US History 1 - Jamestown

1. What was a “joint stock” company? 

A joint stock company is a company that allows several people to share the responsibilities, stock, and risk. Similar to the modern day stock market. 

Columbus had to find someone with a lot of money to back his trip. He found a lot of people with small amounts of money, and formed a joint stock company. If they made profit, everyone would get a small amount of money back and if they lost profit they would only lose a small amount. 

2.      Why were early years of colonies very difficult for settlers? 

The colonies were used to being provided for and didn’t know how to hunt or farm. They were in a different environment they were used to and they spent too much time looking for gold that didn’t exist. Most were aristocrats and artisans that had everything done for them so they had no experience (didn’t know how to farm/fish/hunt). There was the Anglo-Palahatan war.

3.      Why did many settlers die once they arrived? 

They died from disease, malnutrition, and starvation (the holy trinity of bad things) 

4.      Who helped the colony from being entirely lost?  

The Native Americans reached out to try to help the settlers. 

5.      What factors led to battles between settlers and Native Americans? 

Cultural clashes led to battles. The settlers wanted to take whatever they wanted from Native American villages and raided often, which caused conflict.

6.      What exported goods helped the Virginia Company to stay in business, as directed by the English, and to stay on “firm economic ground”?  

Tobacco became the main export helping the settlers to survive. It was their main profit.