If not for the Powhatan Indians help in the early years, the settlement would most likely have failed, as the English would have died from the various diseases or simply starved.īy late 1609, the relationship between the Powhatan Indians and the English had soured as the English were demanding too much food during a drought. Food was running low, though then Chief Powhatan starting to send gifts of food to help the English. They were dying from swellings, fluxes, fevers, by famine, and sometimes by wars.
They were drinking water from the salty or slimy river, which was one of several things that caused the death of many. Not long after Captain Newport left, the settlers began to succumb to a variety of diseases. On June 22, Captain Newport left for England to get more supplies for the new settlement. Relations had already been mixed between the newcomers and the Powhatan Indians. The settlers were now protected against any attacks that might occur from the local Powhatan Indians, whose hunting land they were living on. It was triangle shaped with a bulwark at each corner, holding four or five pieces of artillery. The other six council members were: Bartholomew Gosnold, Christopher Newport, John Martin, John Ratcliffe, George Kendall, and John Smith.īy June 15, the fort was completed. The first President of the new Virginia colony was to be Edward Maria Winfield. The names were kept in a sealed box on the ship (each ship had a sealed copy). Once the spot was chosen the instructions sent by the Virginia Company, with the list of the council members (chosen by officials in England), was read. The water was also deep enough that the English could tie their ships at the shoreline - good parking! The site was also not inhabited by the Native population.
The site was surrounded by water on three sides (it was not fully an island yet) and was far inland both meant it was easily defensible against possible Spanish attacks. The site for Jamestown was picked for several reasons, all of which met criteria the Virginia Company, who funded the settlement, said to follow in picking a spot for the settlement. The settlement became the first permanent English settlement in North America. On May 13 they picked Jamestown, Virginia for their settlement, which was named after their King, James I. In 1607, 104 English men and boys arrived in North America to start a settlement. On December 6, 1606, the journey to Virginia began on three ships: the Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery.
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