Jamestown/Plymouth

Early History of the United States

The history of the Americas forever changed when the explorer Christopher Columbus arrived from Spain in 1492.

Columbus’s voyages opened up the Americas to Europe. Before this, people in Europe and the Americas had very little contact. His journey marked the beginning of a new era of exploration and trade.

The continents of North and South America and the nearby islands became known as the New World.

By the 1500s,  several European nations, including Spain, had sent explorers to claim land in the Americas. 

 

Spain had already claimed large parts of both North and South America, but the Spanish learned that claiming land was not the same as controlling it.  

 

Over time, Spain realized that it needed to protect is claims in the Americas.

Spanish explorers and soldiers built colonies, called settlements, in areas that are now parts of Florida, Mexico, Central and South America. These colonies were designed to claim land (glory), find gold and silver, and spread Christianity (God).
Spain’s colonies became successful and very wealthy.

​Spanish Colonies

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While Spain’s colonies were growing rich and powerful, England noticed that it was falling behind. The English wanted some of the same advantages — land, resources, and trade — and they also wanted to compete with Spain for power in the New World.

England began sending explorers to map the coast, find safe harbors, and claim land for the English crown.

England

Multiple Choice

What is a colony?

• A colony is a form of government.

• A colony is a group of people living in isolation.
• A colony is a group of people from one country who build a settlement in another territory, or land

• A colony is a type of plant.

It was the late 1500s, and England wanted to start colonies in the New World. These colonies could give them more land, power, and wealth.

Explorers sent by Queen Elizabeth I sailed along the coast of North America. The explorers were looking for a place where they could build a safe colony and keep an eye on their enemy, Spain. They reached an island named Roanoke in present-day North Carolina.
When they reached Roanoke Island, they thought it was a good spot.

It was protected by water, which made it hard for enemies to attack. It was also close to the ocean, so English ships could bring supplies.

​First Attempt

In 1585, a man named Sir Walter Raleigh received permission from Queen Elizabeth to start a colony.
He sent about 100 men to explore Roanoke Island.

At first, things seemed promising. The island was beautiful — full of forests, fish, and fertile land. The local Native American tribes, like the Croatan, helped the colonists at first.

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But before long, things turned bad. The colonists didn’t know how to farm the land or survive through harsh weather. They clashed with some of the Native groups, food ran low, and morale dropped.

After less than a year, the first group gave up. When English ships returned, they found the men ready to leave — and they sailed home.

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But England didn’t give up. In 1587, Sir Walter Raleigh tried again. This time, he sent a group of about 115 settlers — men, women, and children — led by John White.

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The Second Attempt

John White

These were not just explorers; they wanted to build a permanent home. Many brought families. John White’s own daughter, Eleanor Dare, was among them — and soon after arriving, she gave birth to a baby girl named Virginia Dare, the first English child born in America.

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The Second Attempt

Spirits were high. The settlers rebuilt their homes on Roanoke Island and tried to trade with local tribes. But once again, food became scarce, and tensions grew.

​The colonists begged John White to return to England to bring back supplies. He didn’t want to leave — his daughter and granddaughter were there — but he had no choice.

He set sail back to England, promising to return quickly with food and help.

​John White Goes Back

Multiple Choice

What country attempted to establish the Roanoke colony?

• France
• England
• Spain
• Portugal

Multiple Choice

Who was the leader of the Roanoke colony?

• Sir Francis Drake
• Thomas Harriot
• Christopher Columbus

• John White

But when he got there, England was in chaos. A massive war had broken out with Spain — the famous Spanish Armada — and every available English ship was needed for battle.

John White begged to return, but he couldn’t. Three long years passed before he was finally allowed to sail back to Roanoke.

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​A Delay

It was 1590 when John White finally stepped back onto the shores of Roanoke.

He expected to see his family running to greet him, the sounds of laughter, the sight of smoke from chimneys.

But what he found was… silence.

The settlement was completely deserted. Houses had been taken apart, no people remained, no signs of struggle or battle.

Everything — and everyone — was gone.

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​The Mysterious Disappearance — 1590

The only clue left behind was a single word carved into a wooden post:

‘CROATOAN.’

