Jamestown, founded in 1607, was the first permanent English settlement in North America. It faced challenges from Native Americans and disease.
English ships carrying 75 settlers land on Roanoke Island, off the coast of modern-day North Carolina, one year after its selection by Sir Walter Raleigh as the site for an English settlement. The first group of colonists will abandon the settlement after less than a year.
A group of 121 English settlers led by John White lands at Roanoke. They find no evidence of Grenville's 1586 party. White will return to England for supplies in August. He will be unable to return to Roanoke until 1590, at which time he will find the settlement abandoned.
On December 6, 1606, the journey to Virginia began with three ships: the Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery. This marked the start of the English colonization of North America.
104 settlers depart from London on three ships, the Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery, led by Captains Christopher Newport, Bartholomew Gosnold, and John Ratcliffe.
While en route to Virginia, Captain John Smith is arrested on accusations of planning mutiny.
In the West Indies, Captain Newport plans to execute Smith for mutiny, but Captain Gosnold and Reverend Robert Hunt intervene, saving Smith's life.
On April 26, 1607, the expedition led by the London Company arrived at their chosen settlement spot in Virginia, naming the Virginia capes after the sons of their king. They set up a cross at Cape Henry and made a dedication to reach the people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
On May 13, 1607, 104 English men and boys arrived in North America and established the Jamestown settlement in Virginia. It was named after King James I and became the first permanent English settlement in the region.
On May 14, 1607, 104 male settlers landed at the site they named 'James Cittie' and established the first permanent English settlement in North America.
On May 26, 1607, 200 armed Indians attacked Jamestown, resulting in the death of 2 settlers and wounding 11 others.
On June 8, 1607, Indians continued to harass the settlers at Jamestown, with Gabriel Archer noting a daring incident where some Indians hid under the settlers' defenses.
Captain John Smith is officially sworn in as a member of the colony's governing council.
By June 15, 1607, James Fort in Jamestown was completed in a triangle shape with three bulwarks equipped with artillery. Settlers also began planting crops in two areas.
The Reverend Robert Hunt conducted the first Anglican communion service at Jamestown on June 21, 1607.
On June 22, 1607, Captain Newport departed Jamestown for England aboard the Susan Constant and the Godspeed, carrying mineral samples that the colonists hoped would reveal the presence of gold in Virginia.
Captain Bartholomew Gosnold passed away on August 22, 1607, and was buried just outside James Fort in Jamestown. His grave was rediscovered by archaeologists almost 400 years later.
In September 10, 1607, Council President Edward Maria Wingfield was deposed and replaced by John Ratcliffe in the Jamestown settlement.
On December 29, 1607, John Smith is brought before Chief Powhatan at Werowocomoco, the Indian capital, where he claims that Pocahontas, the chief's daughter, saves his life.
Insufficient provisions and over 70 new colonists arrived at Jamestown on January 2, 1608, as part of the first supply mission. The fort burned down shortly after their arrival, leading to additional council members being appointed.
A severe fire damages James Fort in Jamestown, consuming all the buildings of the fort and the storehouse of ammunition and provisions. Only three buildings are left standing. The settlers immediately start rebuilding the fort, including the construction of a church.
The Reverend Robert Hunt, Jamestown’s first Anglican minister, dies and is buried in the chancel of the newly-constructed church.
In June 2, 1608, Captain Nelson returned to England carrying Captain Smith's written account of Virginia.
Captain Newport presents Chief Powhatan with a ceremonial crown symbolizing subordination to the English king, but Powhatan refuses to come to Jamestown and kneel during the ceremony, leading to deteriorating relations between the English and the Powhatan.
On October 1, 1608, 70 additional settlers, including the first two women known to have come to the Jamestown Colony, arrived aboard the Mary and Margaret with the second supply mission. Skilled craftsmen and industry specialists from various nationalities were also included in this group.
In May 1609, Captain John Smith departed Jamestown to obtain food but was captured by the Pamunkey chief Powhatan. He was famously rescued by the Native American princess Pocahontas.
