Students often ask why was Jamestown founded on that particular stretch of the James River. The answer lies in what the settlers of 1607 needed most, and in what they did not foresee.

Quick answer: Jamestown was founded at that spot because it was easy to defend, with water on three sides and an inland location. The river was deep enough for ships to tie up at the shore, and no Native people lived on the site. The same river location later brought bad water and disease.

Contents

The Choice of May 13, 1607

The settlers had left England on December 6, 1606, aboard the Susan Constant, the Godspeed and the Discovery. In 1607, 104 English men and boys reached Virginia, and on May 13 they chose the site they named for King James I.[1]

The Virginia Company expected a profit from the venture. Its charter, granted on April 10, 1606, authorized settlement on the coast of North America.[2]

Three Reasons for the Site

The National Park Service lists three advantages of the site.[1]

Reason Why it mattered
Water on three sides, inland location The settlement could be defended against attack
Deep water next to the shore Ships could be tied up at the bank
No Native town on the site The land was not inhabited

With water on three sides, the settlement had only one side open to approach by land.

The Hidden Costs

The site had serious weaknesses. Settlers drank salty or slimy river water, and disease and food shortages killed many of them.[1]

During the “Starving Time” of 1609-1610 (a winter of famine during a drought, when relations with the Powhatan had broken down), most of the colonists died. William Strachey estimated the losses at 80 to 90 percent.[1]

What Happened to the Site

Jamestown survived as the capital for most of the 1600s. In 1699 the government moved to Middle Plantation, renamed Williamsburg, and Jamestown ceased to be a town.[1]

Frequently asked questions

Why was Jamestown founded? The Virginia Company sent settlers to establish an English colony that could turn a profit. They chose the site because it was defensible, had deep water and was not inhabited.

When was Jamestown founded? The settlers chose the site on May 13, 1607.

Why was the Jamestown site a bad choice? The water was salty or slimy, and disease and food shortages killed many settlers.

When did Jamestown stop being the capital? In 1699, when the government moved to Williamsburg.

References

The wider story of the colony is told in The Virginia Colony: Overview.