- English colonists began settling in Virginia in the early 1600s to establish plantations and raise commodities for trade. The colony struggled at first with many colonists dying of disease and hunger. - Tobacco was discovered to grow well in Virginia's climate and became a highly profitable cash crop by the 1630s, driving the colonial economy. The colony also used an indentured servitude system to bring laborers from England. - Relations with local Native American tribes like the Powhatan were often hostile, including attacks on colonists and the capture of Pocahontas. Over time the English seized more land and displaced tribes.