Early Jamestown Why Did So Many Colonists Die Essay

DBQ: Why did so many colonists die at Jamestown? The king of England, (James I) sent 3 ships in 1607 carrying 100+ people to Jamestown, Virginia. They all hoped to become rich, find gold, and get their own piece of land. This was going to be the 1st permanent english settlement in the new world.

There were 110 men willing to risk everything they had to have a new lease on life. These men were headed to Jamestown, the first permanent settlement. By the end of December only 40 settlers would survive. So, why did so many colonist die?

Colonists died in early Jamestown because of the three problems. These problems were drought, lack of skills, and conflict with Natives. The first reason Jamestown colonists died was due to the drought. David Stahle created a chart on the amount of rain in Jamestown between 1560-1650 (doc.B).

The colonist weren’t received with a nice welcome; instead they face an attack from the natives on their first night in Jamestown. Many of the colonists would die due to disease and starvation. They would have to learn how to feed each other and adjust to the climate. In addition, the natives were

People on the ship said Jamestown had “fair meadows and godly trees”. But Jamestown was in a swamp. You can see where this is going. By the time they arrived freshwater was very scarce, meaning you couldn't get any. Getting rid of waste was also a problem, as it tended to fester instead of flushing away.

Finally, ashore in Jamestown dozen of English deceased from starvation or diseases. Because the English settlers were not self-sustaining they could not survived the change in their form of life.

In Jamestown, Virginia 110 people came from England in the spring of 1607 looking to make money off of gold that was rumored to be there. On their way settlers drifted North leading to a colder winter than expected which gave them a very hard time. By the time it was December there were only 40 people left. Many of the Colonists died because of the diseases caused by pollution in their water, unreliable food sources, and a bad drought that got explorers off on the wrong foot. The year of 1607 was not a good year for colonists to start fresh in Jamestown, Virginia.

As the 100 settlers came across Chesapeake Bay on May 14th, 1607. They named this settlement “Jamestown”. Shortly after they settled, Native Americans attacked and killed some colonists. Near the same time, people are getting sick from disease, which leads to the winter “Starving Time”, taking the lives of many starved. So, why did so many Jamestown Colonists die?

My first piece of evidence is the environment. The position where Jamestown is in a saltwater transition, and the document also states that because of the tides, the human waste festered, making the saltwater contaminated (Document A). Some more evidence is the lack of food abundance, making it harder to fish or hunt (Document A). Another

At least a half-dozen accounts, by people who lived through the period or spoke to colonists who did, describe occasional acts of cannibalism that winter. They include reports of corpses being exhumed and eaten, a husband killing his wife and salting her flesh (for which he was executed), and the mysterious disappearance of foraging colonists. The Starving Time at Jamestown in the Colony of Virginia was a period of starvation during the winter of 1609–1610 in which all but 60 of 214 colonists died. The colonists, the first group of whom had originally arrived at Jamestown on May 14, 1607, had never planned to grow all of their own food.

During 1607-1611, early Jamestown colonists died to many reasons like starvation, occupations, and drought. Colonists did not have many resources to live a long life. That is why they died so fast through 1607-1611. Colonists died because they tried to find a new settlement for more land so they can have more resources and for a stronger defense, but instead they got attacked and there was not a lot of food there to feed them all. Colonists died by attacks by Indians.

This was mostly because of the conflicts between the Jamestown settlers and the Indians. There was also a need to help the planters because of the

Some of the deaths of these colonists were caused by freezing to death, some of the deaths were caused by starvation because the animals that they ate where scarce and hibernating and some of the nuts and berries that they gathered were covered in snow. Also many colonists died because of diseases from europe and diseases from the lack of sanitation in the New World. One substantially important difference between Plymouth

Coming to the New World with little knowledge was difficult for those like Captain John Smith and William Bradford. Both men came to the Americas in search of new land and a better place. They were both English and had Christian faith. Although they both wanted to take over the New World they each had their reason on coming to the New World. Their trip to the New World was difficult due to the struggles with diseases and the lack of supplies they had.

The Natives believed that the Europeans are “edgy, rapacious, and remotely maladroit.” Sure enough, the settlers in Jamestown kenned little about farming and found the environment baffling. It was conspicuous that the colonists needed the avail of the Natives. Despite their inexperience the English dominated the Indians. From “the beginning the Virginia Company indited that the relationship would ineluctably become bellicose: for you Cannot Carry Your Selves so towards them but they will Grow Discontented with Your habitation.”