The Birth of Jamestown

Algonquian Indians

• Native to Virginia before British settlement

• Skilled hunters and farmers

• Lead by Chief Powhatan

• Unsure of what to think of the British settlers at first

Church of England

• Created by King Henry VIII

• Introduced Protestantism which gave large amounts of land to noblemen

• This lead to an increase in poverty

• The New World became a place to send those who could not prosper in England

The Virgin Queen

Sir Raleigh named the new found land Virginia, after Queen Elizabeth, The Virgin Queen

Roanoke Colony

• Roanoke was initially founded by Philip Armadas and Arthur Barlowe in 1584

• Ralph Lane was then sent to govern the colony.

• When Governor John White was sent to start a new colony, but found no one at the site.

• A new colony was started, and when the Indians provided little help, John White set off back to England for help

• When he returned 3 years later, the settlement had vanished and only the word “Croatoan” was carved in a tree

The Virginia Company of London

• Advertised the New World as a place to prosper in order to bring people to Virginia

Christopher Newport

• In 1607 Christopher Newport landed in present day Virginia Beach• In order to protect themselves from the Spanish, they moved up the James River• Named their settlement Jamestown after King James I

Jamestown

• No source of fresh water• “Gentlemen” who

lacked useful skills • Settlers relied on John

Smith to help trade with the Indians, and Chief Powhatan

Pocahontas and John Smith

Although Disney betrayed a romantic relationship between the two, most historians believe this was not true

Shortage of Supplies

• Settlers were running out of supplies

• Some said to eat dogs, rats, and there are even signs of cannibalism

• Ships finally arrived but only 60 of 500 men were left

John Rolfe• Saved the colony • Introduced tobacco as

a cash crop• Married Pocahontas • Lead to a functional

society with in Jamestown

Importance of Jamestown

• Although the colonists made many mistakes, they ultimately figured out how to make a colony work.

• This opened the doors to Virginia as well as the formation of the United States.

The End