Another carving, the letters ‘CRO,’ was found on a nearby tree.

John White searched nearby areas for the settlers, but with no luck.. He never saw the settlers again.

​What happened to the colonists of Roanoke remain a mystery to this day.

​CROATOAN

To this day, no one knows for sure what happened to the Lost Colony of Roanoke.

Some believe the settlers joined the Croatoan tribe, living among them peacefully.
Others think they tried to sail back to England and were lost at sea.
A few historians even wonder if they were attacked or moved inland and simply vanished into the wilderness.

There’s no proof — only clues, stories, and legends passed down through time.

Theories

Why do you think the colonists carved “CROATOAN” instead of leaving more clues?

TURN AND TALK

16 years after Roanoke, across the ocean in England, merchants and adventurers were dreaming of a new world — a land rich with gold, forests, and endless opportunity.

They formed a group called the Virginia Company of London, and the King — King James I — gave them permission to start a colony in North America.

Their mission? Find gold, claim land for England, and bring wealth to everyone involved.

So in December 1606, three small ships — the Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery — set sail with about 105 men and boys.

No women, no families — just adventurers, soldiers, and craftsmen hoping for fortune.

​Jamestown Founded

After more than four long months at sea, the ships finally reached the coast of what we now call Virginia in April 1607.

The colonists sailed up a wide river, which they named the James River after their king.

On a swampy peninsula surrounded by water and mosquitoes, they began building their settlement — Jamestown, the first permanent English colony in America.

They thought the location would protect them from Spanish ships, but it also brought bad water, disease, and insects.

From the very beginning, life was hard.

​Jamestown Founded

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The Jamestown Colony was located north of Roanoke Island in present-day Virginia. This is Jamestown's ​

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location.

Unfortunately, the settlers built Jamestown on a marsh.  A marsh is a low area of wetland that is sometimes unhealthful for people. The water around Jamestown was dirty and salty. The land was not good for farming. And mosquitoes carried a deadly disease, malaria.

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A Disastrous Start

The settlers had come looking for gold — but they didn’t know how to survive in the wild.

They spent more time searching for treasure than planting crops.

The water from the river was salty and unsafe to drink. Mosquitoes spread disease. Food ran low.

Out of the 105 settlers who arrived, only about half survived the first year.

Many times, it seemed like Jamestown would fail, just like Roanoke had.

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A Disastrous Start

Then came a man named Captain John Smith — a soldier, explorer, and natural leader.

Smith quickly realized that if the colony was going to survive, everyone had to work. He made a strict rule: ‘He that will not work, shall not eat.’ It may sound harsh, but it saved lives.

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​Captain John Smith

He forced the settlers to work and led hunting and exploration expeditions around the area. He traveled and explored the area. 

However, during one of his exploration trips Smith was captured by the Indians and brought before Chief Powhatan.

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​Smith Captured

He was laid out on a stone and encircled by a group of armed men.

All of a sudden, Pocahontas ran and threw herself on him and convinced her father to spare his life.

After this event, the relationship between the two groups improved and the settlers were able to trade with the Powhatan for much needed goods.

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​Pocahontas

Multiple Choice

How was the first year at Jamestown a disaster?

• The settlers disappeared.

• The colonists were all captured and massacred.

• The colony burned to the ground.

• The first year at Jamestown was marked by starvation and disease, resulting in half the settlers dying.

Multiple Choice

Who helped Jamestown survive with rules (don't work, don't eat)?

• Pocahontas
• Sir Walter Raleigh

• Thomas Jefferson
• Captain John Smith

Multiple Choice

Who helped with contact between the English and the Indians?

• Virginia Dare

• Pocahontas
• John Smith
• Chief Massasoit

In Oct. 1609, Captain John White was involved in an accident. A stray match ignited Smith's powder bag, causing an explosion that set his clothing on fire and he was left severely injured.  

So John Smith took a ship back to England to recuperate and never set foot in Virginia again.

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​More Troubles

As winter fell over Jamestown in 1609, the colony was in deep trouble.

