Jamestown was established in 1607 as England's first permanent colony. It was located along a river for defense and transportation purposes but the environment was swampy and disease-prone. Many of the original colonists died within the first year due to disease and lack of shelter and food. John Smith became governor and established order, convincing local tribes to trade for corn. However, after Smith's early departure, the colony returned to chaos. A "Starving Time" in 1609-1610 saw many deaths until the cultivation of tobacco ensured the colony's survival and economic success.

1. 4.1 NOTES Jamestown
Settlement

2. ENGLAND’S 1st PERMANENT COLONY
• Established in 1606 by the Virginia Company
• 105 male colonists arrived in 1607
• The town and river were named in honor of
King James I

3. GOALS
1) Search for the Northwest Passage
2) Look for gold

4. ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES OF
LOCATING NEAR THE RIVER
• Positives-Easy to defend & receive supplies.
Helped with transportation; resources of the
river could be used
• Negatives-swampy, mosquito-infested,
brackish water, subject to diseases (mostly
malaria) & excess humidity

5. ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS
• Settlers refused to work without an incentive,
i.e. they were more interested in hunting for
gold than building shelters
• By the time the 1st winter arrived, 2/3 of the
original colonists were dead (only 38 originals
would survive the 1st year)
• Tough winter with scarce food (rats, shoe
leather, horses, frogs, roots, insects, etc.)

6. JOHN SMITH BECOMES GOVERNOR
(Sept. 1607)
• He tried to make sense of the chaos
• Organized work parties
• Built shelters, cleared land, planted crops and
built stockade fences/defenses
• Gov. Smith convinced the Powhatan Indians to
trade corn to the colonists
• His basic four word rule?
• NO WORK NO FOOD

7. ADIOS JOHNNY!
• He only served as governor for short time
because he was badly injured in a powder
explosion
• Smith had to return to England for treatment

8. POST JOHN SMITH
• What happened?
• Settlers returned to their old ways

9. STARVING TIME (Winter 1609-10)
• Indians stopped trading food
• Settlers were too scared to leave the fort
• Lots of disease and death, rat snacks, mice,
etc.

10. VA Company Repopulation Plan
• English orphans were
kidnapped by company
representatives
• Prisoners were offered
amnesty if they would
settle in America
• Women were brought
over to be auctioned off
as wives in exchange for
tobacco

11. THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF
TOBACCO
• The crop was
introduced to Europe
by the Spanish and
adapted to the Virginia
soil by John Rolfe
• The stinky weed
guaranteed the
survival of Jamestown
• Slavery was introduced
to supply the labor

12. DAILY LIFE IN VIRGINIA
• Headright system
• Indentured servants