From the investors of Jamestown to the thousands of soldiers who fought in the many U.S. wars, one of the biggest reasons they took these risks is because they believed. They believed that their contributions would help better our nation as a whole. Nobody does anything just because they can. They do it because they believe in what they are doing.

The original investors in Jamestown knew the risks they were taking and believed they could profit. They founded Jamestown in hopes of finding gold to sell. At first, there were certainly hardships. Connections with the natives were sour and there was actually little gold to find. Also, most settlers were unwilling to work. The winters were called "The Starving Times" by colonists due to famine.