We as a group have found from our research that , the settlers of Jamestown discovered nothing of value to start their settlement, they grew tobacco in an attempt to save the colony and it flourished. Tobacco became their sole source of economic drive and Jamestown began to develop after adopting the mono-crop.
But Jamestown’s sole dependency on tobacco would end up being their biggest mistake. The vast majority of the Jamestown settlers were tobacco farmers and little else in society developed. Even the indentured servants had land marked where they planned to grow their tobacco when free. The larger landholders dominated the smaller farmers and the one item of trade they had began to be regulated by Parliament.
The navigation act in 1660 further crippled the smaller farmer as specific goods, including tobacco be sold only to Parliament. When the settlers were no longer able to sell to higher demanding buyers like the Dutch, they began to struggle more. It was possible for the colonists to slip past the English law still, but when war broke out between England and the Netherlands, trade became impossible.
Early Jamestown Climate
Ryan Gaubert and Virgilio Santana
Climate Of Jamestown
- The climate of Jamestown was far from what English settlers were used to
- The summers were filled with tropical humidity breeding mosquitoes and flies
- The winters were bitter cold
- 1607-1608 the settlers were faced with a cruel winter historians call “The Little Ice Age”
- The settlers faced harsh winters but also the worst drought that had occurred in 800 years which lasted from 1606-1612
- This caused low quality drinking water and difficult growing seasons
Settlers
- What little crops that the settlers were able to grow died
- Many settlers died due to starvation
- Because of the conditions they had to face from 1609-1610 that was called “The Starving Time”
- Forced to raid and steal from the Natives
- The settlers struggled until food supplies were replenished by English ships
Natives
- Had to deal with the new settlers
- They were confronted by the same weather patterns
- They grew more than tobacco and were more capable of suffering harsh weather
- Natives dealt with constant settlers stealing their food and supplies
Bibliography
The Virginia Killing Fields
James McCloskey and Teyonna Hopson
The Virginia Killing Fields
- They were not actually fields at all
- The name referrers more to the burden of plantation society and harsh conditions
- They lead to most deaths of indentured servants
- 15,000 of about 120,000 indentured servants who settled in Virginia and Maryland in the seventeenth century died
- That is a 1 in 8 chance of surviving as an indentured servant
Living & Working Conditions
- The conditions were brutal and horrible
- Very unsanitary
- Most of the indentured servants were adult and white
- They were treated worse than slaves more often than not
- Many females fell victim to sexual abuse
- Females were given only the food they needed to survive
- More often than not, not even that much was given
- Indentured servants who attempted escape had their term extended much longer than expected.
Climate's Influence
- Indentured servants had work through snow, heat , rain, or any other kind of weather
- They were not used to the difference in weather than in England
- They were often so tired and weak some died while working in the fields
Disease
- Unsanitary working/living conditions and the climate all contributed
- Many diverse diseases came about that the indentured servants weren't used to
- Settlers couldn't treat the condition they were in
- Malaria, dysentery, and typhoid were the most prominent
- These diseases took 10 years off the life expectancy of all of the settlers
Important Historical People Of Jamestown
Cindy Malaymeuang and Eric Schulte
POCAHONTAS A.K.A. Matoaka (c. 1595-1617)
Pocahontas was one of the most famous Indians of her time. She became well known due to her encounter with John Smith. She saved his life several times from being murdered by the Indians. She was captured and during her captivity she converted to Christianity and became Rebecca[1]. She later ends up marrying John Rolfe and having a son name Thomas[2]. She lived her life traveling around England and promoting Virginia settlement[3].
Chief Powhatan was a well-respected leader of the Powhatan Confederacy. He was a smart leader with a plan. He was unhappy with all the settlers coming in, but he knew that their weapons would be a gain for his people. He played nice with the settlers, but at the same time planning small attacks to see their defenses[4]. 
Opechancanough was born a Powhatan. Historians are questioning if he and Don Luis de Velasco, an Indian taken back to Spain and was taught the language and European customs, could possibly be the same man[5]. After his brother Chief Powhatan passed he took charge of the tribe and led them to many wars against the colonists. In his last war he was captured and killed by a guard[6].
Captain John Smith became one of the council members of the Jamestown settlement[7]. He is known for telling stories of princesses saving his life numerous times[8]. He showed his leadership skills when they colonists were starving and he forced them all to work in produce food for survival[9]. He eventually loses his status and high tails it back to England where he continued to promote Virginia settlement[10].
JOHN ROLFE (1585-1622)John Rolfe married numerous times and Pocahontas happened to be one of his wives. His marriage to her was thought to have created peace between Indians and Englishmen. He was known for introducing tobacco, that he brought from the Caribbean, to Virginia[11]. He spent his entire life trying to perfect the crop.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ayers, Edward L., et al. American Passages A History of the United States Volume I: To 1877. 4 ed. Boston, MA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2010.
Blanchard, Jacqueline. “Who is the Success of Jamestown Really Owed To?.” NIAHD Journals (2009). http:// Niahd.wm.edu/?browse=entry&id=11711 (accessed February 12, 2011).
"John Rolfe." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 2004. http://www.enotes.com/topic/John_Rolfe (accessed February 11, 2011).
Tom. “Like Avatar, Only Without Aliens.” (2010). http://londonparticulars.wordpress.com/2010/03/17/like-avatar-only-without-aliens/ (accessed February 13, 2011).
University of Virginia Press. “Pocahontas, Powhatan, Opechancanough:
Three Indian Lives Changed by Jamestown.” 2006. http://www.upress.virginia.edu/books/rountree.html (accessed February 9, 2011).
Virtual Jamestown. (1998), http://www.virtualjamestown.org/biog.html (accessed February 10, 2011).
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