Starving Time
The starving time for jamestown was one of the hardest time for all of the settlers and there fellow compainins. Now many of the Settlers were punished if they dident work. there punishment was that they were not aloud to eat. Finding food was hard enough since it was hot. The indains were living in virginia first so most of the crops and food was there is gone. alot of disease was going around and caused alot of settlers to die off. Stories were told that 2 men were tied to a pole and were killed becuase they dident have food and starved to death. Since captain John Smith and John Rolfe were so hard on the settlers many spent there days searching for gold so they could eat. When and accidental gunpowder burn burnt Captain john Smith he had to return to england.
First Virgina Charter
James, by the grace of God [King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland,
Defender of the Faith], etc.
Whereas our loving and weldisposed subjects ... and divers others of our
loving subjects, have been humble sutors unto us that wee woulde vouchsafe unto
them our licence to make habitacion, plantacion and to deduce a colonie of
sondrie of our people into that parte of America commonly called Virginia, and
other parts and territories in America either appartaining unto us or which are
not nowe actuallie possessed by anie Christian prince or people, scituate,
lying and being all along the sea coastes between fower and thirtie degrees of
northerly latitude from the equinoctiall line and five and fortie degrees of
the same latitude and in the maine lande betweene the same fower and thirtie
and five and fourtie degrees, and the ilandes thereunto adjacente or within one
hundred miles of the coaste thereof;
And to that ende, and for themore speedy accomplishemente of theire saide
intended plantacion and habitacion there, are desirous to devide themselves
into two severall colonies and companies, the one consisting of certaine
Knightes, gentlemen, marchanntes and other adventurers of our cittie of London,
and elsewhere, which are and from time to time shalbe joined unto them which
doe desire to begin theire plantacions and habitacions in some fitt and
conveniente place between fower and thirtie and one and fortie degrees of the
said latitude all alongest the coaste of Virginia and coastes of America
aforesaid and the other consisting of sondrie Knightes, gentlemen, merchanntes,
and other adventurers of our citties of Bristoll and Exeter, and of our towne
of Plymouthe, and of other places which doe joine themselves unto that colonie
which doe desire to beginn theire plantacions and habitacions in some fitt and
convenient place betweene eighte and thirtie degrees and five and fortie
degrees of the saide latitude all alongst the saide coaste of Virginia and
America as that coaste lieth;
Wee, greately commending and graciously accepting of theire desires to the
furtherance of soe noble a worke which may, by the providence of Almightie God,
hereafter tende to the glorie of His Divine Majestie in propagating of
Christian religion to suche people as yet live in darkenesse and miserable
ignorance of the true knoweledge and worshippe of God and may in tyme bring the
infidels and salvages living in those parts to humane civilitie and to a setled
and quiet govermente, doe by theise our lettres patents graciously accepte of
and agree to theire humble and well intended desires;
April 10, 1606
The twenty of April. Being at work, in hewing down Trees, and setting Corn,
an alarum caused us with all speed to take our arms, each expecting a new
assault of the Savages: but understanding it a Boat under sail, our doubts were
presently satisfied with the happy sight of Master Nelson, his many perils of
extreme storms and tempests, his ship well as his company could testify, his
care in sparing our provision was well: but the providence thereof, as also of
our stones, Hatchets and other tools (only ours excepted) which of all the rest
was most necessary: which might inforce us to thinke either a seditious traitor
to our action, or a most unconscionable deceiver of our treasures.
– John Smith, "A True Relation of Occurrences and Accidents in Virginia"
(1608)
an alarum caused us with all speed to take our arms, each expecting a new
assault of the Savages: but understanding it a Boat under sail, our doubts were
presently satisfied with the happy sight of Master Nelson, his many perils of
extreme storms and tempests, his ship well as his company could testify, his
care in sparing our provision was well: but the providence thereof, as also of
our stones, Hatchets and other tools (only ours excepted) which of all the rest
was most necessary: which might inforce us to thinke either a seditious traitor
to our action, or a most unconscionable deceiver of our treasures.
– John Smith, "A True Relation of Occurrences and Accidents in Virginia"
(1608)