What Challenges Did Explorers and Colonists Face in What Became North America from the 1580’s Until the 1630’s?
Caleb McKinney
Kris Erskine
HIST 154
8/14/14
Explorers are the astronauts of old. They took a step onto an unknown world, risking their lives in the name of glory, freedom, and wealth. They found new lands, met new people, lost lives, and gained enormous wealth. Their courage gave people new opportunities and opened up the world for those that otherwise couldn’t progress. These enormous gains from around 1580 to 1630; however, did not come without a price. The geography, profitability, food, diseases, Indians, and climate all proved to be major challenges in their quest in the new world. Although …show more content…
Edward Winslow describes November 11 in his journal, “...after many difficulties in boisterous storms…we came to an anchor in the bay, which is a good harbor and pleasant bay, circled round, except in the entrance…” It proved to be a huge challenge for the pilgrims to maneuver without geographical knowledge. It was a miracle that the colonists even found a safe harbor in the geographical haze created by storms and lack of information. The bay the pilgrims landed in is described as, “…a harbor wherein 1000 sail of ships may safely ride.” This harbor was an expedition-changing discovery for without knowledge of geography, ships and explorations could easily be destroyed. This happened because the cartography in the hands of explorers was either outdated or non-existent. Only the natives in the area could provide them with reliable geographical information. The explorers had a tremendous disadvantage due to these topographical …show more content…
While often for just causes, these attacks nonetheless proved to be a considerable challenge for the colonists, specifically in Jamestown. John Smith records one such instance and declares, “For wronging a soldier but the value of a penny, I have caused Powhatan send his own men to James Town…they shot me, slue three of my men, and by the folly of them that fled took me prisoner.” This describes the famous moment where John Smith is taken by the Virginia Algonquin Indians. In the Indian village where he is taken, the tribe prepares to execute the colonial leader. Whether he was actually saved by Pocahontas or the whole thing was a mock execution, historians aren’t sure, but it demonstrates the violence that raged from time to time between the occupiers of the new world.
In the colony of Roanoke, Indians also had violent encounters with colonists. During a meeting to discuss trade, the natives turned against the Europeans. In the account it states, “…but whilest one of those Savages traiterously imbraced one of our men, the other with his sworde of wood, which he had secretly hidden under his mantell, strooke him on the head and slew him.” This shocked the colonists who then ran. This expedition headed up by Sir Walter Raleigh had run into an unexpected twist. Explorers found that predicting Indian actions was
Caleb McKinney
Kris Erskine
HIST 154
8/14/14
Explorers are the astronauts of old. They took a step onto an unknown world, risking their lives in the name of glory, freedom, and wealth. They found new lands, met new people, lost lives, and gained enormous wealth. Their courage gave people new opportunities and opened up the world for those that otherwise couldn’t progress. These enormous gains from around 1580 to 1630; however, did not come without a price. The geography, profitability, food, diseases, Indians, and climate all proved to be major challenges in their quest in the new world. Although …show more content…
Edward Winslow describes November 11 in his journal, “...after many difficulties in boisterous storms…we came to an anchor in the bay, which is a good harbor and pleasant bay, circled round, except in the entrance…” It proved to be a huge challenge for the pilgrims to maneuver without geographical knowledge. It was a miracle that the colonists even found a safe harbor in the geographical haze created by storms and lack of information. The bay the pilgrims landed in is described as, “…a harbor wherein 1000 sail of ships may safely ride.” This harbor was an expedition-changing discovery for without knowledge of geography, ships and explorations could easily be destroyed. This happened because the cartography in the hands of explorers was either outdated or non-existent. Only the natives in the area could provide them with reliable geographical information. The explorers had a tremendous disadvantage due to these topographical …show more content…
While often for just causes, these attacks nonetheless proved to be a considerable challenge for the colonists, specifically in Jamestown. John Smith records one such instance and declares, “For wronging a soldier but the value of a penny, I have caused Powhatan send his own men to James Town…they shot me, slue three of my men, and by the folly of them that fled took me prisoner.” This describes the famous moment where John Smith is taken by the Virginia Algonquin Indians. In the Indian village where he is taken, the tribe prepares to execute the colonial leader. Whether he was actually saved by Pocahontas or the whole thing was a mock execution, historians aren’t sure, but it demonstrates the violence that raged from time to time between the occupiers of the new world.
In the colony of Roanoke, Indians also had violent encounters with colonists. During a meeting to discuss trade, the natives turned against the Europeans. In the account it states, “…but whilest one of those Savages traiterously imbraced one of our men, the other with his sworde of wood, which he had secretly hidden under his mantell, strooke him on the head and slew him.” This shocked the colonists who then ran. This expedition headed up by Sir Walter Raleigh had run into an unexpected twist. Explorers found that predicting Indian actions was