. Describe the Development of the Jamestown Colony from Its Disastrous Beginnings to Its Later Prosperity.

In 1607 a group of about 100 English men began a settlement on the banks of Virginia’s James River. In honor of King James I the colonists named the settlement Jamestown. The community suffered terrible hardships in its early years but managed to endure, earning the distinction of being America’s first permanent English colony.

At first, settlers died by the dozen from disease, malnutrition, and starvation. However, the land was not deprived of game nor did the rivers lack fish; on the contrary, the region thrived in it. Jamestown was saved from utter collapse largely by the leadership of Captain John Smith. Taking over in 1608, he implemented the rule “He who shall not work shall not eat.” However, the colonists where not accustomed to fending for themselves. The foolish settlers spent all their time looking for gold and other resources leading the colonists into a starvation period. The settlers were driven to desperate acts such as eating dogs, cats, and even each other. The “Starvation Time” lasted through 1609-1610 leaving only a fraction of the colonists alive. These colonists decided to return home, but in doing so, were met by Lord De La Warr and forced to return under a strict military regime. The arrival of De La Warr was the turning point for the Jamestown settlement to survive, and then prosper.

Under De La Warr, Jamestown proceeded with an impressive attack against the Indians, which allowed them to secure food, land and to survive. Such raids on Indian settlements allowed Jamestown to grow stronger. By 1612, Jamestown was stronger agriculturally and one of the crops grown was tobacco. Taking advantage of the rich soil and how tobacco was so easy to grow in this land, John Rolfe worked on perfecting the tobacco plants grown in Jamestown. He was able to make the taste so appealing that Europeans developed an insatiable desire for it. The tobacco boom put the colony on a firm economic foundation, which allowed Virginia to...