The Founding of Jamestown
Before the Rebellion
A 1607 drawing of the fort at Jamestown.
A group of English investors known as the Virginia Company received a royal charter to found a colony in North America. In 1607, the company financed 104 English men to cross the Atlantic Ocean, hoping to find gold. The settlers picked a place they called Jamestown, Virginia, as the perfect location to defend themselves against the Spanish. They built their fort on land used by the Powhatans for hunting, setting the stage for future tensions.
During their first year, many settlers became ill and dependent on food and support from the local Powhatan people, adding to the tension between the two groups.
