Survival at Jamestown

Check out her report card and biography Elisa Carbone http://www.elisacarbone.com/bio.html Check out her report card and biography

The historical fiction story, Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone, is about a boy named Samuel who is an orphan from the streets of London. When he became an orphan, he was brought to live in a boys’ home for a brief period of time. He meets two kids named Richard and James. He also meets a man named Reverend Hunt, the orphanage director, who was very important to Samuel later on. He will help Samuel to channel his anger and will teach the young orphan how to make decisions based on love, not out of fear. After Samuel’s short stay in the orphanage, he ventured on a trip to Virginia with Reverend Hunt and another important person, Captain John Smith. Samuel was selected by Smith to be his page. Samuel was eager to be a part of this this adventure because of the chance of finding gold that it offered.

During the journey on the ship the Susan Constant, Samuel begins to learn how to determine right from wrong. From his ongoing relationships with other boys and men such as Captain John Smith, Reverend Hunt, and Master Wingfield, Samuel discovers ways to avoid conflict. His preliminary interactions with the natives in the Caribbean and in the New World further enhance Samuel’s understanding and perspectives of different cultures. Survival in this new world challenges Samuel more than he ever thought possible. While in colony, he looks inward and evaluates many new life lessons while also understanding how to make good choices using his head and his heart.

Questions to Consider How did the struggles between the Native Americans and the English settlers shape our nation today? Why was the success of the Jamestown settlement so critical to the development of our nation? How do our experiences shape our beliefs? What conclusions can we draw about the survivors of Jamestown?

Location, Location, Location

The Fort