Jamestown, a successful colony Imagine yourself at a colony that no one really cared about planting or building shelters to keep safe. That would’ve failed if it wasn’t for John Smith. That colony that I chose was called Jamestown, a colony or a settlement. Jamestown had become the first successful British colony because of ho w they have peace with the Indians, how they have a determined leader, John Smith, and how they have a cash crop, tobacco. These examples are why Jamestown had become a successful colony. One reason that I believe why Jamestown was a successful colony is because the people there had a responsible leader. For example, on the Reflections textbook on page 163, it states, “Jamestown would have been another Roanoke if it hadn’t been for Captain John Smith, a soldier, explorer, and a writer. When he became leader of Jamestown, he made an important rule for the colonists-anyone who did not work, did not eat.” This means that he was very clever to make up the rule for anyone that didn’t work, will not eat. Another example is on the article, “EnchantedLearning.com,” it states, “By the end of the first year, most of the settlers had died of starvation or diseases. After the disastrous …show more content…
For instance, on the Reflections textbook on page 164, it states, “By 1613, Boise had found a West Indian tobacco that proves to be very popular in England. The colonists at Jamestown were soon growing tobacco as a cash crop-a crop that people used to sell.” This means that they had gotten richer by planting, growing and selling the West Indian tobacco. Another example is on an article called UShistory.com, it states, “By 1630, over a million and a half pounds of tobacco were exported from Jamestown every year.” This means that since they were selling a lot of tobacco, the richer they will be. This is another reason why Jamestown was a successful
There seem to be a consistency as to why colonists settled Jamestown, Plymouth and Rhode Island. Many set out to avoided religious prosecution with the mindset, thinking the church of England was unfixable (Tindall, 2013) also there was other driving forces for settlement riches and land ownership (Tindall, 2013) Many of the settlers that set out for wealth or land seem more likely to exploit the indigenes people. Whether it be for their hunting and tracking, for the settlers seeking wealth in fur trade.
Well many colonists died because of their water supply, their relationship with the natives, and because of their knowledge of survival. These factor lead to early death for most of the colonist. The water supply for Jamestown was brackish, or filthy, and lead to disease.
They tried other means of trade, such as silkworm farming, and glassblowing, but it was far too cold for either. Jamestown’s saving grace came in the form of tobacco production found by John Rolfe. These tobacco plantations would be the center of the community in Jamestown.
The colony of Jamestown was started as a fort with wooden walls built to protect and enclose the colonists. The threat of an attack by the Spanish military or Native Americans made the early settlement vulnerable. Jamestown served as capital of Virginia until 1699 when the seat of government was moved to Williamsburg. Jamestown is also notable for its role in the development of the fledgling American democracy. The House of Burgesses was America’s first democratically-elected assembly.
One great question about Jamestown was that why did so many early colonist die? Three possible answers to that question is that the colonists were unprepared, the location was horrible, and because unexpected things happened. Most of the colonists were unskilled, and only a few were crafters (gunsmiths and blacksmiths), doctors, and hunters. They also picked a horrible location near many Native tribes. Lastly, they had no idea what things could happen while they were there.
People on the ship said Jamestown had “fair meadows and godly trees”. But Jamestown was in a swamp. You can see where this is going. By the time they arrived freshwater was very scarce, meaning you couldn't get any. Getting rid of waste was also a problem, as it tended to fester instead of flushing away.
Only sixty of the colonist had survived the harsh winter that will forever be known as the starving times. Sir Thomas Gates and Sir George Summers arrived in May 1610 with 150 people and some supplies from the Bermudas only to find the walking anomalies of Jamestown. Sir Thomas Gates took over as the new governor and order the immediate abandonment of Jamestown. They labored into June to build 4 ships to carry them all back to England. Once all were boarded and sailing down the James river, they spotted another ship headed their way.
The first way the colonists died was through the attacks of the Native American people. The
At some point, both settlements were involved with trading with Native Americans. An area where Plymouth were more successful was how they prevented casualties by befriending Native Americans. Although Jamestown and Plymouth were plagued by hunger, disease and environmental hazards Plymouth was triumphant because they overcame their setbacks. This proved that the English and Native Americans could live together in harmony. Although Jamestown had better success in creating a thriving economy, it 's ceased to exist in the 1700s because people had lost interest in it.
But the majority of the young white males who came to Jamestown were poor, uneducated, and unskilled. They had no families and no means of supporting themselves, which meant that they caused a potential problem to the political and economic challenge for stability. Since these men had no skills, they would become indentured servants, trading their labor for free passage to the colonies. Elite landowners used this unfree labor to their advantage by growing cash crops like tobacco and exporting their agricultural products, eventuating establishing Jamestown as a boomtown. Once the colony had become stabilized, the first representative legislature general assembly met in the Jamestown church in 1619.
They also died by filth fester that which made the water bad to drink. They also died because the fish only showed up in spring and early summer. Colonists also died during winter because they had no food. The last two reasons they died is that gentlemen did not do any work. Also, because they had no water because of the long drought.
However, another significant contrast caused by the establishing intentions was the economy of the two. As specified beforehand, the Chesapeake economy spun around the tobacco business, which prepared for different enterprises too. Slave exchange depended completely on the tobacco ranch proprietors as a market to pitch the slaves to. Moreover, the tobacco sufficiently raised to back the importation of contracted hirelings, who might then go to work the tobacco, expanding the creation further. It turned into a cycle, with the outcome being the regularly expanding creation and offer of the tobacco.
With their new environments all of the colonists were introduced to new diseases. Poor living conditions, malnutrition, and native diseases caused many fatalities throughout the colonies. Illness ran rampant through each colony, which took out many workers. Jamestown and Plymouth were able to overcome each struggle and become the foundation of the New World.
Jamestown colony and Plymouth colony have are two similar colonies but at the same time are so very different. One similarity is that each colony had a large number of deaths after winter. One difference is that Plymouth colony had a good relationship with the Native Americans and Jamestown didn't have a good relationships with them. A second difference is that the two colonies came for different reasons.
This led to Bacon’s Rebellion, a gang of impoverished and landless former servants attacked the capital of the colony and plundered the homes of the wealthy. Both colonies constituted a successful form of government; however, both governments were carried out in dissimilar ways. The establishment of two primitive English colonies, Jamestown and Massachusetts Bay Colony had many homogeneous attributes and differences. Both had an adequate relationship with the Native Americans that deteriorated and