MAY 14 - Establishment of the first permanent English settlement in the Americas

On this day in 1607, Jamestown settlement, first called James Fort,  was established on the east bank of the James (Powhatan River) by the Virginia Company of London. Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement in the Americas. The settlement was located within the country of Tsenacommacah, which belonged to the Powhatan Confederacy, and more specifically the Paspahegh tribe. Initially, the natives were welcoming and provided crucial provisions for the colonist. Positive relations soon broke down and in 1622, Chief Opechancanough and his Powhatan Confederacy attempt to eliminate the English colony once and for all. This ended in defeat for the Natives. This would not be the last attempt at a large-scale attack by the Natives. The second supply which came in 1608 brought 8 Polish and German colonists as well as the first 2 European women. Soon after arrival the Germans and a few other colonists defected to the Powhatans, taking with them weapons and supplies from the settlement. Jamestown itself had a high mortality rate, with over 80% of the colonists perishing in 1609-10, which became known as the “Starving time”. The settlement was briefly abandoned in 1610 but quickly reestablished. Progress over the first 6 years was inconsistent at best, due to the aristocratic backgrounds of many of the colonists, a historic drought, conflict with Natives, and the communal nature of the world load. In 1614, John Rolfe began to successfully harvest a new strain of tobacco and married Princess Matoaka, better known as Pocahontas, daughter of Chief Powhatan, bringing several years of peace between the English and the Natives. This peace ended in March 1617, when Pocahontas became ill and died in England. Her father died a year later and was succeeded by his brother. As the English continued to appropriate more land and expand further into Native territory, relations worsened. While indentured servitude was common for poor Europeans from the beginning of the colony, the first Africans slaves were not brought to Jamestown until 1619. Of the 6,000 people who came to the settlement between 1608 and 1624, only about 3,400 survived. In 1624, the virginia Company’s charter was revoked by King James, and Virginia became a royal colony. Opechancanough attempted another large-scale attack in 1644 but was captured and shot in the back by a guard. His successor signed the first peace treaties which required the natives to pay a yearly tribute to the English and confined them to reservations. Jamestown served as the capital of the colony of Virginia from 1616 to 1699 when it was relocated to Williamsburg. Those who lived around Jamestown continued to attend church services in the old town until the 1750s when it was finally abandoned. Today, Jamestown is part of the Colonial National historical Park. Historic Jamestowne, located on the original settlement sight, are run by Preservation Virginia and the National Park Service. Visitors can view the site of the original 1607, James Fort, the 17th century church tower and the site of the 17th century town, as well as tour an archaeological museum which is home to close to 2 million artifacts.