Success at Jamestown Pgs

Virginia Company of London  The Virginia Company planned to build a trading post in North America to make a profit.  A profit is the money that is left over after all expenses have been paid.  In 1607 three English ships set sail for America.

Arriving in America  The ships arrived in America on May 24,  They sailed into a deep bay now called the Chesapeake then sailed up a river the men named the James, to honor King James of England.  105 men and boys were aboard the ships.  Most of the colonists came looking for gold.

Choosing the Site  The men landed on a peninsula and decided to start a settlement there.  The men named the settlement Jamestown.  The site they chose turned out to be a poor choice.

A Bad Choice  The water was not good for drinking.  The land was wet and full of disease- carrying mosquitoes.  The men were cruel toward the local Indians. They took their lands and destroyed their crops.  They were in danger of Indian attacks.

One Year Later  At the end of the first year 51 of the 105 colonists had died from: Cruel diseases Cruel diseases Burning fevers Burning fevers Battle with Indians Battle with Indians Starving – no one bothered to plant or gather food for the winter. They were too busy looking for gold. Starving – no one bothered to plant or gather food for the winter. They were too busy looking for gold.

Captain John Smith  Life in the colony changed when John Smith arrived.  He probably saved Jamestown from becoming another lost colony.  Unbreakable Rule – Anyone who did not work did not eat!  Soon the colonists were planting gardens, building shelters, and putting up fences for protection.

Pocahontas  More than 30 tribes of Eastern Woodlands Indians lived near the Jamestown settlement.  Chief Powhatan was the leader of these tribes. His daughter was Pocahontas.  A legend says Captain Smith was captured by the Indians and Pocahontas saved his life.

A Lasting Settlement  Jamestown is the first lasting English settlement in North America.  Five years after the settlers started their colony, they found the gold that would make the colony rich.  It was tobacco. Selling tobacco was the beginning of a profitable business for the colonists.