Evidence of Industry
Jamestown Industry Trial and Error
The Virginia Company established a colony at Jamestown in 1607. The original settlers of
Jamestown included not only gentlemen members of the Council, but also carpenters, blacksmiths,
bricklayers, masons, and laborers. The goal was to turn North America’s natural resources into products
that could be exported to England. The settlers and investors also hoped that raw materials, including
lumber and minerals, could be sent to England.
The colonists looked during the first seven years for precious metals such as gold and silver.
These resources were not discovered, and the colonists turned to lumber as a possible export. Lumber
was used in the colony and also exported to England for use in ship building, furniture manufacturing,
and house building. In 1608, the Virginia Company sent Polish and German glassblowers to begin glass
production in Virginia, which had plentiful sand, wood ashes, and lime for glass production. This venture
was not successful. A salt works was started in 1614, but could not make enough salt to meet the
colony’s needs, let alone enough to export. Around this time, in 1619, the colony began to plant grape
vines for wine production, but this industry did not flourish either. In 1621, the colony established an
ironworks which was later destroyed by the Powhatan Indians. Fur trade did turn a profit in Virginia.
Starting as early as 1611, colonists were trading furs with the Native Americans on the Potomac, and
later in the 17th century, the fur trade became even more profitable. The colonies’ “gold” was actually
the tobacco crop, and tobacco farming and trade started as early as 1610.
There were three main reasons industry failed in Virginia. First, some tradesmen needed for
these industries returned to England or died. Second, the raw materials in Virginia were similar to, but
not exactly the ones needed to adequately produce exports. And finally, perhaps most importantly, the
management of Jamestown was disorganized. There were many changes in leadership, which caused
issues that hindered the colony’s success and its industrialization efforts.
Teacher Gazette December 2014
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Evidence of Industry
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