Christopher Newport’s Jamestown An Interactive Journey by Mrs. H. Billingsley

It All Began With King James! At the beginning of the 17 th century, England was one of the only major countries in Europe that did not have a settlement in “The New World.” So, on December 12, 1606, more than 400 years ago, King James I (the first) of England allowed 105 men and boys to sail across the Atlantic Ocean to explore “The New World,” which is what we now know as the U.S.A!

Who Led the Ships? Christopher Newport was in the British Navy. He was given permission by King James to take 3 ships: The Susan Constant, The Godspeed, and The Discovery from London to the New World. King James wanted Christopher Newport to find gold, to find a western sea route to Asia, and to start a colony in America for England. Christopher Newport

Wait!!! Why Did They Go Again? King James wanted Christopher Newport to: find gold, to find a western sea route to Asia, and to start a colony in America for England.

The Susan Constant Christopher Newport’s main ship, The Susan Constant, was the largest of the three, since he was the captain of the voyage. You can see this model of the Susan Constant when you go on the 3 rd grade trip to Jamestown!

But Didn’t the Disney Movie Say John Smith Was the Captain? John Smith, the man that was saved by Pocahontas (more about this later) was the first captain of the second ship. It was much smaller than Captain Newport’s “Susan Constant.” Bartholomew Goswald later became the captain of this ship. John Smith

Who Led the Last Ship? If you have ever seen Disney’s Pocahontas, you remember this fellow! John Ratcliffe. The movie made you think that he was in charge of the trip. But actually, Christopher Newport made him captain of the third, and smallest, ship. Disney’s version of John Ratcliffe

What About the Guns? The settlers thought that there could be trouble. Explorers from Spain were already in the New World looking for gold in Florida, and they wouldn’t want to give up their land to the English! The cannons on the Susan Constant were supposed to protect the two smaller ships, but as it turned out, they didn’t need them! The English never saw the Spanish!

Long Live the King! On May 12, 1607, the 3 ships finally saw land! The Susan Constant, Godspeed and Discovery followed a large river to a peninsula, and they named both after their King- James the first! That is why we now have the James River and Jamestown. King James I of England

The Jamestown Peninsula On May 12, 1607, after two weeks of exploring the James River, Captain Christopher Newport weighed anchor off a peninsula 36 miles upriver from the Chesapeake Bay. Here the settlers would establish the first permanent English settlement: Jamestown. See the peninsula, or land sticking out into the James River on the left side of the photo? That’s it! That’s where Christopher Newport, John Smith, John Ratcliffe and their men dropped anchor and began their settlement!

Why Did They Stop Here? Although they were told that they had to settle at least a hundred miles up the James River, the peninulsa site offered great advantages: Deep water close to the peninsula allowed the settlers to tie their ships to the trees, and hide them from enemies. If enemy ships (like those from Spain, who were also trying to colonize the New World) make it up to Jamestown, they would be close enough to the fort that guns from the fort could hit the enemy ship. The peninsula was connected to the mainland by a very small stretch of land that was easy to defend against attacks from the Powhatan. John Smith’s Map of Jamestown.

Jamestown Fort: The First English Settlement. By June 15, 1607 they had already made a fort. It served as immediate security against the local Indians, the Powhatan. The construction was very quick and basic, using trees. The logs were then stood upright in a row, and secured in a trench to create the walls. The fort was built in a triangle with circular watch each point.

What Was Inside the Fort? The settlers built small buildings to live in, to store food, to cook food, and to make things they needed to survive (like the blacksmith had a building to make armor).

The First Direct Democracy The settlers also built a church in the middle of the fort. In addition to holding church services there, the settlers also came to the building to hold meetings and make important decisions. Each person who came to the meetings had a vote. This was the first direct democracy in America!

How Was the Fort Protected? In addition to the guard posts in each corner, the fort was surrounded by a very tall and pointy fence.

How Else Did The Settlers Protect Themselves? Blacksmiths made armor for the men to wear to protect their bodies from arrows and knives.

What About Weapons? The men also brought guns with them from England to use to hunt and to protect themselves from enemies.

So They Have a Fort… But What Did They Eat? When Christopher Newport first came over, he brought food and drinks with him from England that were stored in barrels in the ship. The settlers knew this wouldn’t be enough, so they arranged for food to be brought over the Atlantic Ocean on a ship every six months. They also planted gardens with vegetables and spices outside their homes in the fort. Because of hurricanes, the ships carrying food didn’t always make it, and many people starved. In the first winter, starvation brought the number of settlers living in Jamestown from 500 to only 59.