1. What can you infer? (What do you think the things you can see mean?)
What can you see in this portrait of Elizabeth I

2. Events
Order
In 1585, Sir Walter Raleigh organised a small settlement at Roanoke in Virginia, but it failed
In 1607, Captain John Smith founded a permanent colony at Jamestown in Virginia.
In 1497, only five years after Christopher Columbus sailed to the West Indies, the Italian explorer John Cabot, financed by English merchants, discovered new lands in Canada.
The first successful English colonies in the West Indies were founded in the 1620s: The settlers set up sugar and tobacco plantations, and used slave labour.
Events
Order
In 1585, Sir Walter Raleigh organised a small settlement at Roanoke in Virginia, but it failed
In 1607, Captain John Smith founded a permanent colony at Jamestown in Virginia.
In 1497, only five years after Christopher Columbus sailed to the West Indies, the Italian explorer John Cabot, financed by English merchants, discovered new lands in Canada.
The first successful English colonies in the West Indies were founded in the 1620s: The settlers set up sugar and tobacco plantations, and used slave labour.
Events
Order
In 1585, Sir Walter Raleigh organised a small settlement at Roanoke in Virginia, but it failed
In 1607, Captain John Smith founded a permanent colony at Jamestown in Virginia.
In 1497, only five years after Christopher Columbus sailed to the West Indies, the Italian explorer John Cabot, financed by English merchants, discovered new lands in Canada.
The first successful English colonies in the West Indies were founded in the 1620s: The settlers set up sugar and tobacco plantations, and used slave labour.
Events
Order
In 1585, Sir Walter Raleigh organised a small settlement at Roanoke in Virginia, but it failed
In 1607, Captain John Smith founded a permanent colony at Jamestown in Virginia.
In 1497, only five years after Christopher Columbus sailed to the West Indies, the Italian explorer John Cabot, financed by English merchants, discovered new lands in Canada.
The first successful English colonies in the West Indies were founded in the 1620s: The settlers set up sugar and tobacco plantations, and used slave labour.

3. Twenty of thirty went ashore but were assaulted by the Indians who charged at them. Captain Archer and Matthew Morton were shot with arrows but Captain Newport shot them back with his pistol. Having shot all of their arrows the Indians fled. At that place we made our choice to build a great city, then everything was brought ashore and we quickly began to build our fort.
Source A, written by Captain John Smith, one of the early settlers in Virginia, 1608.
It is inhabited by wild and savage people that live all over the forests. They have no law but native and wear clothes made from the skin of beasts and some go naked. The better sorts have houses, but poor ones have neither Arts nor Science, but are generally loving and gentle and do entertain us with kindness. They are easy to be brought good but would happily like better conditions.
Source B, a description of the tribes encountered by the settlers from the book ‘Nova Britania’, 1609.
The land can easily sustain us – there are plenty of fish, deer, stags and rabbits, with many fruits and roots good for meat. There are valleys and plains streaming with sweet springs, there are hills and mountains full of hidden treasure not yet searched.
Source C, A description of the land provided by the Virginia Company – who made money from organising the voyages to Jamestown.
Life for settlers was tough – very tough. For a start, many of them were ‘gentlemen’ who had never built anything or farmed in their lives. They struggled to grow crops properly and soon suffered from starvation. Diseases like malaria were a problem, and there was the issue of natives too. Sometimes they got on well with the local tribes - but other times they fought. By 1609, only 60 of the original settlers were still alive!
Source D, from History textbook, ‘The Rise and Fall of the British Empire’ 2010.
Low ability Sources

4. The land can easily sustain us – there are plenty of fish, deer, stags and rabbits, with many fruits and roots good for meat. There are valleys and plains streaming with sweet springs, there are hills and mountains full of hidden treasure not yet searched.
Source C, A description of the land provided by the Virginia Company – who made money from organising the voyages to Jamestown.
Life for settlers was tough – very tough. For a start, many of them were ‘gentlemen’ who had never built anything or farmed in their lives. They struggled to grow crops properly and soon suffered from starvation. Diseases like malaria were a problem, and there was the issue of natives too. Sometimes they got on well with the local tribes - but other times they fought. By 1609, only 60 of the original settlers were still alive!
Source D, from History textbook, ‘The Rise and Fall of the British Empire’ 2010.
Source C
Source D
Content: What does the source say/show which is relevant to the question? Does the source not say something or leave things out?
Origin: Who wrote the source? When was it written? Why was it written? These things make up the provenance of a source and have big impact on how useful it is
Accurate: Is the content accurate? Does it leave something out or say something that is wrong or over exaggerated?
Use your own knowledge for this.
Typical: Does the source agree or disagree with most other sources? Why could this be?
Planning Sheet
Use the COAT to make up your final evaluation on how useful the source is to an historian.