Jamestown, Virginia – First Successful English Settlement
Jamestown, Virginia, stands as a pivotal location in the narrative of North American history, recognized as the site of the first permanent English settlement on the continent. Its establishment marks a significant chapter in the story of the United States, representing the genesis of the language, customs, and legal systems that underpin much of American society. While earlier European settlements existed, Jamestown laid a foundational cornerstone for the nation that would eventually emerge. The story of Jamestown, Virginia, is one of hardship, resilience, and ultimately, survival.
Prior to the arrival of the English colonists, the land that would become Jamestown, Virginia had been home to indigenous peoples for millennia. Archaeological findings indicate Native American presence in the region stretching back over 10,000 years. These communities had long utilized the area for hunting, agriculture, and settlement. While the Vikings had explored North America centuries earlier, followed by Christopher Columbus and other European explorers, England was a relatively late entrant in the race for colonial expansion.
England’s initial attempt at establishing a foothold in the New World came with the ill-fated Roanoke Colony in 1587. This venture ended in mystery, with the entire colony vanishing without a trace, earning it the moniker "The Lost Colony." Undeterred, England embarked on another attempt two decades later, resulting in the founding of Jamestown, Virginia in 1607. This time, the endeavor was backed by a joint-stock company known as the Virginia Company, a business enterprise seeking to profit from the resources and opportunities of the New World.
The journey to Jamestown, Virginia began on December 6, 1606, when three ships – the Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery – set sail from England, carrying 104 English men and boys across the Atlantic. After a long and arduous voyage, the ships reached the shores of North America in early 1607. The colonists began searching for a suitable location to establish their settlement, ultimately selecting a site along the James River on May 13, 1607. They named their settlement Jamestown, in honor of King James I of England.
The location of Jamestown, Virginia was strategically chosen based on specific criteria laid out by the Virginia Company. The site was surrounded by water on three sides (though not yet a complete island), offering a natural defense against potential attacks, particularly from the Spanish, who were already established in other parts of the Americas. Its location further inland also provided a measure of security. The river was deep enough to allow the English ships to dock directly at the shoreline. Importantly, the site was seemingly uninhabited by Native Americans at the time of the colonists’ arrival.
Once the site was selected, the instructions from the Virginia Company were revealed. These instructions included a list of council members appointed by the company to govern the new colony. The names had been kept secret until the site was chosen. Captain Edward Maria Wingfield was designated as the first president of the Virginia colony. The other six council members were Bartholomew Gosnold, Christopher Newport, John Martin, John Ratcliffe, George Kendall, and Captain John Smith, all individuals who would play crucial roles in the colony’s early history.
By June 15, 1607, the colonists had constructed a fort, a triangular structure with bulwarks at each corner, equipped with four or five cannons. This fort provided a degree of protection against potential attacks from the local Powhatan Indians, whose traditional hunting lands the colonists now occupied. The relationship between the English and the Powhatan had been complex and fraught with tension since the colonists’ arrival. On June 22nd, Captain Christopher Newport sailed back to England to obtain more supplies and resources for the fledgling settlement.
Initially, the Powhatan Indians had extended a welcoming hand to the new settlers, providing them with food and supplies, including maize. However, the English colonists, many of whom were not accustomed to manual labor and lacked the skills necessary for farming, soon became reliant on the Powhatan for sustenance. As their own food supplies dwindled, the English began to demand more and more from the natives, leading to a rapid deterioration of relations and escalating into conflict.
Shortly after Captain Newport’s departure, the colonists began to succumb to disease. The river water, often brackish or contaminated, contributed to widespread illness. Many colonists died from dysentery, malaria, fever, and famine. Conflicts with the Powhatan Indians also resulted in casualties. Food shortages became increasingly severe. Despite the deteriorating relations, Chief Powhatan initially attempted to assist the English by sending gifts of food. Without this assistance, the Jamestown, Virginia settlement might not have survived its first few years.
By late 1609, the relationship between the Powhatan Indians and the English had reached a breaking point. The English were demanding more food during a period of drought, further straining the already limited resources of the Powhatan. The winter of 1609-1610 became known as the "Starving Time." The colonists, fearful of attacks by the Powhatan, were reluctant to leave the confines of the fort. Facing starvation, they resorted to desperate measures, consuming animals, leather from their shoes and belts, and even engaging in cannibalism after the deaths of their fellow settlers. By early 1610, an estimated 80-90% of the Jamestown immigrants had perished due to starvation and disease.
In May 1610, a glimmer of hope arrived in the form of shipwrecked settlers who had been stranded in Bermuda. These survivors, part of a fleet sent the previous fall, had managed to build two boats on Bermuda and sail to Jamestown. Sir Thomas Gates, the newly appointed governor, arrived to find Jamestown, Virginia in ruins: the fort’s palisades were torn down, the gates were off their hinges, and food stores were virtually nonexistent. The decision was made to abandon the settlement. However, less than a day after leaving, Gates and the Jamestown survivors encountered news of an incoming fleet, bringing their new governor, Lord Delaware. The colonists returned to Jamestown, renewing their commitment to the colony.
