JAMESTOWN COLONY

--The early years of Jamestown were extremely difficult for the settlers—the weather was humid, hot in the summer and freezing in the winters & it was mosquito infested

--The men that came to the colony were trained artisans and they did not know how to build a colony from the ground up ( such as farm, fish and hunt)

--They spent the early years in search for gold (something that was nonexistent in their territory)

--During the first few harsh winter the local native Americans helped the struggling colonists live off the land

--While the colonists were struggling the Virginia company was failing to provide the colony with guidance

--John Smith a trained English soldier began to take charge and run the colony– he impressed the Virginia company and they placed him in charge

--Hardships continued and the tensions with the natives increased

--John Rolfe discovered tobacco—this was a major turning point in history—cultivation increased and soon it became the settlers “gold”

Men who were more suited to labor came over

--In 1619 the people formed their own form of self government—the house of burgesses—it allowed settlers to choose advisers for the governor

--Also in 1619 the first women came to Jamestown

--In 1624 the king revoked the London company and its charter and make Jamestown a royal colony

*This later became known as the Virginia Colony*