Jamestown Colony

e in February of 1607 the Susan Constant the godspeed and the discovery sailed from England Southward on the Atlantic ocean carrying more than a 100 men on a long Voyage to America to establish a settlement there the three ships had left London on December 20th 16006 and sailed to the canary islands off the coast of Africa after taking on Fresh Water Supplies there they began their Journey Westward across the Atlantic it was a long and dangerous Voyage but why had these men left England for America some of the passengers workers like Robert Small a carpenter James Reed a blacksmith and John Laden a laborer had had come on this Expedition because there were few jobs in England professional soldiers like Captain George Percy and Captain John Smith had come for adventure their military skills would also help protect the new settlement there were boys too like Richard mutton and Nathaniel peacock who were servants to gentlemen it was gentlemen who made up the largest group on the Expedition gentlemen who had invested in an organization called the Virginia Company of London it was this organization which was financing and directing the Expedition for the profit of the Virginia Company the honor of the king and for the glory of God they arrived at the West Indies by the end of March and on April 10th sailed northward for the great area of land in America called [Music] Virginia land Ho Virginia early the morning of April 26th the land of Virginia was cited here in Virginia The Colony would be established that evening Captain Newport the commander of the three vessels opened the sealed orders from the Virginia Company now it was learned who would be on the council that would govern the members of the Expedition and their settlement in the new world in the orders the reverent dedication essential to this Expedition success was stated in these words lastly and chiefly the way to prosper and Achieve good success is to make yourselves all of One mind for the good of your country and your own and to serve and fear God The Giver of all goodness for every Plantation which our heavenly father hath not planted shall be rooted out they explored along a river which they named the James River for their King and occasionally saw curious Indians They At Last chose for the location of their settlement a peninsula nearly an island about 60 Mi up the James River safe from the danger of Spanish warships and easily defended against possible Indian attacks the three ships arrived on May 13th 16007 to establish Jamestown which was to become the first permanent English settlement in [Music] America by the end of June after completing a fort to protect the settlers from possible Indian attack the sailors returned to England only the smallest ship was left behind the destiny of the colony now lay in the hands of a hundred men the settlers planted grain and other crops the Jamestown Colony was [Music] begun but as the hot summer came on its heat became almost unbearable the council which included John Smith had been warned to govern with a Unity of purpose but it was not of one mind when problems arose Council action was blocked by the stubborn disagreement of its members there was no plan to replenish the diminishing Food Supplies many face starvation occasionally Indians would come with food to trade for trinkets but the Indians were generally unpredictable and dangerous because they did not trust the white man Captain John Smith seemed best able to deal with them John Smith like the respected George Percy was beginning to be accepted as a leader at jamest toown but plague and fever caused by Bad drinking water struck the colony many died the events of this first summer almost destroyed the hopes that a permanent English settlement could succeed in America by Autumn less than half of the hundred who had come in the spring remained [Music] alive but now there was hope again among the settlers that Jamestown might survive the crops that had been planted in the spring matured there would be enough food for the winter the men went hunting again and game was easy to find Ducks especially were plentiful and the Indians to the surprise of the settlers became friendly barter and trade developed in all ways life seemed brighter to the remaining Settlers of Jamestown but during a trading Expedition up the James River that Autumn Captain Smith was taken prisoner by Indians who had been considered [Music] friendly when Smith failed to return to the Fort it seemed certain to the settlers that he had been [Music] killed it's Captain John Smith he's here in December there was excitement at the Fort for Captain John Smith returned in good health many years later when he wrote about his Adventure he told that his life had been saved by Pocahontas a young Indian princess she had refused to let her father's Braves kill Captain Smith her father patan was chief of the tribe bahas later became an important friend to the Jamestown settlers with John Smith's return his importance in the colony increased by the end of 16008 Captain John Smith was president of the council and an efficient and industrious leader one of his first orders was that no one should get a share of the food without doing a share of the work the gentlemen who had often refused to work before now had to work if they wanted to eat by the end of this year through Smith's leadership a deep well had been dug to ensure pure water and a number of small buildings were being constructed within the fort there were storehouses and a church living quarters for all the men were being [Music] completed now women were at Jamestown they had come with a new group of settlers an burrow had come as a maid and a few months later would marry John leaden that year English family life began at Jamestown and would grow as more women such as Anne burs and her mistress came from England the first industry came to Jamestown too workmen came to produce glass with the hope that perhaps in this way Jamestown might be able to support itself in order to support itself the ships that brought settlers and supplies from England would need to return loaded with Goods that could be sold in Europe fine glass products were among the first articles to be sent back from Jamestown but 1609 was a year of disaster in the spring rats got into the storehouses and destroyed nearly all the supply of grain in the summer 400 settlers arrived without supplies in the Autumn Captain Smith was seriously injured in a gunpowder explosion and had to return to England for treatment George Percy was elected president of the council and though he was a good leader disagreements and arguments again arose the unity of purpose in the colony that had existed under John Smith was [Music] destroyed that winter 500 settlers faced disease and [Music] starvation the winter of 1609 became known as The Starving [Music] Time by Spring 1610 only 50 were left alive in May It was decided to leave the fort after more settlers arrived without supplies the survivors of the starving time and the new arrivals left the fort jamest town was abandoned but at the mouth of the James River were three ships bringing still more settlers and supplies for a whole year when the people who were leaving learned of this they returned to greet the new governor of the colony who had come with this latest group Lord Delaware who was to be the first of the strong Governors who restored the unity and dedication of the sly yours for your hoty vanities and sluggish idleness I earnestly entreat you all to amend these desperate Follies lest I should become compelled to draw The Sword of Justice and to cut off such delinquents which I had rather draw even to the shedding of my own vital blood to protect you from injuries the unity and authority of Lord Delaware's government substantially solved the problems that had faced jamest town in the past in 1611 Sir Thomas Dale became governor of Virginia and became famous for his strict enforcement of a code of Martial laws that further aided in Jamestown survival no man shall rifle or despoil by force or violence take away anything from any Indian coming to trade or otherwise upon pain of death under such strong leaders as Sir Thomas Dale jamest toown prospers one of the early settlers John Rolf began experimenting with tobacco trying to grow plants that would be well-received in European markets by 1612 he was successfully cultivating and curing such tobacco it was this John Rolf who two years later in the church at Jamestown married Princess Pocahontas the marriage in April 1614 brought about a period of friendship between the Indians and the settlers that lasted for some [Music] years 1619 was an important year on July 30th representatives from 11 neighboring settlements gathered at Jamestown to solve common problems this event was deeply significant for it marked the beginning of representative government in America of great significance too was the arrival in August of the first African Negroes on board a Dutch ship the following year in May and June English ships brought young ladies the first of many sent by the Virginia Company to stimulate family life in Jamestown and Virginia though there were to be near disasters in the years to come by the 1620s jamest toown was firmly rooted in America and a commercial success a half million pounds of tobacco a year were being shipped to England from Virginia and other settlements formed in the area of Jamestown until the region became the colony of Virginia with Jamestown its capital for nearly 100 years thus the hopes of the Virginia Company were fulfilled thus the dream of an English colony in America was realized thus men's faith and devotion planted in America this settlement for the glory of God oh gracious God we beseech thee to bless us and this our Plantation which we and our nation have begun in thy fear and for thy Glory