Death, illness, and rebellion: these are a few of the effects that came about during the early years of settlement at Jamestown. It began in the year 1607. Many Englishmen were looking for a fresh start, others wanted to escape the evils of English government.1 This was the founding of the colony of Jamestown, a village created by a variety of people. With over one hundred people to begin with, the people quickly created a system. John Smith, one of the first English settlers in 1608, stood up and took the responsibility of leading the colonists in the new world.
The colonists arrived on land, destined to begin a life of freedom. This land had no government or laws to begin with. This created a standard that was set in the town. Either you were a farmer in the land, or a gold digger. Controversy struck because those who were gold diggers had a far smaller food supply than the farmers. As a result, many people died of starvation; the ones who had a sufficient food supply, prospered. The colony of Jamestown was one filled with diversity; not only did the people that inhabited it possess individualistic traits, but also their ambitions were far and wide.
Farming resources were few, due the amount of farmers per person in the village being vastly different. Each day brought new death counts; most days, this number ranged from ten to twenty per day.2 This not only scared the colonists who were present in Jamestown, but also destroyed the newcomers’ dreams. Though these deaths were early in the process in the creation of Jamestown, it was certain that the colony was struggling at the beginning. By leaving a country full of resources, wealth, and culture for a doomed colony, it became clear that this was a suicide mission. This mentality did not last long though. As farmers began to branch out and find new crops and faster ways to farm, the society of Jamestown began to become more enriched and luring for people looking to find a new start on the east coast of America.
Suddenly, a door opened and the proclaimed leader of the colonists, John Smith, began to create a system that would bring life back to Jamestown. The colonists found a new resource that would be demanded heavily back in England: tobacco.3 Tobacco had been introduced into the European world by Columbus, and it had since taken off. But instead of creating a system that aided Jamestown as a whole, many people took up their own practice in growing it and set the town apart from others.4 This was good for Jamestown, with a steady income from tobacco, food, and money with trade, the colony of Jamestown was the first English settlement to survive in the New World. This colony would change the views of many Europeans and Englishmen looking to find a new life, and if you were going to move anywhere it might possibly be to Jamestown.
- Alvin Rabushka, “Constitutional Government and Politics in England, 1607–1688,” in Taxation in Colonial America (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2008), 71. ↵
- Virginia Bernhard, “Men, Women and Children at Jamestown: Population and Gender in Early Virginia, 1607-1610,” The Journal of Southern History 58, no. 4 (1992): 603. ↵
- Natalie Zacek, “Kupperman, The Jamestown Project; and Kelso, Jamestown: The Burried Truth,” The William and Mary Quarterly, Third Series, 64, no. 3 (2007): 656. ↵
- Virginia Bernhard, “Men, Women and Children at Jamestown: Population and Gender in Early Virginia, 1607-1610,” The Journal of Southern History 58, no. 4 (1992): 604. ↵
36 comments
Mia Diaz
Great article! It is amazing to ponder about the development of people’s lifestyles from then to present day. Its also interesting to consider the parallels of how people wanted to escape their governments to move to a more understanding society, with a diverse group of people; just as it is still occurring today. Though the living conditions today are not nearly as harsh as they were during the settlement of Jamestown. This is a good reminder to take a step back and admire, but also analyze how our world has developed since Jamestown.
Andres Palacios
Excellent job Bryce, very good informative article. It is sad how the people from Jamestown had to live day by day not knowing if they were going to have enough to eat or to feed their families due to the lack of food and the amount of people dying. Luckily John Smith was able to find a way for other people to open a new market with tobacco which gave life to Jamestown again.
Yesenia Cardenas
It amazes me when reading about how the early settlements first started. It was basically survival of the fittest trying to make it day to day in a new land. So many deaths occurred on a daily basis and there was not much one can do.
Christopher Rodriguez
Very well written and informative article. I can’t imagine life in Jamestown and how you must live day by day wondering if your going to survive and have enough food to eat. Its crazy to think about how many people were dying and how many people and kids had to live and grow up in a town like Jamestown. John Smith was a hero who opened up the gates for Jamestown. Great article that brought many new insights i had not known before.
Diana Moreno-Gutierrez
This was a good and very informative article. I find it sad that the new settlers who migrated to start a new life were quickly faced with hardships. I’m sure it was devastating to see the people around you including your family, starving not knowing what the subsequent days had in store for them. They sacrificed their previous life in England for an opportunity to provide a better future. I am glad that they were able to creatively overcome these obstacles with the cultivation of other crops like tobacco.
Rachel White
I couldn’t imagine living in a world without technology and automobiles, let alone living in a town like Jamestown where each day was a battle to survive and growing death counts. Good detail in the article and interesting facts that you brought to light. I think it would be interesting to be a part of Jamestown solely in terms of the diversity of people that moved there.