, the
company was to establish a colony on the eastern
coast of North America, search for a water route
through the continent to Asia, and search for gold
and other precious commodities.
When the colonists arrived in North America
they first sought a place to establish the colony.
Sailing up the James River in Virginia, the men found
a peninsula about 60 miles from the Chesapeake Bay
and began building a fort. This spot had many
attractive features. First of all, it offered good
protection from the Spanish. Next, the river was deep
enough there to moor the ships. This meant that the
colonists did not have to carry all their supplies for
miles overland, but could instead unload the ships
(as well as future supply ships) right next to the
fort. Finally, the peninsula was connected to
the mainland only by a narrow strip of land.
This made it easier for the colonists to
defend the fort against any attacks by the
Native American tribes on the mainland.
But there were big problems with this
site as well. In particular, the peninsula
wasn’t very healthy. It was a wet, swampy
area with lots of mosquitoes. These
mosquitoes and the slow-moving water
carried disease very easily. The water of the
river was brackish, meaning that it was an
unhealthy mix of fresh water and salt water. Keeping
the colony supplied with good drinking water became
a constant problem. Very quickly the colonists began
suffering under the effects of this environment.
While there were no Native Americans living on
the peninsula, it was surrounded by tribes belonging to
the Powhatan confederacy. The leader of this group of
tribes was called Chief Powhatan, and his daughter,
Pocahontas, later married colonist John Rolfe. The
relationship between the colonists and the Native
Americans was an uneasy one. While the Native
Americans and the colonists did trade with one
another, there were also hostilities on both sides, and
the colonists lived under the constant threat of attack.
The lack of food was another great hardship on
the inhabitants of early Jamestown. After the first
year, only 38 of the original 105 colonists survived.
The Virginia Company continued to bring new
settlers to Virginia along with supplies. However, the
death rate remained very high. The winter of
1609-1610 was known as the Starving Time, when the
lack of food drove many people to desperation.
Archeological excavations of the site today show us
that the colonists ate a number of unusual things
during this period, such as poisonous snakes, rats, and
smelly musk turtles. They also began taking apart
some of their buildings for firewood. Those who left
the fort to look for food or firewood during that
terrible winter risked attack by members of Powhatan’s
tribe. Out of the 500 people who started the winter,
only 60 were alive in the spring.
The colonists suffered so greatly during their first
few years that they almost abandoned Jamestown in
1610. In May of that year, survivors from a shipwreck
off the coast of Bermuda arrived in Virginia assuming
that they would find a successful colony. What they
found instead were the survivors of the Starving Time,
many of whom were very ill. The decision was made
to abandon the Jamestown colony and return to
England. All the survivors boarded their two small
ships and started to sail down the James River. When
they reached the bay, they met a fleet of relief ships
under the command of Lord De La Warr (for whom
the state of Delaware was later named). The colony
was saved in the nick of time!
Why was life so difficult during these first years in
the Jamestown colony? Obviously, the tense
relationship between the colonists and the Native
American tribes of the area played a role. However,
perhaps the difficulty also lay in the goal of the
colony. The original settlers were not so much
interested in building a new society as they were in
finding gold. The first colonists assumed that they
would be able to trade with the Native Americans for
food, and they did not spend much time hunting or
planting crops.
Some historians also point to the lack of order and
management that hindered the building of a successful
colony. The Virginia Company was responsible for the
organization of Jamestown and for providing it with
supplies, as well as for bringing back any gold or silver
that might be found. However, it was a long time
between supply ships, and although they were British
citizens, the colonists had to govern
themselves. The company set up a
council of six colonists who would be
responsible for ruling the colony.
From the council was chosen a
president. Captain John Smith is
considered to have been the
most successful president of the
colony. He had been a soldier
and a sailor, so he had plenty of
experience living in different
parts of the world. While
president, his experience was
Captain John Smith extremely useful. He organized
work schedules, planned expeditions to explore the
area, and regularly traded with the local Native
American tribes. Under John Smith, the colonists
worked well together. However, Smith was injured in
1609 and had to return to England. The presidents
who followed him were not as successful.
There is another possible reason for the hunger
and deprivation the colonists faced – the weather. A
scientist named David Stahle has been charting the
history of the weather in Jamestown by examining the
trees that grow there. His study of tree rings shows
that the area suffered a severe drought between 1606
and 1612, just at the time when the colonists arrived
and began settling in the area. The lack of rain would
have made it very difficult for the colonists and Native
Americans to grow food, and the water in the wells
would have been affected as well. There simply was
not enough food available to feed everybody.
If it faced so many difficulties, how did the colony
ultimately survive? First, the Virginia Company did
keep bringing new settlers and supplies to Jamestown.
The colony also had assistance of the local Powhatan
tribe. The chief’s daughter, Pocahontas, often helped
the people living in Jamestown by bringing them food
and interceding on their behalf. She stood up for them
when they were in trouble.
However, the thing that really ensured the
continued existence of the colony was the
introduction of tobacco in 1612. By that time, tobacco
was becoming popular in England. Excavations of the
Jamestown site have even turned up pipes that the
colonists brought with them. However, that tobacco
was grown in Spanish colonies. John Rolfe (the
husband of Pocahontas) learned from the Native
Americans that the plant could be grown in Virginia
and he planted the colony’s first crop. It was a great
success. Tobacco provided the colony with something
to export (sell) to England. Although the colonists
had failed in their search for gold and silver, they did
succeed in finding a way to make the colony in
Virginia profitable for the Virginia Company and for
the British crown.
Tobacco growing needed labor. While land was
easier to obtain in Virginia than in England, labor was
in short supply. In England, however, there were many
people who had no work. As the Jamestown colony
grew, the British started using indentured servants to
address the labor shortage. People in England who did
not have work would have their passage (trip) to
Virginia paid by the company. These servants would
then work for a set period of time for one of the
colonists. (Normally, this period was four to seven
years.) During this time, the indentured servant would
receive no wages, but would be supplied with food,
clothing, and shelter. At the end of the period, the
Virginia Company would give the servant some land
and his or her freedom. The life of an indentured
servant was very difficult, but it was a way for some
people to get a new start in the New World.
In 1619, another labor source appeared in
Jamestown that would greatly affect the history of the
United States. In that year, a ship flying a Dutch flag
arrived carrying 20 slaves from Africa. This was the
beginning of slavery in the United States. While at
first the slaves were treated like indentured servants,
laws were quickly passed that prevented them from
ever gaining the freedom that servants from England
could look forward to.
In many ways, Jamestown reflects the larger history
of the United States. Virginia was a land of hardships,
but it also offered the colonists who settled there great
opportunities that they could not find at home. While
there were many mistakes made at Jamestown, the
ingenuity, perseverance, and hard work of the
colonists who built a life there must be honored. They
led the way for future generations of Americans.
by Katherine Ebel
© 2007 Plank Road Publishing, Inc.