The First Jamestown Colony

Jamestown Virginia was the first successful British colony in the new world this is because of the leaders and determination of the settlers. It took many failed chances from a lot of different leaders. It cost endless amounts of money and lives. The transatlantic area was still widely unknown and there was no way they could prepare for he challenges ahead. It took a lot of help from the local Native Americans however it also would be their conflicts with these Native Americans that made their time difficult. Not to mention weather and food would prove to be another obstacle. England also seem to have way too much going on in their homelands to really focus on Jamestown and other colonies that would develop later. During the efforts to make …show more content…
The middle class men did not want to work and even worse they were demanding. In four months no work had been done to build a colony and survive and by July there was a man dying every day. A sickness referred to as the bloody flux bowel movement had plagued the colony. It is understood that with the combination of bad food and dirty water caused such painful and gruesome deaths. Once it got to November of 1607 there was only half the crew left alive and attempts to make things better remain undone. They would actually take the help of chief Powhatan. He was local Native American leader. John smith who was in charge of security and also arrested on the trip to Virginia would step it up and attempt to save the colony by going to see Powhatan personally. John seen that his was necessary to survive longer at Jamestown. John Smith left his men with the boat and strongly urged them to stay at the boat but they chose to and were killed. John smith almost was killed by Powhatan but his daughter Pocohantis actually saved him. One he was released he walked back to Jamestown, Smith had established he was fit for leadership of the colony. Smith manage to implement rules that require all to work or they do not get to eat. Smith was the first real successful leader of Jamestown. Smith managed to keep the peace under strict rule but Powhatan wanted the settlers to leave their lands. When …show more content…
The company started offer 50 acres of land and 12 pounds 10 chiling to live at Jamestown. On top of that they offered an extra 50 acres if that settler from more people with them. This process became known as The Headright System. They aimed to have more farmers this time so the community could grow and be more productive but the people answering the ads were not interested in being a farmer. Economically Jamestown was successful and settlers across the ocean saw this. Competition with other new towns were soon to come. By November 1618 there was a new governor named George Yeardley whose jobs was to institute economic changes. One of the first things he did as governor was call on a meeting called House of Burgesses on July 30, 1619. About 22 men showed up to this meeting and it was there where they establish the first local laws and also a tax law was applied to tobacco to bring in revenue to the