Unit 3:: English Beginnings on the Chesapeake (1607–1676)
A Milestone Documents E-text
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Abstract

The earliest permanent English colony in the Americas was established in Virginia on the Chesapeake. Jamestown, named after King James I, was founded in 1607. The motivation for these early settlements was economic—the Virginia Company, which sponsored the settlement, and the settlers initially hoped to make fortunes in gold. Poor preparation, lack of relevant skills, and unwillingness to cultivate food crops made the first seasons harsh, and the colonists survived only with the help of local native Americans and the temporary dictatorial rule of Captain John Smith, a hardened professional soldier. The area was home to a powerful native group, the Powhatan Confederacy.

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