England established its first permanent American settlement in Jamestown, Virginia over four hundred years ago. King James told the colonists to find a safe place then, search for gold.

What this first group of men and boys found was a piece of land surrounded by the waters of the James River. The site may have been good for defense, but it was a poor choice for a permanent settlement and there was no gold.

Powhatan Indians already occupied the surrounding area. More than half of the men died the first year. The first colonists were unprepared for the wilderness and hostile conditions they encountered.

Despite the hardships, more settlers arrived. The Crown eventually gave up on the site of Jamestown and Williamsburg became the capital of Virginia.

The legacy of that stuggling group of men and boys was the beginning of a nation. In less than one hundred years, the population of America numbered over a quarter million people.

The story of Jamestown does not end there. In the last twenty years, researchers have uncovered new facts about the early days of the settlement. Studies of the rings of ancient cypress trees show the first colonists arrived during a severe drought.

Archaeologists have recently uncovered the original fort, long believed to be submerged under water. The bones of the first settlers and thousands of newly discovered artifacts are revealing new evidence about the early history of Jamestown.

Be sure to visit the Archaearium Museum and the site to see what new discoveries are on display.

Researched by Cynthia Catellier

University of West Florida

Public History