Jamestown: The Birthplace of America

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In the spring of 1607, three ships—the Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery—anchored along the banks of the James River. Out stepped a small group of about 144 English sailors and settlers,* weary from their months-long journey but filled with hope. Their mission: to establish the first permanent English settlement in the New World. They named their new home Jamestown, after King James I, and unknowingly laid the foundation for what would become the birthplace of America and the Commonwealth of Virginia because of its endurance from 1607.**

* Link includes a list of 104 settlers who stayed behind in 1609.
** Popham Colony in Maine was established in 1607, but quickly failed.
NOTE: Most individuals in this blog are linked to their profiles at Wikitree, a genealogical site.

Jamestown at a Glance: The Facts

  • What was the settlers' plan?

    • The Virginia Company of London, which financed the initial expedition, aimed to profit from the New World by finding gold and establishing trade routes. Many settlers believed they would find immediate wealth, but The Virginia Company of London knew that belief was a little high-flying.

      "To make shares more marketable, the Virginia Company changed its sales pitch. Instead of promising instant returns and vast profits for investors, the Company exploited patriotic sentiment and national pride. A stockholder was assured that his purchase of shares would help build the might of England, to make her the superpower she deserved to be. The heathen natives would be converted to the proper form of Christianity, the Church of England. People out of work could find employment in the New World. The standard of living would increase across the nation. How could any good, patriotic Englander resist?" ~ From The Virginia Company of London by the National Park Service.

  • Where was Jamestown originally located?

    • Jamestown was established on a small peninsula (now an island) along the James River in present-day southeastern Virginia. The site was chosen for its defensible position against potential Spanish attacks, though it was swampy and prone to disease.
    • The original settlement was roughly triangular in shape and included a fort that spanned approximately one acre, surrounded by palisades.

  • How did the settlers survive?

    • Survival was difficult due to disease, starvation, and tense relations with the Powhatan people. The settlers endured thanks to occasional aid from the Powhatan Confederacy, supplies from England, and the eventual cultivation of tobacco, which became a profitable export over a decade after their arrival.
    • Two-thirds of the settlers died within the first year and before the second ships arrived with supplies and Polish and German craftsmen. Those craftsmen brought manufacturing skills with them, mainly glass.
    • Upon arrival, the settlers built a fort within one month, from May to June in 1607, as tribes from the Powhatan Confederacy attacked the settlers. It was located on the northeast bank of the James River, about 2.5 mi (4 km) southwest of present-day Williamsburg. The fort was established by the London Company as "James Fort" on May 4, 1607 O.S. (May 14, 1607 N.S.), and considered permanent, after brief abandonment in 1610.
    • Not much remains of the site. Learn more about the fort from Jamestown Rediscovery.

  • Why Jamestown?

    • The location was chosen strategically: it offered a deep water port for their ships and was inland enough to be hidden from Spanish patrols along the coast. The settlers believed the site would provide protection and a solid foundation for their colony.
    • Reality set in during the first decade when the colony experienced the worst drought the area had seen in over 700 years. The settlers were not farmers, and the drought depleted some of the Powhatan food supplies, so tensions ran high. Also, the drought drastically affected freshwater availability and agriculture, making survival even more challenging. The brackish water of the James River likely became more saline due to lower river flow, worsening the colonists’ struggles with drinking water. That brackish water also led to mosquito infestations.

Conclusion: Jamestown’s Legacy

Life in Jamestown for the first few years and beyond was anything but easy. Harsh winters, tense relationships with the Powhatan people, and the ever-present threat of starvation turned this experiment in colonization into a test of sheer survival. Yet, against all odds, Jamestown endured. Tobacco soon became the lifeblood of the colony, fueling its growth and attracting settlers eager to seek their fortunes.

From these humble beginnings, Jamestown sparked a transformation that led to the development of shires in 1634, eventually evolving into Virginia’s counties. It was here that the roots of democracy took hold with the establishment of the House of Burgesses in 1619, a precursor to representative government in America.

Jamestown is more than a story of survival; it is the starting point of Virginia's rich tapestry of history, a legacy that echoes through the state’s people and places to this day.

Illustrations:

  • Map of Jamestown by Aude, self-made, map data from National Atlas (USGS).
  • List of individuals on the second arrival ship in 1608, by Captain John Smith - The Proceedings and Accidents of the English Colony in Virginia (1624), Public Domain, From page 445 "The Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles", by Capt. John Smith. You can find the digital version of the Captain's book at Documenting the American South.
Links for further history and information:


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