Shazdeh Bukhari
Professor Gabriel
Friday, 8 o’clock class Jamestown Writing Assignment
1) The Jamestown settlers were about 100 Englishmen who went to Jamestown through the
Virginia Company. On May 24, 1607, Jamestown was founded by these settlers. John
Smith was one of these first settlers. According to John Smith's account, conditions in
Jamestown were so poor because it was established on a small, swampy peninsula along
the James River in Virginia. The military considered this site to be Jamestown because
its’ position would aid defense against attack from the neighboring Powhatan
Confederacy (Europeans) which might approach by water. The environment of
Jamestown was the main cause of deaths during early times of settlement. The isolated
site offered limited opportunities for hunting, tidal river water which was not suitable to
drink, and little space for farming. They had poor drinking water and contaminated water
was the cause of mosquitoes that carried yellow fever and malaria. They wasted a lot of
time to look for gold instead of planting crops. They also did not have many supplies, as
the supply ship was shipwrecked in the Bahamas in 1609.
2) Smith, who was elected president of the colony's council after most of the councilors died
or became incapacitated, wrote that the colony depended on trade with frien...
