The Struggles of the Man at Jamestown as the Most Frightening Aspect of Early American History
The struggles of the men at Jamestown has gone down In American history as one of the most intensely interesting and frightening aspects of early settlement. The settlement at Jamestown was a historic event in American history because it marks the beginning of European colonization in the New World. Jamestown was settled in the early 1600s by a group of Englishmen who were sent by the Virginia Company of London to establish a new settlement in the Chesapeake Bay area of what is now Virginia (Hume). The area was difficult to live in because of its position by the swamps and the settlers would become plagued by mosquitoes, disease, and a lack of food because they did not know what or how to grow food in the new area they were living in.
Because ol this, the settlers of Jamestown, all men laced with desolation, loneliness, and hunger. also called aJiThe Starving Timeait. Water shortage, commercialization of tobacco, and an attempt to end the English settlement are factors that led to The Starving Time. Starving Time occurred for different causes. One factor would be the colonist lack of access to water as well as the dry rainy season that destroyed the agricultural production of the colonists. Totallyhistory.com said. The initial group oi settlers at Jamestown suffered from lack of food, drinkable water, Indian attacks and disease. Between the time the settlement was established and the first supply shipaLILs arrival, the original settlers were nearly obliterated. They didnaitt have an agricultural experience nor good trading relationship with the Indians which added another factor that caused the Starving Time.
After Captain John Smiths return to England in October 1609, the Pohwattan placed the colony completely under siege and attempted to end the English settlement through starvation (Totally History), This is because the English Colony of Virginia was a period of forced starvation initiated by the Powhatan. Confederacy to remove the English from Virginia. An excerpt from. Watkinsa documents from the Starvmg Time states, Now We all found the loss of Captain Smith, yea his greatest maligners could now curse his loss: as for corn proven and contribution from the savages, we had nothing buy mortal wounds, With clubs and arrows as for out hogs, hens, goats, sheep, horses or what lived, our commanders, olficers and savages daily consumed them, some small portions we sometimes tasted till all was devoured then swords, firearms, pieces or anything.
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We traded With the savages, Whose cruel fingers were so often imbrewed in our blood. that what With their cruelty, our Governors indiscretion. and the loss of our ships, of five hundred Within six months after Captain Smith‘s departure, there remained not past sixty men, women, and children, most miserable and poor creatures. and those were preserved for the most part, by roots, herbs, acorns, Walnuts, berries, and now and then a little Irish: they that had starch in these extremities, made no small use of it, yea, even the very skins of our horsesau. This shows that when Captain Smith left the colonists, they struggled for survival because they didn't have the experience to grow crops and no supplies to trade With the Indians.
Lastly according to ushistoryorg, au.Despite the introduction of tobacco cultivation, the colony was a failure as a financial venture. The king declared the Virginia Company bankrupt in. This means that within a few years, the commercialization of tobacco secured the settlement's long-term economic prosperity led to the Starving Time. The homeland country did not have enough money to supply the colonists at Jamestown. Overall, food and water shortage. Captain SmithaLLIs departure to England, and the bankruptcy of the country by tobacco caused the colonists at Jamestown to suffer hunger.
These colonists tried to survive as they cant Smithaits Account of the Starvmg Time says. Nay, so great was our lamine that a savage we slew and buried, the poorer sort took him up again and ate him; and so did divers one another boiled and stewed With roots and herbs: And one among the rest did kill his Wife, powdered her, and had eaten part of her before it was known; for which he was executed, as he well deserved. now whether she was better roasted, boiled or carbonadoedatli. The colonists showed sign of cannibalism. They not only needed to survive hunger but they also needed to survive the harsh Winter weather conditions in order to live. They used their homes and fortifications as firewood to warm them during the Winter.
They struggled starvation because it is difficult to grow crops during the Winter. Thereaius also evidence that suggest that colonists found themselves trading valuable arms and tools for minimal food supplies from the local Indians and resorted to eating horses. dogs, cats, and rats (Totally History). With a little hope. they continued to try trading With the local Indians. However, Colonists were unable to trade With local Indians for adequate supplies or to hunt in the area for enough supply. Only few colonists survived this starvation in conclusion. Colonists med to conquer hunger and weather through cannibalism trading, and hunting.
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The Struggles of the Man at Jamestown as the Most Frightening Aspect of Early American History. (2023, May 04). Retrieved from https://phdessay.com/the-struggles-of-the-man-at-jamestown-as-the-most-frightening-aspect-of-early-american-history/
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