1607- The Founding of Jamestown

We all saw the Disney Movie Pocahontas, but what really happened at JAMESTOWN in 1607.

Simple...

THREE REASONS PEOPLE CAME TO COLONIZE AMERICA FROM EUROPE...

POLITICAL- deals with government

ECONOMIC- deals with money, trade and buying/selling.

SOCIAL- deals with how people live and work togehter

The settlers who came to JAMESTOWN, VIRGINIA in 1607 were there for ECONOMIC reasons, to find money. They hoped for easy pickings, like GOLD and SILVER (precious metals). This caused them to be less than motivated to build the colony. Many were unfit for the task, including some English gentlemen (high class).

These people nearly died until CAPT JOHN SMITH enforce strict discipline (THOSE THAT SHALL NOT WORK SHALL NOT EAT) This worked well until SMITH was injured in a gun powder accident.

The winter of 1609-1610 was called the Starving Time, the population of the colonists dropped to dangerous levels.

The colony began to do better once John Rolfe introducted the CASH CROP of TOBACCO.

Since the Colony's purpose was ECONOMIC, a CASH CROPS makes sense to provide a good chance of accomplishing the COLONY's OBJECTIVE.

Add more info, if you dare?

... now mercantilism... All of those things that were happening at the same time, made money for England (mother country). That is what later led up to the Revolution: the "mother country" did not want to lose its power and wealth.

Add01 wrote:... now mercantilism... All of those things that were happening at the same time, made money for England (mother country). That is what later led up to the Revolution: the "mother country" did not want to lose its power and wealth.

The fundamentals of Mercantilism lie in the idea that there is a finite amount of wealth in the world (i.e. Gold) The nation with the most wealth/gold, is thus the most powerful. Spain had lots of GOLD from the Americas, however, it used it all.

You see, when you buy goods from other nations, i.e. raw materials or any sort of finished goods, wealth is lost and given to a rival. Thus, when one imports goods, one exports GOLD.

The trick around this is to set up a colony or series of colonies that provide raw matierals in exchange for finished products. This keep the GOLD/WEALTH in the system.

Jamestown, while a joint stock company, is likely designed to be the first in a long line of colonies for that purpose. As time passes, a system of triangular trade and other trade routes, develop.

The British messed it up when they began a seris of Benign Neglect, leaving the colonies alone ecomomically. This promoted a system where colonists we not used to taxes and were basically the "freest people on Earth."

Notice that the trouble began with the Naviagtion Acts and other Taxes were imposed.