Settlement: Jamestown and the Founding of

English America
By The Gilder Lehrman Institute, adapted by Newsela staff on 10.26.16
Word Count 1,131
Level 1180L

TOP: A 19th century engraving of the 1619 arrival of wives at Jamestown by W.L.S. (New York Public Library.) SECOND: John Smith, The
Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles, London, 1632. THIRD: Sebastian Brandt to Henry Hovener, January 13,
1622. BOTTOM: Powhatan. Wikimedia Commons.

Shortly before Christmas in 1606, three small ships left London, England, to establish a settlement
on Chesapeake Bay in North America. The largest of the ships was the 120-ton Susan Constant
that carried 71 passengers and crew. The commander of the fleet, Captain Christopher Newport,
had made many voyages to the Caribbean and knew as much about American waters as any
Englishman alive.

The Godspeed followed with 52 men on board, and the smaller ship Discovery, carrying 21 men,
served as a ferry for supplies and messages between the larger ships. Altogether, 39 sailors and 105
colonists set out to establish England's first permanent colony in North America.

This expedition was not the first attempt to colonize the mid-
Atlantic coast. Sir Walter Raleigh sponsored three voyages
between 1584 and 1587. His half-brother, Sir Humphrey

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Gilbert, led the first failed attempt. The next group settled on
Roanoke Island in 1585 and looked for deep-water rivers near
the Chesapeake Bay that would make superb harbors for ocean-
going ships. England was at war with Spain, and this was a good
place for attacking Spanish treasure fleets crossing the Atlantic.
But problems with Native Americans and the harsh winter
forced them to return to England with Sir Frances Drake.

The third attempt made in 1587 under the leadership of John

White also ended in failure and the disappearance of 117 men,
women and children. This came to be known as the Lost Colony
of Roanoke.

King James allowed English settlements in North America

In 1604, King James I of England signed a peace treaty with

Spain and no longer needed ports for attacking Spanish ships,
but he still allowed English settlements in North America as
long as they were located in areas that other Europeans had not
claimed. On April 10, 1606, the king granted a charter to the Virginia Company to create two
colonies. One was on lands that today would be between North Carolina and New York, while the
other stretched up through Maine. The Virginia Company of London was a trading company that
sponsored the southern colony and created a local council headed by an elected president.

The expedition aimed to establish England's claim to North America, search for gold or silver
mines, find a passage to the Pacific Ocean (the "Other Sea"), harvest the natural resources of the
land and trade with Indigenous peoples. The settlers arrived in Virginia on April 26, and the
council selected a site on a peninsula along the James River about 50 miles from the entrance to
the Chesapeake Bay, which they named Jamestown for their king.

The region was ruled by the powerful Indigenous chief Powhatan, the father of Pocahontas. The
Native Americans called the area Tsenacommacah, and Powhatan ruled more than 30 tribes with
as many as 34,000 people. The colonists had been instructed to be cautious and to establish
friendships that would encourage trade. Initial contact was friendly, but an attack on the English
settlement by several hundred warriors in May changed things and the settlers quickly built a
triangular fort facing the James River.

Despite ample resources, the colony suffered setbacks

Early explorations found the area to be rich in natural

resources. The Indigenous people said there was great wealth in
the mountains to the west. Behind the walls of the new fort, the
settlers' prospects appeared to be rosy. However, after Captain
Newport returned to London in June 1607, the colony suffered
setbacks. During the summer and fall, disease, Native American
attacks, polluted drinking water and poor diet led to the deaths
of about two-thirds of the men. By December, only 38 of the
original 104 colonists survived. Jamestown was on the brink of
collapse.

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More colonists and fresh supplies arrived early in 1608. The English continued to search for
precious minerals and a river passage through the mountains that would lead them to the Pacific.
Captain John Smith led two explorations but found no mineral deposits or a passage. When he
took over leadership of the colony in September 1608, Smith urged colonists to begin producing
goods that could be sent back to England.

Meanwhile, the Virginia Company of London wanted more money from the colony. There was also
more emphasis on religion as colonists began to convert the Powhatans to Christianity.

"The starving time" nearly killed the colony

The arrival of several hundred people during 1608 and 1609 led to a steady deterioration in
relations with the Powhatans. In the winter of 1609, the tribes sealed off Jamestown Island to
starve the colonists into leaving. During "the starving time," the colony's numbers dropped from
about 280 to 90. The settlement was only saved when Sir Thomas Gates and then Lord Delaware
arrived with hundreds of new settlers in the spring of 1610.

These men set up strict new laws. People were to attend church services twice daily, and anyone
who swore was punished. Words of treason against the leaders, theft of company goods and
trading with the Indigenous people without permission were all punishable by death. Lesser
offenses might carry the penalty of whippings.

By the early 1620s, the colony was booming and the white population had risen to well over 1,000.
As tobacco exports increased, planters sought more workers. Yet the spread of English settlement
and taking of Indigenous peoples' lands brought misery and bitterness to local peoples.

