English Colonization and Jamestown
SPAIN, ENGLAND AND THE NEW WORLD
English Colonization and Jamestown
After reviewing the materials for English Colonization and Jamestown from the Background materials, please answer the following short-answer questions:
PLEASE READ THE MATERIAL INCLUDED AND CITE EVERYTHING!
https://courses(dot)lumenlearning(dot)com/suny-ushistory1ay/chapter/english-colonization/
https://human(dot)libretexts(dot)org/Bookshelves/History/National_History/Book%3A_U.S._History_(American_YAWP)/02%3A_Colliding_Cultures/2.05%3A_Jamestown
Why did the English select the site they did? Was it a good choice: why or why not?
What was the original purpose of the expedition that founded Jamestown?
What saved the Virginia colony from ruin?
How did the English view themselves in comparison to the indigenous people?
SLP Assignment Expectations
Use concepts from the background readings as well as any academic resources you can find (Wikipedia-type sources are not acceptable). Please be sure to cite your sources within the text and provide a reference page at the end of the paper.
The best way to prepare the paper is to organize it by question. For example; your paper should begin with the first question, “1. Why did the English select the site they did?” Once you have answered this question, then address the second part of the question, “Was it a good choice: why or why not?”
Do the same for answering the remaining questions. This will help you keep track of your work and make it easier to review.
Length: 1–2 paragraphs per question, typed, double-spaced and in Times New Roman 12-point font.
The following items will be assessed in particular:
Your ability to apply the basic concepts to the questions.
The paper should address each element of the assignment.
Remember to support your answers with solid references including the background readings.
Upload your paper to the SLP 1 Dropbox when it is completed.
English Colonization and Jamestown
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Why Did the English Select the Site They Did?
The English selected Jamestown, Virginia, because of its location and economic advantages. The site was an uninhabited peninsula located upriver, making it invisible to Spanish patrols (human.libretexts.org, 2020). The site also offered easy defense against possible Spanish attacks since it was encircled by water and was far inland (Barbour, 2017). The water was also deep enough to allow the colonialists to tie their ships to the shore (National Park Service, n.d.). Additionally, the site's proximity to Indian villages and their potentially lucrative trade networks would offer economic opportunities for the English colonialists (human.libretexts.org, 2020). The English believed that trade and resource extraction would make them richer. Richard Hakluyt, an English author, known for promoting the English colonization of North America, stated that the site's ability to expand trade would bring profit and provide work for the jobless English (Lumenlearning.com, n.d.).
Was It a Good Choice: Why or Why Not?
Despite some potential advantages of the site, it was not a good choice because the location was a disaster. The peninsula had abysmal soil, inhibited agriculture, and saline tidal water that caused devastating diseases (human.libretexts.org, 2020). Initially, the colonists thought the location would fulfill their trade desires and the opportunity to make money. However, it was not conducive to success (Barbour, 2017). The English also hoped for easy riches but found none (human.libretexts.org, 2020). Furthermore, diseases and starvation ravaged them, and they continued to live under constant threat and attacks (human.libretexts.org, 2020). Less than half of the original colonists who inhabited Jamestown survived the first nine months of the settlement. By 1616, 80% of English immigrants had perished (human.libretexts.org, 2020). Therefore, although the colonists managed to build Jamestown, their decision to settle in the region created more harm than good.
What was the Original Purpose of the Expedition that Founded Jamestown?
The original purpose of the expedition was to find a passage to ...