Premium Essay

How Did So Many Colonists Die In Jamestown

Submitted By
Words 719
Pages 3
In 1607, King James I sent 110 men to sail across the harsh Atlantic ocean to start the first permanent settlement in the New World for the English. The settlement, Jamestown, was located at the mouth of Chesapeake Bay and up the James River in what we now call Virginia. Eventually, most of the settlers died out before the colony could flourish. They had a scarce amount of clean water, lack of labors, and deaths caused by diseases. This resulted in competition with native americans and harsh living conditions.

The first reason why so many colonists died was because the had a scare amount of clean water. Tides affected the health in Jamestown because they could get diseases from the lack of water flow in the rivers. Tides also caused water levels to rise and caused wells and freshwater streams to become brackish. Brackish water is a mixture of salt and freshwater, which is unsanitary to drink. Water was also not sanitary because human waste that got dumped into the rivers would fester and not get flushed away. The longest drought Jamestown faced was between about 1605-1613. As the colonist settled, they face a severe drought which also resulted in a scarce amount of water. In the winter of 1609-1610, …show more content…
As years past, most of the settlers died from diseases and native attacks. The poor water quality resulted in the spread of diseases. By the August of 1609, in total 524 colonists had arrived in Jamestown. In the summer of 1607, half of the population was killed by a sickness which left the colony with 44 settlers. This was just the beginning. When starving time came around in the winter of 1609, 110 colonists died from famine and diseases while 50 settlers were killed by indians. This was known as the “starving time” because the majority of the people died during this time. By the end of the year 1609, two-thirds of the settlement died leaving the colony with only 90

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Dbq Early Jamestown

...Early Jamestown: Why Did So Many Colonists Die? Suppose you have to live in an infested, uncommon, and to you an inhabitable land. You come with 100 other men, some dressed in cloth, some dressed in rages. How would the relationship be between you, the environment, unknown aliens, and your “companions?” The spring of 1607, three English ships with a hundred passengers came across the Atlantic, through the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, and up the James River. Their intention was to create the first permanent English settlement in the “New World”, teach the ways of Jesus Christ to the Native peoples, find a trade route to China, and gather riches. Though only in the first few years of this “permanent” settlement, it started to parish. People...

Words: 1379 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Jamestown Dbq

...Jamestown was established in 1607 when 100 passengers sailed to the mouth of Chesapeake Bay in early spring. They sailed to Chesapeake Bay in hopes of finding possible riches, spreading English culture, and to find a possible route to China. However Chesapeake was not empty, there were about 15,000 Powhatan Indians living in small villages along the James River. During which Jamestown was being established, a drought occurred due to irregular rainfall, and the river, which was their main source of water supply, developed impurities from the high tides, which lead to diseases. By the end of December, 40 of the 110 settlers were still remaining. But did not only die from the droughts and impure water, so, why did so many colonists die? Colonists...

Words: 1229 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Why Did Water Occur In Jamestown?

...In 1607, on the west side of the Atlantic Ocean was an area that would soon be known as Jamestown. On the other side of this same ocean were a group of merchants who did not know what was coming as they left their lives in England to settle in a new land. The first English settlement in the Americas would consist of 110 hopeful settlers. Over the course of 4 years some settlers would die and some would survive. When the colonists came to the Americas, their goal was to find gold, silver, or anything that will make them money in England. With this in mind, when they arrived in the Chesapeake Bay none of them expected what was to come. So why did so many colonists die in a settlement that had such high hopes? Was it due to their water situation? Was it because of...

Words: 690 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Why Did Roanoke Survive

...Carolina. Roanoke was created to make a permanent settlement for the English in North America, or the “New World”. This town turned out to not be as permanent as the Queen had hoped. The colony disappeared during the Spanish war that was raging at the time. “The Lost Colony”, as it is called, went three years without supplies because of England being preoccupied with the war. It is still unknown when in that three year timespan they died off. The English did not give up at making a successful establishment in the New World. After several trials and errors, they finally had a thriving colony in the Americas. Many continued to die, but they did not die off. It was...

