Well many colonists died because of their water supply, their relationship with the natives, and because of their knowledge of survival. These factor lead to early death for most of the colonist. The water supply for Jamestown was brackish, or filthy, and lead to disease.
There was a drought that lasted 1605-1614 which was the longest period Jamestown suffered (Document B). The lack of rain really affected the colonist because their crops didn't grow which meant that they could no longer trade with the Powhatan indians and because they had no food to feed themselves. Some colonist even considered cannibalism because they were so hungry. Also the drought left no water for the colonist to drink, so some died of dehydration. One winter of 1609-16010 (Document B) affected and killed many of the colonist, this happened because it left the colonist starving, it was too cold to do anything, and because it froze the crops and killed them too.
-Why did JamesTown come so close to failing in its early years? Jamestown, located on the James River in Virginia, was a swampy, marshy place to live. It was hot during the summer and cold in the winter, making it an unfavorable place to dwell, especially if you were an uppercut aristocrat from England. Before Jamestown existed though, a group of investors asked King James the First to allow them a royal charter, to set up a colony in the New World, who’s sole purpose was to export goods from the New World and send them back to the English Empire.
The early people of Jamestown have not fared well throughout history. I can see from the historical fiction book Blood on the River and Chief Powhatan's speech to Captain John Smith that the commoners endured due to a number of social and environmental problems. However, in my opinion, social problems were primarily responsible for more damage. I think it's because the colonists didn't cooperate well and showed no respect for the commoners.
The colony of Jamestown was at a population of 504 after an arrival of a fleet of 9 ships carrying women, men, children and much needed food and supplies. Captain John Smith took hold of the chaotic government and put in place rigid policies of discipline and agricultural cultivation. In 1608 a gunpowder accident wounding Smith, his rivals used this opportunity to force him to return to England and name George Percy as his successor as president of the council. The day before John Smith’s departure, Captain Davis arrived with 16 other men adding to the population of Jamestown. However, a few weeks later, president Percy sent Captain Ratcliffe to build a fort for fishing and trade at Point Comfort.
If I had a chance to travel back in time, it would be the historical time period of John Smith. I chose to interview John Smith because of his leadership ability to brave the travels from England in which to help the country become prosperous. The ability to lead the group of settlers in Jamestown to become successful even with starvation at the doorstep of the colony. John Smith was born in Lincolnshire, England around 1579 or 1580. His parents were George and Alice Smith.
Though Christopher Columbus was not the first to discover the Incipient World, his landing in the Incipient World in 1492 was consequential: it commenced a period kenned as the Age of Exploration. During this age, European explorers strived to find trade routes and acquire wealth from the Incipient World. Unlike most European countries, England got such a tardy start in the colonization game. As a result, English settlements were concentrated along the East Coast of North America. Among the prosperous English colonies, two categorically paramount English colonies were Jamestown (in modern day Virginia) and Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Most English colonial societies were established as royal charters. As early as Virginia to Massachusetts to newer settlements like Georgia and Maine, all wanted more independence from Parliament. Non-Catholics populated the New World substantially, with some practicing religious tolerance; however, the Puritans did establish strict religious leadership in Massachusetts. A variety of economic activities — such as fishing, farming, and trading — contributed to the increase in labor across the colonies. Despite the number of common components a colony may have with another, there exists different aspects that adds variability and distinguishes a colony from another.
In Jamestown, Virginia 110 people came from England in the spring of 1607 looking to make money off of gold that was rumored to be there. On their way settlers drifted North leading to a colder winter than expected which gave them a very hard time. By the time it was December there were only 40 people left. Many of the Colonists died because of the diseases caused by pollution in their water, unreliable food sources, and a bad drought that got explorers off on the wrong foot. The year of 1607 was not a good year for colonists to start fresh in Jamestown, Virginia.
Another reason for Jamestown 's struggle was their choice in the people they believed would help the colony. The colony of Jamestown was home to about one hundred people known as gentlemen. These were wealthy men that did not work or help the colony in any sort of way. These people made up around half of the population causing not much to be done considering the amount of people brought to the colony originialy. Also women were not brought for the first twelve years of the colony.
The English settled in Jamestown with the goal of striking rich, which they battled to meet in the first twenty years. The Virginia Company received a charter from King James I of England in hope of finding gold and possibly finding another route to the Indies, which also was in search of products and wealth. In fact, the company was only supposed to be in North America for a few years and then be liquidated, yet this stay was much longer. Subsequently, the beginning of Jamestown was dreadful as the colonists were susceptible to many dangers. Forty people died on the trip across the Atlantic in 1606-1607; in another voyage in 1609, the leaders died and their supplies were lost in a shipwreck off the Bermuda.
During 1607-1611, early Jamestown colonists died to many reasons like starvation, occupations, and drought. Colonists did not have many resources to live a long life. That is why they died so fast through 1607-1611. Colonists died because they tried to find a new settlement for more land so they can have more resources and for a stronger defense, but instead they got attacked and there was not a lot of food there to feed them all. Colonists died by attacks by Indians.
The lives of the colonists depended on what lifestyle they lived. Farm life was rigorous with hours of chores such as feeding livestock, bailing hay, tilling land, planting and taking care of crops. Farmhouses were small, crowded and cold. Farmers were simply self sufficient and made their furniture and houses by hand moreover not having much time for relaxation. City life was very exciting, noisy, smelly and crowded with tightly spaced houses.
Jamestown colony and Plymouth colony have are two similar colonies but at the same time are so very different. One similarity is that each colony had a large number of deaths after winter. One difference is that Plymouth colony had a good relationship with the Native Americans and Jamestown didn't have a good relationships with them. A second difference is that the two colonies came for different reasons.
Jamestown and Plymouth were the first English colonies in America. Both settlements faced harsh conditions which included weather, starvation and disease. In addition, both colonies struggled in creating a stable society, economy and government. The location of these two colonies was also a determining factor in their survival. Both colonists settled in modern day America for different reasons but were driven by the same ambitions for a new life that would determine how long the colony would last.