A party of colonists led by Captain Ratcliffe is invited to Orapax by Chief Powhatan, promising them corn for the starving settlers. However, they are ambushed and killed instead.
Survivors of the shipwreck of Sea Venture arrived at Jamestown to find the colony in ruins and practically abandoned. They brought few supplies and food, leading to a challenging situation.
Sir Thomas Gates implements martial law in Jamestown and introduces strict codes of behavior and severe punishments for transgressions.
Lt. Governor Thomas Gates decides to abandon Jamestown due to the dire conditions. The survivors pack onto ships to return to England, leaving behind a lot of material.
Lt. Governor Thomas Gates's convoy coming down the James River meets the resupply led by Governor Thomas West, Lord De La Warr, who demands a return to Jamestown.
Lord De La Warr arrives at Jamestown in June 1610 and instructs the settlers to clean up and rebuild James Fort. The church is repaired and new buildings are constructed.
In July 1610, after a settler is killed by Virginia Indians near Point Comfort, Sir Thomas Gates and his forces retaliate by attacking the town of Kecoughtan. They kill some inhabitants and drive off the rest.
English forces launch a major assault on the Paspahegh village, resulting in the execution of the queen and her children, as well as the destruction of houses and crops.
John Rolfe begins experimenting with growing tobacco seeds, specifically Nicotiana tabacum from Bermuda, as opposed to the native Virginia tobacco Nicotiana rustica.
English at Point Comfort capture three men from a Spanish expedition and hold them prisoner in Virginia for several years. The Spanish decide against attacking the Virginia colony.
King James I renews the charter for the Virginia Company, granting it more self-governance. He also authorizes lotteries to raise funds for the venture and expands the colony's boundaries to include Bermuda.
In April 1613, Pocahontas, Chief Powhatan's daughter, is kidnapped by Captain Samuel Argall and brought to Jamestown for ransom. This event leads to tensions between the English and Powhatan tribe.
Chief Powhatan did not respond to the demand for Pocahontas's ransom, leading Sir Thomas Dale to lead 150 men into Powhatan territory. They were attacked, prompting them to burn houses and kill several men.
Pocahontas gives birth to a son named Thomas Rolfe on January 30, 1615.
In May 1616, John Rolfe, Pocahontas, their son, and other Virginia Indians travel to England with Sir Thomas Dale to generate publicity for the Virginia Company. George Yeardley becomes deputy governor in Dale's absence.
In June 1616, the Virginia Company established the 'headright' system, granting 50 acres of land to individuals who paid their fare to Virginia and an additional 50 acres for each person they brought with them. This policy incentivized further settlement and laid the groundwork for a system that would later support legal slavery.
Pocahontas passed away from an illness in Gravesend on March 17, 1617, while preparing to return to Virginia. Her death left a significant impact on both English and Virginia Indian heritage.
Samuel Argall returns to Jamestown as the new deputy governor.
Governor Samuel Argall orders the construction of a new wooden church just east of the first church building at Jamestown, where Pocahontas and Rolfe were married. The new church is to be 50 foot long and twenty foot broad, built on a foundation of cobblestones and capped by a wall one brick thick.
Sir George Yeardley, the new governor of the colony, arrives at Jamestown, marking a significant event in the governance of the settlement.
Virginia's new governor, George Yeardley, introduces reforms in Jamestown, including the establishment of the first representative assembly in North America known as the House of Burgesses, consisting of 22 delegates or 'burgesses.'
Slovak and Polish artisans conducted the first labor strike in American history on June 30, 1619, demanding democratic rights. They were granted equal voting rights on July 21, 1619, leading to the end of the strike.
On July 30, 1619, the General Assembly meets for the first time in the Jamestown church. The assembly passes its first law, requiring tobacco to be sold for at least three shillings per pound.
On November 3, 1619, due to concerns about the gender imbalance in English Virginia, the Virginia Company decides to send a group of young and unmarried women to marry male settlers and help establish families in the colony.
In May 1620, 90 young women recruited by the Virginia Company arrived in Virginia to marry planters. The husbands were expected to reimburse the company for their passage and expenses, offering better financial opportunities and legal freedom in Virginia.