Words: 541 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Early Jamestown Dbq

...The Deaths of Many The year of 1607 was when the first English settlers arrived and built a fort on a place called James Island, soon to be known as Jamestown. Of the 110 original settlers, only forty survived at the end of December. When January came, there was a restock of English colonists which did save the colony from total extinction, but even that was not enough. In the next two years, hard times came when Captain John Smith, who provided much needed leadership, was sent back to England. In the awful winters of 1609-1610, two thirds of the settlers died. Many of the colonists of Jamestown died because of the unsanitary water, an unprepared population, as well as, the very unfortunate drought. First, many colonists died because of the contaminated water provided in Jamestown. In document A, it describes how Jamestown gave the colonists brackish and polluted water. As the water levels rose, many rivers and creeks became brackish or salty water, therefore making fresh water very rare. Also, according to the historian Carville V. Earle, he claimed that the human waste which got dumped into the rivers, festered and did not flush away. The toxins and harmful diseases...

Words: 576 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Jamestown Colonists Dying Essay

...same time something terrible was happening in America. Some colonists had sailed from England and came to America to explore and find riches. During the years of 1607- 1611 these colonist were dying by the hundreds in Jamestown. The colonists were met with problems, and many to come, because they had too many people not trained correctly to endure what was to come. They also had a large amount of colonists that were gentlemen, wealthy people who were not trained to work with their hands. The moment the settlers arrived in America difficult thing were stirred up. Colonists made the Native Americans mad, because they had begun stealing land from the natives. The colonist began to die from disease, Indian attacks, starvation and many other things . One of the main reasons the colonists were dying was because of disease. The summer sickness of 1607 killed half of the colonists (Fausz, 63). Of the original settlers in May of 1607 there were no apothecaries, which could have assisted with medical issues and needs. Another concern that contributed to death by disease was that fresh water supply...

Words: 710 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

How Did So Many Colonists Died In Jamestown

...Jamestown was where the first English colonists settled. Jamestown also the English colonists they built their colonies and Jamestown was named after their king, King James. But, did you know that 83 percent of Jamestown settlers died between the years of 1607 and 1610? And so many early Jamestown colonists dies because of diseases, starvation, and conflict. One of the main things that the settlers died from was disease. One thing that made the settlers sick was the water. The water source was brackish meaning it was a mix of fresh (Blanton) water and land water. One cannot live drinking brackish water. It’s dangerous to have too much salt water in your system. Also, the water source had human waste that was festering in the water (Blanton) and the settlers didn’t know that they couldn’t drink it. The source also said that most of the settlers died from diseases. Approximately 160 settlers were killed from some sort of sickness or disease (Fauz). There are also other main things that settlers in Jamestown died from....

Words: 472 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Why Early Colonist Died In Jamestown

...Why did so many of the Early Colonist died in Jamestown? The first Jamestown settlers, out of one-hundred and ten of these men, only forty bared to remain. That means that seventy men perished. These men died for many reason including disease, war and lack of educated people. The english men lived in a bad part of nature, they had bad relations with people, and also had bad skills to survive. Due to these disadvantages, that is why so many people died. Maybe if decisions were made more wisely there will still be a Jamestown. The environment was very bad in Jamestown. There was many swampy land in the area and mosquitoes that carried diseases. Food...

Words: 533 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Jamestown Argumentative Essay

...1607 May 14, 104 colonist disembark at Jamestown Island in Virginia by 1608 only 40 remain and even with 460 more colonists sent in the next 3 years only 90 end up surviving till 1610. Jamestown was founded on May,14 when the colonists arrived which is now a popular tourist spot. When the 104 colonists arrived it was already looking bad for them, there was not much fresh water, they knew they could be attacked by conquistadors from Spain and there were the Native Americans to worry about. Even with all these things that seem that they could stop their journey these risks were acceptable at that time in England and they were definitely not enough to kill 564 settlers. So the question is how did so many Colonists die in Early Jamestown's. Early...

