Compare And Contrast Plimoth And Jamestown

Jamestown and Plimoth were the first two successful English colonies in North America. Jamestown was established in 1607 and Plymouth in 1620. These two colonies were different yet had a number of striking similarities in how they were operated under Christianity, and suffered through disease and starvation, and they had conflicts with the Natives. The differences between the settlements of Plimoth and Jamestown are the locations, reasons for the colony, early setbacks, religious differences, governments, and relations with Indians. The colonies of Plimoth and Jamestown were both operated under Christianity. Also, many people suffered of disease and starvation and other conflicts during this time. In Plimoth, half of the original passengers

Plimoth provided good anchorage and an excellent harbor. Cold climate and thin, rocky soil limited farm size. New Englanders turned to lumbering, shipbuilding, fishing and trade. Freedom from religious persecution motivated the Pilgrims to leave England and settle in Holland; however, they did not fit in and were losing their heritage, so they left to America. Cooperation and hard work were part of the Pilgrim's lifestyle. Nevertheless, they too were plagued with hunger, disease, and environmental hazards. The Pilgrims were dissenters from the Church of England and established the Puritan or Congregational Church. Since New England was outside the jurisdiction of Virginia's government, the Pilgrims established a self-governing agreement of their own, the "Mayflower Compact." Prior to the Pilgrims' arrival, an epidemic wiped out the majority of the New England Indians. Several survivors befriended and assisted the colonists. Good relations ended in 1636, when the Massachusetts Bay Puritans declared war on the Pequot Tribe and Plimoth was dragged into the

Jamestown offered anchorage and a good defensive position. Warm climate and fertile soil allowed large plantations to prosper. In fact, because of the good soil and land, a milder blend of tobacco was produced. This was the product that saved Jamestown after “the starving time” in 1609, where full-scale hostilities broke out and the Powhatans sealed off Jamestown in an effort to starve the colony into submission. The aims of the Jamestown expedition were to establish England’s claim to North America, and claim land and riches. Inexperience and unwillingness to work led to disagreements and inaction at Jamestown. The absence of work ethic changed when John Smith took leadership in September 1608. John Smith was an organizer; he brought order and discipline to Jamestown and set a government. The settlers at Jamestown were members of the Anglican faith, the official Church of England. The colony was a representative government. The first representative legislative assembly in America convened in Jamestown’s Church at the end of July 1619, and it underlined that the colonists would have some say in running their own affairs. The Virginia colonists settled in the territory of the Powhatan Indians; the unstable relationship had already begun. Vast differences in culture, philosophies, and the English desire for dominance because they saw the Natives as savages, were obstacles too great to overcome.