Jamestown deaths
Did you know that the country that we live in right now owes much of its existence to nameless early colonists that sowed the seed which would grow into the most powerful nation in the world? The English colonies, which later became the United States, all started off after the settlement in Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement. The English colonists that founded Jamestown during its early stages between 1607 and 1611 sought incredible riches and fame in this promising new land. Not acquiring either one, they quickly found themselves in a nightmare of a situation. Most of these colonists never lived to see the wealth they longed for. Why did so many colonists die in early Jamestown? The environment, the settlers’ skills, and relationships with the Indians all seem to have contributed to this. Environment was a very important factor. The very environment the colonists lived in was not ideal. The colonists lacked a steady source of clean fresh water, the most precious resource needed to sustain life. (Document A) The nearby rivers and creeks became brackish as the water levels increase; the location that Jamestown was situated at, the transition between salt water and fresh water, caused the filth there to fester, which didn’t allow for waste to be disposed; and the water of the wells that the English colonists built could have been easily contaminated by salt water and have its water cut off by droughts. Droughts were a commonplace during this period, because (Document B) the colonists arrived during the time which one of the worst droughts of the area occurred. The natural environment of Jamestown also didn’t allow for adequate amounts of food to be produced. (Document A) The location of Jamestown provided the colonists with fish, but only in significant amounts during spring and early summer. Without a dependable production of food, a stable source of clean fresh water, and proper disposal of waste, the colonists were essentially inviting