Native American attacks killed one-quarter of colonists

Led by Opechancanough, who became chief after the death of

his brother, Powhatan, the Native American warriors attacked
settlements all along the James River on March 22, 1622, killing
about 350 settlers, or one-quarter of the colony's white
population. The uprising and losses of life and property over the
next year were devastating blows to the Virginia Company of
London, and it went out of business in 1624. King James then
took control of Virginia, and it became England's first royal
colony in North America. The war with the Powhatans went on,
but colonists quickly rebuilt plantations to keep up with the
demand for tobacco. The success of tobacco and the defeat of
the Powhatans finally brought success to Jamestown after 1625.

The English learned the hard lessons about what a colony must
do to survive. Jamestown also presents two sides of the
American story. On one hand, England's New World offered
opportunities for social and economic advancement
unattainable at home; while on the other hand, colonization unleashed powerful destructive forces
that were catastrophic for the Native Americans, whose lands were taken as America grew and
became rich.

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_James Horn is Colonial Williamsburg's vice president of research and historical interpretation.
He is the author of numerous books and articles on colonial America, including "A Land as God
Made It: Jamestown and the Birth of America" (2005)._

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Pilgrims settle at Plymouth
By Michael J. Tougias, Cobblestone Magazine, Cricket Media on 10.25.22
Word Count 929
Level MAX

The Pilgrims first arrived in Plymouth in November of 1620. They would only have a few months to prepare their new colony for the harsh
winter months in Massachusetts. Illustration: N. Currier/Library of Congress Illustration: N. Currier/Library of Congress

"Squanto went again unto [Massasoit], who brought word that we should send one to parley
with him, which we did, which was Edward Winslow, to know his mind, and to signify the
mind and will of our governor, which was to have trading and peace with him."

December is not a good month to be working outdoors in New England, and the Pilgrims had
plenty of work to do. On December 18, 1620, they went ashore at Plymouth in present-day
Massachusetts and "saw not an Indian nor an Indian house; only we found where formerly had
been some inhabitants, and where they had planted their corn." The Pilgrims were lucky to have

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found fields that were cleared already. If they had had to strip the land of trees in order to plant,
they might not have survived.

What the Pilgrims actually had discovered was land that belonged to the Patuxet Indians,
members of the Wampanoag Nation. It was uninhabited because the Indians had been wiped out
by diseases brought to America by European explorers and fishermen.

The Pilgrims spent their first few days in Plymouth exploring and discussing exactly where their
settlement should be built. Some thought it best to settle on an island in Plymouth Harbor because
it would be easier to defend. Ultimately, the Pilgrims chose the mainland "on a high ground, where
there is a great deal of land cleared...and there is a very sweet brook."

Construction began in late December. First, the Pilgrims built a lookout platform on a hilltop. Next
came a meeting house, followed by homes. Single men were grouped with existing families so
fewer homes had to be built. The plan was for the town to be laid out in "two rows of houses for
more safety."

Each man worked independently on his own home rather than together, "thinking by that course
[they] would make more haste." The frames of the houses were made of large timbers set about
three feet apart with wattle and daub between them. Wattle is made by setting small wooden posts
between the timbers to look like a ladder. Then small, flexible saplings or branches are woven
around the posts. This provides a sturdy base for the daub, which was a mixture of clay and straw.
The daub was packed into the wattle, filling the space between the timbers. Thatch was used for
the roofs.

The cold and wet winter began to take its toll. During the first three months, there were more
Pilgrims ill than there were healthy. Much of the town was built by only about ten of the healthiest
men and women. Before the winter was over, half the Pilgrims were dead from illnesses brought
on by exposure to the elements and general weakness.

The Pilgrims heard Indians in the distance or saw smoke from their fires on several occasions.
Then, on February 16, 1621, Indians were spotted near the partially completed settlement. They
took some tools that had been left in the woods by the Pilgrims. The following day, two Indian men
were seen on a nearby hill, motioning for the English to meet them. Two of the Pilgrims began to
move toward them, but the Indian men did not stay. It was clear to the Pilgrims that they were
under observation. The Indians outnumbered the Pilgrims and could have wiped out their village.
Instead, the Indians merely watched the European strangers.

The Indians saw that the settlers built square wooden houses rather than oval-shaped wigwams of
bark over a frame of poles. The European houses could not be taken apart and moved as the
wigwams could. The Indians probably realized that the newcomers were not going to move
between winter and summer grounds, as the native people often did.

Later, when the two cultures came in contact with each other,
the Wampanoag Indians observed that the Pilgrims had a more
restrictive society than their own, with individuals enjoying
fewer freedoms. The Wampanoag did not have jails, and
decisions concerning the tribes were made by reaching
agreement. Women often were in positions of influence among

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American Indian tribes. In Pilgrim society, however, religious Image 1. A reconstruction of a traditional
affiliation and class status played a role in who held power. In Wampanoag wigwam on the Plimoth

addition, indentured servants and hired men among the Patuxet Museums in Massachusetts. The

Pilgrims had little to say in the governing of the community. Wampanoag word for wigwam is "wetu."
Photo: Lidine Mia/Wikimedia Commons
Indian children also enjoyed more freedom than their Pilgrim
counterparts. Fewer restrictions were placed upon Indian
children by their parents. And, Indian elders were active in community decision making. Held in
honor by members of their tribe, the elderly were consulted on important matters. Indian custom
took advantage of their wisdom and experience.

