Jamestown+and+Virgina+Colonys

Jamestown and Virginia Founded in 1607 with a charter from the [|Virginia Company of London], Jamestown was the first permanent English colony in the Americas. However, the swampy terrain was a breeding ground for mosquitoes, which carried a variety of diseases - dysentery, malaria, smallpox - that the English were unaccustomed to. Many of the settlers fell prey to these infections and died shortly after. In addition, Virginia's initial government had no backbone, and its individual members frequently quarreled over policies. The colonists themselves frantically searched for any precious metals (i.e. gold) they could find, ignoring their deteriorating health in the process. Furthermore, "Indian raids" also weakened any hopes of defense and unification, and gradually the population of the colony declined. By the winter of 1609-1610, also known as the [|Starving Time], only 60 settlers remained from the original 500 passengers. Despite these shortcomings, it was the work of two men that helped the colony to survive: John Smith and John Rolfe. John Smith, who arrived in Virginia in 1608, introduced an ultimatum - those who did not work would not receive food or pay. His struggle to improve the colony's conditions succeeded - the colonists learned how to raise crops and trade with the nearby Indians, with whom Smith had made peace. In 1612, John Rolfe, an English businessman, discovered that Virginia had ideal conditions for growing tobacco. This singular discovery led to an explosion of success as the plant became the colony's major cash crop. With English demand for tobacco rising, Virginia had now found a way to economically support itself. In 1619, Virginia set up the [|House of Burgesses], the first elected legislative assembly in America. It marked the beginnings of self-government, as opposed to the martial law that was previously imposed on the colonists. Simultaneously, however, the king declared Virginia a royal colony, or a colony run by the English monarchy. While the House of Burgesses was still allowed to run the government, the king nevertheless appointed a royal governor to settle disputes and enforce certain British policies.