Jamestown, Virginia - The First English Settlement in the United States

The First English Settlement in the United States


The first English settlement in the United States, Jamestown was established by 144 men and boys who set sail for the New World from England in May 1607. Under a charter from King James I, the settlement was named after the king.

Challenges Faced by the Colonists


Despite the colonists' efforts, the first years were filled with upheaval, as the settlers tried to establish a trade and fortified themselves against Indian attacks. Then, a severe drought hit the area. This was a particularly bad time for the settlement, as many settlers died from starvation and illness. The lack of food and water made it impossible to keep up with growing crops, so the settlers turned to eating animals that had come to Jamestown as passengers on the ships.

The Arrival of Supplies and the New Governor


In May 1610, just as the surviving colonists were about to abandon Jamestown, two ships bearing a cache of supplies and the new governor arrived from Bermuda. In journals written four hundred years ago, the survivors credited their arrival with saving the colony from abandonment and starvation. But by the summer of 1610, only 60 colonists remained alive. As Thomas Gates and his men fought to save the settlement, they began to fear the worst. The colonists ran out of food, their drinking water was poisonous, and the harsh winter grew longer and colder.

Implementation of Laws and Conflict with Native Americans


To combat the problem, authorities implemented a series of laws to govern their lives, which aimed at keeping the settlers' food, clothing, and housing clean and safe. These "lawes divine, moral and martiall" dictated the settlers' religious activities (two times a week), and ordered their work and daily life habits. These laws were designed to protect the settlers, but they also put them under strict military law, which could carry serious punishments for dissent. The resulting war between the English and Powhatan Indians in the early 1610s resulted in the deaths of more than 400 English men and women, most from starvation and disease.

Violent Upheavals and the Impact on Jamestown


During the 1610s, Jamestown suffered a series of violent upheavals that reshaped the landscape and changed the lives of the people who lived there. In 1676, a rebellion led by Nathaniel Bacon overtook the settlement and caused further hardship for the colonists. After the rebellion, a new treaty was signed between the Virginia Indians and the English that would allow the settlement to trade tobacco with Powhatan. But it also gave the American Indians more reservation lands and a yearly tribute payment for fish and game.

The Legacy of Jamestown


Though the settlement lasted only a few more years, it was still an important settlement for both settlers and Native Americans. The first tobacco crops were planted here in 1607, and by the late 1600s, Jamestown was a center for trade. The ruins of the colony's fort are now a part of Jamestown National Historic Park. A 2004 dig revealed the footprint of a long, narrow building inside the fort that is believed to have been the governor's home. The presence of fancy glassware and Chinese porcelain buried inside suggests the structure was used for high-style dining and entertaining, according to Kelso.

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