Without Captain John Smith, chaos took hold. The settlers had angered the Powhatan Confederacy, and trade with the Native Americans stopped completely.
The natives laid siege to the Jamestown fort.

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​More Troubles

The settlers did not dare leave the fort. Food ran low, and the cold weather made it impossible to grow new crops.

That winter would become one of the darkest times in early American history. The settlers called it ‘The Starving Time

  The 300 colonists ate their horses, dogs, cats, rats, and snakes. They even boiled and ate their shoes.

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​Starving Time

They then ate each other. In 2012, Jamestown archaeologists working in a cellar at the fort discovered the mutilated skull of an English teenage girl. She was found among butchered animal bones and other remains thrown away by the Jamestown colonists during the “Starving Time”. On expert, determined that the skull had suffered multiple slices from at least three different sharp metal knives. He concluded that these marks were made from someone trying to separate soft tissue and the brain from bone.

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​Starving Time

When spring finally came in 1610, the survivors were ready to give up. They began preparing to sail back to England.

But just as they were leaving the river, new ships arrived — carrying food, supplies, and new settlers.

These ships brought fresh hope and new leadership. The colony of Jamestown was saved

​For all of its troubles, Jamestown grew. A leader named John Rolfe brought tobacco plants from the West Indies to the colony.

 

The colonists were soon growing tobacco as a cash crop—a crop that people  huge profits. A profit is the money left over after all costs have been paid. It quickly became clear the colonists could sell every last bit of tobacco they grew. They hadn’t found gold, but this was nearly as good

​Hope Arrives

In 1614, John Rolfe also improved the colony's chances of survival by marrying Pocahontas.

Their marriage joined the two groups together, and there was peace for many years.

Jamestown is significant because it was the first permanent English settlement in America. It showed the challenges of colonization but ultimately succeeded. Today, it’s remembered as an important part of American history.

​Legacy

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Jamestown was founded in ​

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Multiple Choice

Why is Jamestown important in American history?

• Jamestown was the first capital of the United States.
• Jamestown was known for its gold mines.
• Jamestown was established by Spanish explorers.
• Jamestown is important as the first permanent English settlement in North America.

Lesson: Jamestown/Plymouth (1)

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Plymouth Colony 1620 - Religious Freedom

It’s the year 1620 — just thirteen years after Jamestown was founded.

Across the Atlantic Ocean, in England, a small group of people called the Separatists wanted to worship God in their own way.

But England’s rulers demanded everyone follow the Church of England. Those who refused were punished — some even arrested.

So, these brave men, women, and children made a daring choice:
They would leave their homes, sail across the ocean, and build a new life where they could worship freely.

We remember them as the Pilgrims

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​Leaving England

The Pilgrims joined a group of other settlers and hired a small ship called the Mayflower.

In September 1620, 102 passengers — including men, women, and children — set sail from England.

The journey was supposed to take a few weeks. Instead, it took 66 stormy days. The seas were rough, and people were seasick. The ship creaked and leaked.

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​A Rough Journey

What made them come on this dangerous voyage?  Freedom.  Freedom to practice the religion of their choice.  Freedom to believe what they believed and not what the king told them to believe. They called themselves Separatists because they wanted to separate, or break away, from the Church of England. But we know them as the Pilgrims. A pilgrim is someone who travels for religious reasons.

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Religious Freedom

On November 11, 1620, the Pilgrims finally saw land — but not where they had planned.

They were supposed to settle near the Hudson River, in what’s now New York, but strong winds had pushed them far north, to the rocky coast of what is now Massachusetts.

They anchored near a place the Native Americans called Patuxet — the Pilgrims renamed it Plymouth. The climate was cold and snowy.

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​Mayflower

Multiple Choice

Why did the Pilgrims leave England?

• The Pilgrims left England for religious freedom.
• To escape war.

• To seek silver and gold.

• To find new trade routes.

Multiple Choice

What is a pilgrim?

• A pilgrim is a person who travels for religious reasons.

• A pilgrim is someone who sells goods.
• A pilgrim is a person who studies ancient texts.
• A pilgrim is a type of bird.

