Jamestown, Virginia: The Townsite and Its StoryHatch, Charles E., Jr.
History
Jamestown, Virginia: The Townsite and Its Story
Hatch, Charles E., Jr.
Jamestown (Va.)
Sir Humphrey lost his life in 1583 when returning from his attempted
settlement of St. John’s Port, Newfoundland. Sir Walter Raleigh
diligently sought to establish the English flag to the south. He sent
out two colonial expeditions to found a settlement on Roanoke Island in
present eastern North Carolina. Both failed in their over-all purpose.
It was the expedition of 1587 (the last) which set sail for the
Chesapeake Bay country and landed on Roanoke Island that has come down
to us as the “Lost Colony”—the settlement that saw the birth of Virginia
Dare and that left the baffling inscription suggesting that the members
of the colony moved, willingly or unwillingly, to be with the Croatan
Indians who lived not far from Roanoke. The early men at Jamestown knew
of their countrymen who were lost in America and were under orders to
seek them. This they did, but their search went unrewarded.
By 1600, England was readying herself for a concerted drive to establish
colonies in the New World. The way had been prepared by the far-sighted
Queen Elizabeth and her supporters. Within England there had been
growth; capital had accumulated; industry was taking root; commercial
organization was beginning; and Englishmen were ready for new
adventures. Outwardly, England had grown through its naval successes and
had developed a keen hostility to Spain. Individual Englishmen, each
depending on his own circumstances, were seeking more profitable
employment, personal freedom (particularly religious liberty), land
ownership, personal advancement, adventure, and just plain change. A new
England was in the making and the British Empire was about to rise in
the West and in the Orient as well. With the accession of James I to the
English throne, peace was made with Spain, a peace that was maintained
although it was an uneasy one—from time to time little more than an
armed truce. Yet, because of it, English capital came out of hiding and
sought profitable investment. Business development increased and joint
stock companies began to organize for overseas settlement.
Colonization was expensive, however, and required the pooled resources
of many men. Advertising, which reached a peak early in the 17th
century, was put to work in a manner that would do credit to the present
day. Its use in commerce and government is by no means of recent date.
Spokesmen—speakers, writers, poets, pamphleteers, playwrights, and
preachers—solicited all England to take part in these new endeavors
which, in their words, gave every assurance of profitable return.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account