Jamestown 6

Jamestown was the first British colony in North America, established in 1607 under a charter from King James I to the Virginia Company. The colony was founded by around 100 men who were more interested in finding gold than farming. Captain John Smith played a crucial role in maintaining order during its early struggles. After Smith's departure in 1609, the colony faced anarchy and high mortality rates due to disease and Native-American attacks. In 1612, John Rolfe revolutionized the economy by producing a new tobacco variety that became Virginia's main revenue source after the first shipment to London in 1614. However, the colony's death rate was high, and by 1624, only 1,132 of the original 14,000 settlers remained. That year, the Virginia Company was dissolved, and Virginia became a royal colony.