Dropdown

The Pilgrims sailed across the Atlantic Ocean on the ​

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Hotspot

Where did the Pilgrims land?

When the Pilgrims first sighted Cape Cod, they rejoiced and gave thanks to God for allowing them to make the passage safely.

The Pilgrims knew that they needed rules and laws and good leaders to help them live together peacefully. Before the Pilgrims got off the ship, they wrote and signed a contract. It is known as the Mayflower Compact. A compact is an agreement.

With this document, the 41 men who signed it the passengers would work together to govern themselves in the new land. It is the first document in the English colonies to guarantee self-government.

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​Mayflower Compact

After they signed the Mayflower Compact, the passengers were allowed to go ashore on Cape Cod. Everyone’s legs were wobbly after being at sea for so long.
Even though it had already snowed, the children ran on the cold, sandy beach. The men searched for fresh water and dry firewood. They also explored the area. The women washed clothes. Soon the rocks and bushes were dotted with clothing spread out to dry.

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Plymouth

It took the Pilgrims almost a month to find a permanent place to settle. They finally decided on a spot where the water was deep enough to anchor their ship. When they explored the land, they found freshwater streams and forests for timber. The Pilgrims named their new settlement Plymouth.

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Plymouth

The Pilgrims spent most of their first winter in Plymouth colony aboard the crowded, damp Mayflower. The men and boys went ashore to build the first houses. An icy wind blew off the ocean. On many days the weather was so bad that the men could not work. During that first winter, half the Pilgrims died from cold and hunger.

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​Harsh Winter

Multiple Choice

Before the Pilgrims went ashore they created a set of rules to help them live together peacefully.  What was this called?

• Mayflower Compact
• Plymouth Agreement
• Colonial Charter
• New World Treaty

Multiple Choice

How would the early days of the Plymouth Colony be described?

• The colonists found early success in fur trading.

• The Plymouth Colony began a war with the Native Americans.

• Many of the colonists died during the first winter in the colony.

• The colonists were immediately successful.

The first house the Pilgrims built was called the common house. At first, it was used as a shelter and a place to store tools. Later, it was used as a place of worship. When spring finally came, the Pilgrims moved off the Mayflower and into the houses. They began to plant crops. They had to work hard. Once the Mayflower sailed back to England, they were on their own. During the warm summer, the Pilgrims tended their gardens. They were already preparing for the winter ahead.

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Setting Up a Colony

When spring came in 1621, the Pilgrims met two Native Americans who could speak English — Samoset and Squanto.

Squanto’s story was amazing — he had once been captured and taken to Europe but had found his way home again.

He showed the Pilgrims how to plant corn, where to fish, and how to use fish to fertilize the soil.

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A Visitor

Squanto became their translator and guide, helping them form peace with the nearby Wampanoag people, led by Chief Massasoit.

With his help, the Pilgrims finally had hope.

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A Visitor

In the fall, Governor Bradford gathered all the Pilgrims together. He told them that they had many things to be thankful for. They had finally found a place to worship God in their own way. And thanks to their Native American friends, their harvest would be plentiful. To celebrate, Governor Bradford invited the Pilgrims’ Native American friends to feast with them and offer prayers of thanksgiving. The feast lasted three days. That feast was a thanksgiving celebration that has become an American tradition.

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Giving Thanks

Multiple Choice

Which English-speaking Native American helped the Pilgrims the most?

• Crazy Horse
• Sitting Bull
• Pocahontas
• Squanto

Multiple Choice

What tribe was Squanto from?

• Wampanoag
• Iroquois
• Cherokee
• Patuxet

Categorize

Options (8)

Founded in Virginia, 1607

Grew tobacco as a cash crop

Founded in Massachusetts, 1620

Signed the Mayflower Compact

First Permanent English Colony

Founded for Religious Freedom

Also known as "Lost Colony"

CROTOAN found carved in tree

Correctly categorize the descriptions to the correct colonies.

Roanoke

Jamestown

Plymouth

Thanks to the success of the Jamestown and Plymouth colonies, in time England had 13 colonies along the Atlantic Coast.

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Thirteen Colonies

Lesson: Jamestown/Plymouth (1)

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