Jamestown Established: First Permanent English Settlement in America
Approximately 100 English settlers established a permanent settlement at Jamestown, Virginia, on May 13, 1607, on a marshy peninsula in the James River. The location was chosen for its deep anchorage and defensibility against Spanish attack but proved catastrophic for health: brackish water, malaria-carrying mosquitoes, and saltwater contamination killed the majority of colonists within the first year. Of the original 104 settlers, only 38 survived the first winter. The colony was saved repeatedly by resupply ships and, controversially, by John Smith's ability to trade with and intimidate the Powhatan Confederacy. Jamestown endured famine, disease, a devastating Indian attack in 1622, and near-abandonment before tobacco cultivation made it profitable and permanent.
May 13, 1607
419 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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