The two cultures viewed land differently, as well. The Indians felt that land was not owned by any
one individual but was meant to be shared and worked by all. Land usage and rights became a
problem in later years when Europeans bought land from individuals who had no authority to sell
it. And when American Indians did allow Europeans to live in certain areas, they could not foresee
that this would mean the tribes would no longer be allowed to use the land for hunting, fishing and
gathering food. In the years to come, these factors would cause serious clashes between the two
communities.

Michael J. Tougias is an author who covers maritime, travel and adventure topics. Cobblestone
Magazine is a publication of Cricket Media.

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English colonies in the 17th century North
America
By Encyclopedia Britannica, adapted by Newsela staff, Encyclopaedia Britannica on 09.08.20
Word Count 72
Level MAX

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tk

English colonists tried to create settlements in North America

during the late 1500s. One example is the Roanoke Colony. It
was started on Roanoke Island, in what is now North Carolina.
The Roanoke Colony famously failed in 1587. The English were
more successful in the 1600s. They founded their first
permanent colony in 1607 in Jamestown, Virginia. This map
shows where English colonists settled during the 1600s.

Image 1. Map: Encyclopedia Britannica

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The New World: Jamestown and the "Starving
Time"
By , USHistory.org on 04.19.17
Word Count 478
Level MAX

Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement in America. This painting was done by National Park Service artist Sydney King.
Photo from: MPI/Getty Images.

The first joint-stock company to launch a lasting venture to the New World was the Virginia
Company of London. The investors had one goal in mind: gold. They hoped to repeat the success
of Spanish settlers, who found gold in South America and brought it back to the Spanish Empire.

Britain's King James I had granted the Virginia Company a

private charter, giving the company permission to set up a
colony in the New World. Individuals invested in the Virginia
Company to help fund the trip and the settlement. They hoped
to receive a huge profit in return.

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So 144 English men and boys sailed across the Atlantic Ocean.
In 1607, they established the Jamestown colony, named after
King James.

The colonists were told that if they did not generate any wealth,
financial support for their efforts would end. Many of the men
spent their days vainly searching for gold.

As a consequence, the colonists spent little time farming. Food

supplies dwindled. Malaria and the harsh winter besieged the
colonists as well. After the first year, only 38 of the original 144
had survived.
Image 1. A map of the land granted to the
"Work Or Starve" Virginia Company by a private charter from
King James I. Image from: Wikimedia
The colony may well have perished had it not been for the Commons.
leadership of John Smith. He imposed strict discipline on the
colonists. "Work or starve" was his motto, and each colonist was
required to spend four hours per day farming.

An accidental gunpowder burn forced Smith to return to England in 1609. After his departure, the
colony endured even more hardships. A new boatload of colonists and supplies sank off the coast
of Bermuda on its way to help the hungry settlement. The winter of 1609-10, known as the
"Starving Time," may have been the worst of all.

Disease and hunger ravaged Jamestown. Two desperate colonists were tied to posts and left to
starve as punishment for raiding the colonies' stores. One colonist even took to cannibalism,
eating his own wife. The fate of the venture was precarious. Yet still more colonists arrived, and
their numbers included women.

Despite the introduction of tobacco cultivation, the colony was a

failure as a financial venture. The king declared the Virginia
Company bankrupt in 1624.

About 200,000 British pounds were lost among the investors.

The charter was thereby revoked, and Virginia became a royal
colony, the first in America to be ruled by the Crown.

Investments in permanent settlements were risky indeed. The Image 2. The colonists at Jamestown tried
merchants and gentry paid with their pocketbooks. Many growing tobacco. This valuable crop did not
colonists paid with their lives. For every six colonists who bring in enough money to keep the colony
ventured across the Atlantic, only one survived. running as a business. Image from:
Wikimedia Commons.

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Questions for the following readings:

Settlement: Jamestown and the Founding of English America

1.What happened when the English tried its third attempt at making a colony in America?

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2. What types of dangers would the English settlers faced when they settled in the region?

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3. Why was Jamestown dying in 1607?

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4. How did Jamestown manage to become successful?

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The New World: Jamestown and the Starving Time

1. What was the Virginia Company of London’s main goal in the New World?

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2. Why did most of the original colonists died after the first year?
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3. What happened during the period known as the “Starving Time?”

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4. Why was investment in permanent settlements risky?

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 The Mayflower Compact: A first step on the road for independence

1. What is the Mayflower Compact?

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2. Why did the colonist leaders create the Mayflower Compact?

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3. Why is the Mayflower Compact important?

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English colonies in the 17th century North America (map)

1. Look at the map, what do you noticed about the colonist settlement patterns?
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2. Why are there no settlements west of the Allegheny Mts?

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Pilgrims settle at Plymouth

1. Why do you think December was not a good month to work outdoors in New England?
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2. What happened as the Pilgrims began to build during the winter month?
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3. What did the Wampanoag Indians noticed as they observed the Pilgrims?
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