In 1612, John Rolfe, one of the survivors of the Bermuda shipwreck, played a key role in transforming the settlement into a viable and profitable enterprise. Rolfe introduced a new strain of tobacco, cultivated from seeds he had brought with him. This tobacco proved to be highly desirable in Europe, and it quickly became the cash crop that the Virginia Company had desperately sought, finally offering a return on their investment in Jamestown, Virginia.
A significant milestone in the development of representative government occurred on July 30, 1619, when Governor Yeardley convened the first representative legislative assembly in the colony. This assembly, known as the House of Burgesses, marked the beginning of representative government in what would later become the United States of America. In the same year, the first documented Africans were brought to Virginia on a Dutch privateer ship. Approximately 20 Africans were traded to the English colonists in exchange for food. These individuals were forced into labor, providing the human resources needed to cultivate the labor-intensive tobacco crop.
Also in 1619, the Virginia Company recruited and transported over 90 women to Jamestown to become wives of the English immigrants, fostering the establishment of families. Although some women had arrived in previous years, it was not until 1619 that the establishment of families became a central focus.
The fragile peace between the English and the Powhatan, facilitated in part by Pocahontas’s marriage to John Rolfe, came to an end in 1622. Opechancanough, the paramount chief, launched a coordinated attack against the English settlements, motivated by the increasing encroachment of the English on Powhatan lands. Jamestown was spared from the initial attack due to a warning from a Powhatan boy living among the English; however, approximately 350-400 of the 1,200 settlers in the area were killed. After the attack, the Powhatan withdrew, expecting the English to either learn their lesson or abandon the colony. When the English regrouped and retaliated, a decade of fighting ensued until a precarious peace was established in 1632.
On May 24, 1624, King James I revoked the Virginia Company’s charter due to significant financial problems and political maneuvering. Virginia became a royal colony, remaining under royal control until the Revolutionary War. This change in governance did not alter the English policy toward the Powhatan Indians. Despite the declared peace in 1632, English encroachment on Powhatan lands continued unabated as more settlers arrived.
In April 1644, Chief Opechancanough orchestrated another coordinated attack, resulting in the deaths of another 350-400 of the 8,000 settlers in the region. The attack ended when Opechancanough was captured in 1646, taken to Jamestown, and killed by a guard. His successor later signed the first treaties with the English, effectively making the Powhatan Indians subjects of the English Crown.
Bacon’s Rebellion in 1676 brought further turmoil to Jamestown. Settlers, dissatisfied with the Navigation Acts that restricted tobacco sales to English merchants, high taxes, and attacks by Native Americans on outlying plantations, rallied behind Nathaniel Bacon. Bacon raised a force of approximately 1,000 settlers to address the perceived "Indian Problem." Bacon compelled Governor Berkeley to grant him a commission to attack the Native Americans responsible for the attacks. However, Bacon and his followers made no distinction between tribes hostile to the English and those allied with them. Governor Berkeley declared Bacon a rebel, sparking a civil war in the colony. In September, Bacon and his followers set fire to Jamestown, destroying 16 to 18 houses, the church, and the statehouse. The rebellion ended with Bacon’s death in October. Subsequently, many rebels were captured, and Governor Berkeley executed 23 of them.
Following Bacon’s Rebellion, another treaty was signed between the English and various Virginian tribes. This treaty, encompassing more tribes than the treaty of 1646, established further reservation lands and reinforced the annual tribute payment of fish and game that the tribes were required to make to the English.
In 1698, another fire struck Jamestown, ignited by a prisoner awaiting execution in the nearby prison. The fire destroyed the prison and the statehouse, though many public records were salvaged. In 1699, the government and capital were relocated from Jamestown to Middle Plantation, which was renamed Williamsburg in honor of King William III. A new Capitol building and "Governor’s Palace" were constructed in Williamsburg in the following years.
With the relocation of the capital to Williamsburg, the town of Jamestown gradually declined, though farmers continued to live on the island. Residents in the area attended services at Jamestown’s church until the 1750s, when it, too, was abandoned.
Today, Jamestown Island is a National Historic Site where visitors can walk in the footsteps of Captain John Smith, Pocahontas, and the other early settlers of the first successful English colony.
Preserved by the National Park Service and Preservation Virginia, the National Historic Site features an archaeological museum called the Archaearium, along with guided and self-guided tours. Key sites include the location of the original 1607 James Fort, the 17th-century church tower, and the site of the 17th-century town. Visitors can also tour the Jamestown Glasshouse, where glass is produced using techniques similar to those employed centuries ago. The site is part of the Colonial National Historical Park, offering views of both Old Towne and New Towne, located east of the fort and first surveyed in the 1620s.
Due to its strategic location, Jamestown was utilized during the American Revolution. The Battle of Green Spring took place a short distance from Jamestown. During the Civil War, Confederate forces occupied Jamestown and fortified it with five earthworks.
More Information:
Jamestown National Historic Site
P.O. Box 210
Yorktown, Virginia 23690
757-856-1200