The First English Colony of the Chesapeake Jamestown The First English Colony of the Chesapeake

English see economic opportunity in the New World In 1604, the Spanish make peace with the English after the defeat of the Spanish Armada. This left England as the major European naval power in the Atlantic. With the threat of war with the Spanish gone, English seek money making ventures in North America However, these ventures initially are not funded by the government, but by private investments.

The Virginia Company A faction of the London Company, the Virginia Company was a joint stock company founded with the intention of establishing colonies in North America. These were for profit organizations, seeking to make money quickly for their investments. The main money making attraction to the area was the search for gold and finding a quicker passageway through the Americas and to the Indies. What benefits could this have? What problems could this cause?

The Foundation of Jamestown In 1606 entrepreneurs from England set sail for the Americas After a long 5 month journey the settlers finally landed near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, where they were attacked by Indians. Seeking a safer, more defensible area to settle, the colony moved inland and settled along the James River. The site was easy to defend, having water on three sides, but the moist, swamp like conditions made for a viable breeding ground for malaria infested mosquitoes. Here, about 100 English settlers, all men, established the colony of Jamestown.

A Rocky Beginning By 1607, more than half of the settlers had died from elements such as malaria, malnutrition and starvation. The problem, however, was not a lack of food. The forests and rivers were filled with game, fish and other sources of food. However, the settlers, under enormous pressure to turn a profit for themselves. They were threatened by the colony’s leaders with abandonment if they did not quickly strike it rich. Therefore, many settlers would spend more time mining then searching for food, establishing shelter, etc.

Early Jamestown Government The Charter of the Virginia Company was established just prior to arrival in Virginia. Stated that settlers were entitled to the same rights enjoyed by Englishmen whom had remained at home. This concept would spread as new English colonies would generate in the Americas. Could this create any problems in the future? A governing council existed, along with a president. The first president of this council was Captain Edward Wingfield, who would eventually be replaced by John Smith

John Smith In 1608, John Smith took control of the colony. He instituted a rule to prevent the money driven settlers from starving themselves while looking for gold. His rule “He who shall not work, shall not eat,” created an environment where people worked for survival first, and profit second. Jobs were divided and labor specialized to create more efficient and reliable sources of food.