In 1621, Governor Sir George Yeardley resigned and was replaced by Sir Francis Wyatt.
On March 22, 1622, a surprise Powhatan Indian attack planned by Opechancanough resulted in the killing of 347 colonists along the James River. This attack triggered a decade-long war. The residents of James Fort were warned at the last minute and were spared.
During the second 'starving time' in May 1623, hundreds of settlers were killed by disease and Indian attacks in Jamestown.
In September 1623, Captain William Tucker concludes peace negotiations with a Powhatan village by proposing a toast with a drink laced with poison, resulting in the death of 200 Powhatans and the killing of another 50.
On May 24, 1624, the Virginia Company loses its charter due to mismanagement, leading to Virginia becoming a royal colony.
On March 27, 1625, King James dies, but his son and successor, Charles I, allows Virginians to keep their General Assembly.
In 1635, the Council deposed Governor Sir John Harvey in the Virginia Colony, reflecting political instability and power struggles within the colonial leadership.
John Punch, an African indentured servant, was sentenced to lifelong servitude in 1640 after attempting to escape. This marked the official institution of slavery in Jamestown and the future United States.
Opechancanough launched coordinated attacks in 1644, resulting in the death of almost 500 colonists.
Governor William Berkeley negotiates a treaty with neighboring tribes, including the Pamunkeys, reducing them to tributary status. The Native Americans are restricted to frontier lands and their choice of leaders must be approved by Berkeley.
Nathaniel Bacon arrives in Jamestown with an armed guard, gets arrested by Governor William Berkeley, and later forced to confess before being allowed to leave the town and return to his farm.
Nathaniel Bacon returns to Jamestown with 500 followers, demands a commission from Governor Berkeley to fight Native Americans, but the commission is revoked, leading to Bacon being declared a traitor.
After threats from Nathaniel Bacon, Governor Berkeley flees Jamestown, and Bacon gains support from wealthier planters at the Middle Plantation.
Nathaniel Bacon marches on Jamestown, defeats forces loyal to Governor Berkeley, and sets fire to the settlement.
After hanged William Drummond and other leaders of the rebellion, Governor Berkeley was recalled to England by King Charles II. He returned to London where he passed away in July 1677.
The statehouse in Jamestown burned for the fourth time, leading to the decision to permanently move the capital to Middle Plantation, which was later renamed Williamsburg.
In 1699, the government and capital were moved from Jamestown to Middle Plantation, which was later renamed Williamsburg. This marked the shift of the political center in Virginia.
Jamestown celebrated its bicentennial in 1807.
In 1831, David Bullock bought Jamestown from the Travis and Ambler families.
In 1857, a 250th-anniversary celebration was held for Jamestown, which was then owned by William Allen.
In 1892, Jamestown Island was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Edward Barney.
In 1893, the Jamestown churchyard was granted to the preservation organization APVA (Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities).
In 1901, Samuel Yonge conducted archeological excavations of the statehouse complex and supervised the construction of a seawall near Jamestown church.
In 1907, the Jamestown Exposition took place in nearby Norfolk, Virginia. A Tercentenary monument and Memorial Church were constructed on Jamestown Island.
In 1934, Jamestown became part of the Colonial National Historical Park, which aimed to preserve and commemorate the historical significance of the area.
The publication 'New Discoveries at Jamestown' in 1957 by John L. Cotter and J. Paul Hudson highlighted significant archaeological findings at the Jamestown site. These discoveries contributed to a better understanding of the early colonial period in America.
In 1994, the APVA launched the Jamestown Rediscovery project, focusing on excavating and studying the 1607 James Fort, uncovering valuable insights into the early settlement.
The book 'Love and Hate in Jamestown: John Smith, Pocahontas, and the Start of a New Nation' by David A. Price was published in 2003.
The book 'Jamestown Rediscovery 1994-2004' by William M. Kelso and Beverly Straube was published in 2004.
The Jamestown Quatercentennial in 2007 commemorated the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, highlighting its enduring historical significance.