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Jamestown Drought Essay

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Death has overcome the Jamestown colony. In 1607, 110 colonists arrived at Jamestown, but by the end of December, only 40 would still be alive. More people kept arriving, but in the winter of 1609-1610, only one-third of the settlement were still alive. Also by 1611, 80% of the 500+ settlers were dead. An abundant amount colonists died in early Jamestown because of a few reasons. There was a drought, so the food and water were scarce, and the Indians and colonists weren’t on excellent terms. A terrible drought had arrived with the colonists. In Document B, the longest drought in Jamestown was from about 1607-1612. There were barely any food and water, and most of the water accessible was infected with human waste or salt. “Because the …show more content…

At first, they were on adequate terms, but then they started to become enemies. The Indians were ambushing the colonists left and right, and killing them. “2 die in first Indian attack on Fort James, at least 3 more die in Indian ambushes” (Document E). The ambushes started out less extreme, but as the colonists became more threatening, so did the Indians. By 1609, they were killing many colonists. “Of 120 men stationed near the falls, the Indians kill ‘neere half’ … Of 100 men at Nansemond, Indians kill 50… another 33 slain” (Document E). The Indians who haven’t had much experience with the colonists were friendlier.“Francis West and thirty-six men (sailed) up the Chesapeake Bay to try to trade for corn with the Patawomeke Indians…. Although still part of Powhatan’s Confederacy, the tribe had seen less of the English than had those closer at hand and with luck might be more friendly. And so it proved” (Document D). As time went on, the Indian ambushes became more intense, because the Indians were starting to realize that the colonists weren’t there temporarily, and they wanted them out of their territory. The colonists intruded on the Indian’s land, which caused a large amount of them to be

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