Visiting Historic Jamestowne, Virginia

Today, Eric & I are visiting
the remains of Jamestown,
the first permanent English
colony in the New World.

The Visitor Center

A map of Historic Jamestowne,
named for King James I.

The 1607 expedition was

lead by John Smith.

Financed by the Virginia
Company, the expediton
was made up of men
& boys.








The first few years of the colony were very difficult.   Relations with the Potwhatan Indians were fraught.  Two women joined the colony in 1608. During the winter of 1609-10 a large percentage of settlers died from starvation and disease.  New ships brought new colonists. Jamestown  began to thrive and expand.

Tobacco was grown &

exported to England.

In 1619 Jamestown set up a legislative assembly.

Many of the laws that would

govern Virginia. other

colonies, & eventually

states were enacted

first in Jamestown.

Among the laws passed here were ones that clearly defined indentured servitude and eventually, slavery.

Jamestown was burned by Nathaniel Bacon and disgruntled colonists on September 19, 1676.  The statehouse in Jamestown burned on October 20, 1698.  The legislative assembly was moved to Williamsburg.  People continued to live in Jamestown and farm their lands, but it was no longer a town.

In the early 1900s, archaeological

 exploration of England's first

 permanent colony started.

Artifacts found during
archaeological digs.

After watching a 15 minute

film on Jamestown Colony,

Eric & I were ready to

visit Historic Jamestowne.