Establishing the Virginia Company's Goals in the Early Seventeenth Century
What does the fact that many of the men the Virginia Company recruited to sail to North America in the early seventeenth century were gentlemen and skilled artisans show about the Company's original goals?
Answer:
The initial goal of the Virginia Company was to establish an artisan colony, not an agricultural colony.
The Virginia Company's decision to recruit gentlemen and skilled artisans to sail to North America in the early seventeenth century reveals a strategic approach towards establishing a colony that prioritized trade and commerce over agricultural self-sufficiency. By selecting individuals with expertise in artisanal crafts and trade, the Company aimed to create a successful economic venture in the New World. The Company's original goals were centered around establishing a thriving commercial hub where goods could be produced, exchanged, and sold to generate profit. The recruitment of gentlemen and skilled artisans was a deliberate choice to ensure that the colony would have the necessary expertise to engage in trade with local Native American tribes and other European settlers. However, despite the Company's intentions to create an artisan colony, the plan ultimately failed due to various factors such as environmental challenges, lack of agricultural skills among the colonists, and difficulties in establishing trade relationships with the local tribes. The harsh drought conditions in the Chesapeake Bay area, combined with the colonists' inability to effectively cultivate the land, led to widespread famine and suffering among the settlers. In hindsight, the Virginia Company's emphasis on recruiting gentlemen and skilled artisans reflects a strategic but ultimately flawed approach to colonization. While the Company sought to prioritize trade and commerce in its initial goals, the realities of settlement in a new and unfamiliar land exposed the limitations of relying solely on artisanal expertise without a strong foundation in agriculture and sustainability. Overall, the recruitment choices made by the Virginia Company shed light on the complexities and challenges of early colonial ventures, highlighting the importance of adaptation, resilience, and a balanced approach to economic development in the face of unforeseen circumstances.