Words: 828 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

How Did Colonists Lose Time In Jamestown

...1609 to 1610 where nearly three-quarters of the English colonists died. The food supply diminished as they colonists focused more on finding gold to keep their wealth. The colonists had many disagreements with each other during that time. They also lacked skilled craftsmen because the rich refused to do any physical labor. During their time at Jamestown, the English colonists had suffered through a massive food shortage, due to their lack of skilled craftsmen, and proper use of firearms, which resulted in many of their deaths. During the winter months at Jamestown, the colonists went through what was later called the “Starving Time.” They were faced with a major food shortage. When the colony was established the idea was to receive food from two different places. They were expecting to receive periodic supply ships and trade with the Native...

Words: 679 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Early Jamestown Research Paper

...Settlement at Jamestown Imagine yourself In a time where the medical supplies we have today didn’t exist, where you would have to sail across an ocean, usually for more than a month, just to get to another country. Imagine having to actually hunt for your food, and not being able to just go to the kitchen and making a sandwich. These are the conditions that the early settlers went through when settling in Jamestown. This meant that traveling was extremely hard for them, and staying alive was even harder. They faced problems like starvation, weather, lack of medical supplies, and the lacking of knowing the land they were on. It is truly amazing that the early settlers were able to survive it. One of the major problems...

Words: 785 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Roanoke Colony Research Paper

...was a struggle. They did not know the new land and the animals, nor did they know about planting vegetation, they were not equipped with the tools and equipment needed, and then there were the Indians that they had to contend with. They were sailors and did not know the skills for planting crops and surviving on the new land. Raleigh left the Roanoke colony in 1587 and in 1590 returned with a supply ship and found no one at the colony. No one knew what happened to that colony....

Words: 1288 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

New World New Food Summary

...Virginia” all examine how the pre and post Columbian exchange have affected and continue to influence nations today. The effects of the Columbian exchange were so widespread that, it “… redefined the demographics of the Americas, Africa, and Europe…” as Standage argues throughout his article “New World, New Foods” (Standage 112). He begins his argument by chronicling the journey of two specific crops as they spread between the Old and New worlds. Sugar is one example; it became a staple across the world and played an integral part of two major trade triangles. The first included commodities from America including sugar, which was then traded for cloth, and was then traded for slaves that would produce sugar. The second included molasses which was used to produce rum and was then sold for slaves who produced the rum and sugar. Therefore, the cultivation of sugar forever changed the demographics of the Americas and Africa economically....

Words: 648 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Early Jamestown Summary

...hand, though the Vikings did encounter Native Americans and called them Skraelings. Even though no profit was found the Vikings chose to bargain with the natives. Unfortunately, they left due to the fighting that occurred between them and the Natives. It is now five hundred years later and a man named Christopher Columbus is looking for a direct trade route to Asia. He begins searching for place that will fund his voyage. He goes to England first, and they...

Words: 1663 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Benjamin Franklin

...Home Discover History Articles Notable Mayflower Descendants Pilgrim Biographies Commemorations Pilgrim Memorials Around the World The Society How to Join Society Information SMDPA News Newsletter JR PA Mayflower Newsletter For Teachers & Students Links Contact Membership Info Apply Now Eligibility & How To Join Proving Your Lineage Passenger List About the SMDPA Donate Contact Us Discover History Articles Comparing Plymouth and Jamestown Comparing Plymouth and Jamestown Written by Robert Jennings Heinsohn 1. Introduction Pilgrim families arrived in Holland in the spring of 1608 and in Plymouth in December 1620. In May 1607, 105 men arrived in Jamestown to establish the first permanent English settlement in North America. While the individuals in both settlements were English, the they were different in many important ways. To fully appreciate our Pilgrim heritage, it is important to understand the differences between Plymouth and Jamestown. This essay identifies major differences and explains how these differences affected the settlements during the first few decades of their arrival. 2. Royal Charters and Patents Sir Humphrey Gilbert c. 1539-1583 Early Efforts to Colonize North America Queen Elizabeth granted a patent (Royal Charter) to Sir Humphrey Gilbert (half brother of Sir Walter Ralegh) who led an expedition to Newfoundland in 1583 and claimed it for England. For the next thirty years he tried, but without success,...

Words: 8670 - Pages: 35