Early English Settlements

Why did the Virginia Company choose a joint-stock model to fund their expedition?

Answer explanation

The joint-stock model spread both the wealth and the risk of the expedition among investors.

List two key goals the Virginia Company had for establishing the colony in 1607.

Answer explanation

The Virginia Company’s primary goals were to find gold and establish a passage to the Indies to access luxury goods like spices and silk.

What expectations did the early colonists have about their time in Virginia?

Answer explanation

The colonists expected to find gold, get rich quickly, and return to Europe to live wealthy lives. They did not plan for long-term settlement, assuming they would only be there for a few years.

What were two reasons given for why the land chosen for Jamestown was not ideal for a settlement?

Answer explanation

The land was marshy, with poor soil for growing crops. It was also infested with mosquitoes that carried diseases like malaria and yellow fever.

What led to the colonists being so unprepared to survive at Jamestown?

Answer explanation

They did not plan for long-term settlement, They viewed it as a get-rich-quick scheme and assumed they would only be there for a few years. This unrealistic expectation led to a lack of preparation for farming and survival.