James Town By: Adan Piceno

Early 1607 In the year 1607 the English man had arrived at what would be James Town. With three ships carrying 150 total passengers. They reached a small peninsula and claimed the land as theirs. John Smith, a twenty year old explorer who plays a crucial roll in the survival of James town, was in the voyage.

Disastrous Start John Smith sensed disaster but nobody paid attention to him, since had made few friends and was seen as an arrogant captain. Soon the water of the river was salty and the place turned to be a marshland, filthy and breeding ground of mosquitoes. Plus the drought killed any hopes of crops. They only counted with worm-infested wheat. This period became known as the starving time, were many life’s were taken.

Incoming John Smith took control when the population was around 38 colonist. He forced everyone to work and things were going well, until he caught on fire when his bag of gunpowder cached a spark. He was sent back to England, and around 1609 about 600 new colonist came to James Town. Indians were now scared and started to attack colonist. But soon the population of James Town dropped due to the starving time, about 60 colonist were left!

John Rolf John Rolf came to Jamestown, and in 1612 cross breaded tobacco from brazil and local native weed. This became the “Brown Gold”, this was a highly profitable business. By the 1618 headright system was developed to lure people to work in the tobacco fields. Indentured servants were sent to work for a certain time. Jamestown was now flourishing.

The Powhatans The powhatan people had help Jamestown colonist to survive. A daughter of a powhatan chief married John Rolfe and made peace within the Indians and colonist. But the peace ended when the colonist keeped on invading their land to grow tobacco. The powhatans planed an attack on Jamestown and killed over 300 colonist. England sent more troops to conquer the Indians and made Virginia a Royal Colony.

Virginia in the 1670’s There were many things going on by these time. Many free indentured servants were unhappy, since they didn’t have money to buy land, therefore they were not able to vote and were not taken into consideration. Also the governor refused to have a war against the natives to benefit the poor frontier colony settlers. These lead Nathaniel Bacon to rebel against Berkeley and set the town on fire, but Bacon died and Berkeley came back to subdue the leader less rebels.

Sources sp sp “The Americans” By: McDougal Littell y/page.php?page_id=6