Virginia Company of London and the Settlement of Jamestown in 1607

What was the primary goal of the settlement?

What motivated the Virginia Company of London to establish Jamestown in 1607?

Final answer:

Jamestown was founded with the primary goal of generating wealth for its investors in England, first through gold and silver mining, and then through successful tobacco farming. They also aimed to spread Protestantism. Despite facing numerous challenges, they were able to establish the first permanent English colony in North America.

The Virginia Company of London established Jamestown in 1607 with the intent of creating a profitable enterprise for their investors in England. The primary goal of the settlement was to extract wealth from the colony, initially met by searching for gold and silver. However, finding little mineral wealth in the region, the settlers eventually found success by diversifying into tobacco cultivation, generating a profitable cash crop that became popular in Europe.

Moreover, a secondary objective was to extend the influence of Protestantism and English culture in the New World. Despite their optimistic expectations, the settlers met numerous challenges including lack of food, internal disputes, hard physical labor, and conflicts with the native Powhatan tribe. The tough experiences of the early years, especially the winter of 1609-1610, known as 'the starving time,' nearly led to the failure of the Jamestown settlement. Still, the incoming supply ship from England and the eventual success in tobacco farming provided a means for Jamestown to survive, making it the first permanent English colony in what later became the United States.