jamestown essay

Death at Jamestown

    Death was in the air.  It all started on May 14, 1607 when 104 colonists sailed from England to the Chesapeake Bay. They wanted to start a colony and were also in search of gold and a route to the Pacific.  Many died when they reached Jamestown Virginia, mostly because of the three main reasons; water supply, not enough skilled workers and conflicts with the Powhatan Indians.

    Water in Jamestown was mostly soiled and at one point there was a major drought.    In Document A, it states “ English colonists dug shallow wells to supply themselves with sources of drinking water, but these were vulnerable to drought and salt water intrusion.”  The water became brackish when salt water would mix with the fresh water.  When the colonists dumped their waste into the water, the tides wouldn’t flush it out and the water would become prone to cause disease.  There was a drought between the years  1607-1612 according to Document B. The colonists couldn't grow food therefore they starved.  The starving time was in the winter of 1609-1610 and this was when lots  of the colonists died and many were very weakened.

Too much of one thing isn’t good.  Especially when that “thing” is a bunch of lazy gentlemen.  Not the right type of people was a big problem when trying to get a colony started. On the ship list in Document C,  almost half of the list contained gentlemen.  There were only 12 laborers to work and no carpenters to build.   Gentlemen, as it says in Document C,  were men who weren't used to working with their hands and when your trying to survive in a new place, using your hands will definitely come in handy.  There were also no apothecaries (druggists) listed and only one surgeon.  That means that if something  were to happen to the surgeon, there would be no medical help if someone got hurt.  Surviving takes work and skilled people to get the job done and with the wrong kind of workers, they couldn’t work efficiently.

Another reason for many deaths at Jamestown was because of bad relations with the Powhatan Indians.  John Smith was able to interact and trade with the Indians but after he left in 1609 to go back to England, things took a turn for the worst. In August and October of 1607 the Indians killed  “ “ neere halfe” of the 120 men stationed at the falls”  (document E)  This said,  the Indians obviously didn’t have good relations with the settlers.  Also in Document E, is says that in those same months,  “of 100 men at Nansemond, Indians kill 50.” Another attack came in a indirect way.  The Powhatan people wouldn’t let the settlers in and out to get food and water.  Some were killed by the Indians but they also died from starvation and disease. “ Powhatan's siege of Jamestown (the “starving time” between Nov. and May of 1610) kills some 110 colonists from famine and disease; another 33 slain; 37 desert.”  (Document E) The Indians had killed and starved many settlers.  If only their relations had been better.

The settlers coming to Virginia should have been more prepared for what might lie ahead.  They needed good workers, hearty food and good water, and better relations with other cultures.   Starting a colony takes more than just people.  It takes prepared people that are willing to work hard and do whatever they can to make the colony strive.