Jamestown, sponsored by the Virginia Company, became the first permanent English Colony in America in 1607. Settlers created numerous enterprises to generate a profit for the company, however none of their endeavors were successful. The colonist would be at constant war with the Indians who lived in the area. John Rolfe, an English settler, met with Powhatan, the Indian chief, to seek a truce. Wolfe would later marry Powhatan’s daughter, Pocahontas. This marriage helped establish peace among the groups. The Indians also introduced tobacco to the colonists, which would become the cash crop that would help solidify the colony’s economy. Virginia’s efforts to become a successful colony would help spark the business of the Atlantic slave trade.
