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Jamestown Settlement Lessons |
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English settlers immigrated to Virginia in search of wealth and a
better life in what they believed would be a paradise on earth.
However, the Powhatan Confederacy, led by the powerful chief
Wahunsonacock, already inhabited this paradise.
The first settlers arrived in 1606 on the Susan Constant, the Godspeed,
and the Discovery. Upon arriving, Christopher Newport, the Captain of
the Susan Constant, opened a sealed box he had brought from the
Virginia Company in England, which had sponsored the trip. It
contained the names of the seven men who would be the Councilors, or
leaders of the colony. One surprising name on the list was Captain
John Smith, who had been under arrest for some time on the voyage. In
the end, Captain Smith would be the one to pull the settlement together
when things began to fall apart. His policy was: those who do not work
do not eat. He developed a relationship with the Powhatan and his
daughter, Pocahontas, which kept the settlers from starving.
Unfortunately, Captain Smith was critically injured when his gunpowder
bag exploded and he was forced back to Europe. That, coupled with
several hundred new settlers who arrived just before winter and a siege
by the local Indians that kept the settlers from hunting or gathering
food, led to "The Starving Time". Food was simply not available.
People ate cats, dogs, rats, snakes... anything. The population of
Jamestown dwindled from nearly 500 to 60 in May of 1610.
Learn more...
Journaling-
1. Pretend you are a Woodland Indian and you're fishing when you see
ships anchored off the coast and some small boats carrying several men
headed toward you. What are you thinking? What will you do?
2. Pretend you are one of the members of the Jamestown settlement
during The Starving Time. Describe how you feel, what you do each day,
what you eat or don't eat, and how you cope with the idea that you
might not live through the winter. Read "Jamestown - Adventures in
Colonial America Series" by James Knight to help you understand what it
was like.
Art-
Research the structure of the Jamestown Fort and create a model of it.
Math-
Research and calculate the distance from Jamestown to England. How
long would it have taken to get from one to the other by sailing ship?
Geography-
Research the area along the Virginia coast and determine where you
would establish a colony and why. Make a presentation to convince the
Virginia Company to settle where you think they should.
Science-
Research what happens to the human body when it is starved. Discuss
healthy eating and nutrition. Become aware of parts of the world that
are still starving even today. *BONUS: Do something to help someone
who is hungry.
Try some of the activities in "More Than Moccasins: A Kid's Activity
Guide to Traditional North American Indian Life (A Kid's Guide series)
by Laurie Carlson
Supplemental Reading-
Jamestown - Adventures in Colonial America Series by James Knight
Blue Feather's Vision: The Dawn of Colonial America - Adventures in Colonial America Series by James Knight
The Ox Cart Man by Donald Hall
The Courage of Sarah Noble by Alice Dalgliesh
A Journey to the New World - The Diary of Remember Patience Whipple by Kathryn Lasky
The Double Life of Pocahontas by Jean Fritz
Pocahontas, Girl of Jamestown by Kate Jassem
If you Lived in Colonial Times by Ann McGovern
The Thanksgiving Story by Alice Dalgliesh
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