The founding of the Jamestown Colony in 1607 was an incredibly difficult feat that could not have been accomplished without the sacrifice and grueling work of the settlers. They left relatives, acquaintances, and most of what was familiar to them behind and braved the rough sea voyage to the New World. When they reached Virginia, the colonists of Jamestown were forced to construct shelters and procure what they needed to survive, in addition to adjusting to an unfamiliar climate. They also needed to establish and maintain a friendly relationship with the Native Americans, who aided them in the first hard years of learning how to live in America. The prosperity of the Jamestown colony was achieved by the stamina and resilience of
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One of the colonists, Captain John Smith, tried to improve the state of affairs by encouraging the settlers to focus on building shelter and growing crops instead of wasting their time by looking for gold. He initiated a shaky relationship with the Powhatan Indians and established a trade with them. Smith asked the London Company would send more farmers and tradesmen to the colony, commenting that, “a plain soldier who can use a pickaxe and a spade is better than five knights.” (C&G 28) A colony that mainly consisted of gentlemen was doomed to failure. What the London Company didn’t realize was that, for the first few years, the settlers needed to focus on survival and establishing themselves in the new land instead of garnering profits.
Another major mistake of the early colonists was that they treated the Native Americans cruelly. Although the settlers owed their very existence to the Indians’ aid, they saw them as a resource to be taken advantage of rather than as equals. Countless Native Americans were slaughtered during the colonists ' efforts to force them into submission. Consequently, Chief Openchancanough of the Powhatan tribe massacred 347 colonists and caused the rest to flee in terror to a nearby fort. The colonists were unable to tend to their farms and many died of …show more content…
Tobacco, a small plant with a large profit, quickly gained popularity in the colonies as the easiest way to make a fortune. Once the settlers of Jamestown discovered the economic benefits of the highly addictive weed, they swiftly abandoned their pursuit of gold and devoted themselves to the cultivation of tobacco. While it was despised by England and the London Company at first, the opposition was easily worn down when they noticed the amount of money being poured into the colony from the sale of tobacco. Almost all of the income from the export of tobacco went directly to the colony, which allowed the settlers to obtain many things that simply could not be produced in the colony at the
One of the colonists, Captain John Smith, tried to improve the state of affairs by encouraging the settlers to focus on building shelter and growing crops instead of wasting their time by looking for gold. He initiated a shaky relationship with the Powhatan Indians and established a trade with them. Smith asked the London Company would send more farmers and tradesmen to the colony, commenting that, “a plain soldier who can use a pickaxe and a spade is better than five knights.” (C&G 28) A colony that mainly consisted of gentlemen was doomed to failure. What the London Company didn’t realize was that, for the first few years, the settlers needed to focus on survival and establishing themselves in the new land instead of garnering profits.
Another major mistake of the early colonists was that they treated the Native Americans cruelly. Although the settlers owed their very existence to the Indians’ aid, they saw them as a resource to be taken advantage of rather than as equals. Countless Native Americans were slaughtered during the colonists ' efforts to force them into submission. Consequently, Chief Openchancanough of the Powhatan tribe massacred 347 colonists and caused the rest to flee in terror to a nearby fort. The colonists were unable to tend to their farms and many died of …show more content…
Tobacco, a small plant with a large profit, quickly gained popularity in the colonies as the easiest way to make a fortune. Once the settlers of Jamestown discovered the economic benefits of the highly addictive weed, they swiftly abandoned their pursuit of gold and devoted themselves to the cultivation of tobacco. While it was despised by England and the London Company at first, the opposition was easily worn down when they noticed the amount of money being poured into the colony from the sale of tobacco. Almost all of the income from the export of tobacco went directly to the colony, which allowed the settlers to obtain many things that simply could not be produced in the colony at the