Jamestown Abigail Salinas

FOUNDERS Captain John Smith and other colonists found more fertile land north of Roanoke. It had many good harbors and navigable rivers. They also had to deal with powerful Indians. There were more than 24,000 Indians, ruled by a powerful chief named Powhatan. Powhatan wanted to contain them and use them against his own enemies. He also wanted to trade with them for their metal weapons. The colonists refused to recognize that the Indians occupied the land. Captain John Smith wanted to improve that “wilderness” into profitable farmland.

PLAN OF GOVERNMENT The Virginia company allowed planters to create the House of Burgesses, the first representative body in colonial America. Male landowners over 17 years of age voted for 2 Burgesses to represent their settlement. The House of Burgesses had the power to make laws and raise taxes. In 1624, the Crown took over Virginia, making it the first royal colony in the English empire. During the seventeenth century, the English developed 2 types of colonial governments: Royal Colonies- belonged to the Crown Proprietary Colonies- belonged to powerful individuals or companies

LEADERS Jamestown was growing due to the leadership of John Smith and John Rolfe. John Smith forced colonists to work hard and also established trade with the Indians. John Rolfe established tobacco as a crop, saving the colony from financial ruin.

LIFE IN THE COLONY Jamestown was surrounded by swamps which defended the town from attack, but also bred mosquitoes that carried deadly diseases, like malaria. The disease weakened the colonists and they couldn’t tend to their crops, so many of them suffered from hunger.

ECONOMY OF THE COLONY The Virginia Company saved the colony by allowing the colonists to own and work land as their private property. They worked harder to grow corn, squash, and beans to ensure their survival. John Rolfe taught colonists how to cultivate tobacco. Tobacco grew better in Virginia than in England because of the hot, humid weather. They grew more than 1.5 million pounds in 1640. Profits attracted more immigrants to Virginia.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SOURCES Evidence of Cannibalism at Jamestown Colony http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly-news/51740211#51740211 “Work or Starve” (The twenty of April. Being at work, in hewing down Trees, and setting Corn, an alarum caused us with all speed to take our arms, each expecting a new assault of the Savages: but understanding it a Boat under sail, our doubts were presently satisfied with the happy sight of Master Nelson, his many perils of extreme storms and tempests, his ship well as his company could testify, his care in sparing our provision was well: but the providence thereof, as also of our stones, Hatchets and other tools (only ours excepted) which of all the rest was most necessary: which might inforce us to thinke either a seditious traitor to our action, or a most unconscionable deceiver of our treasures.) – John Smith, "A True Relation of Occurrences and Accidents in Virginia" (1608)