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The initial settlers were ill chosen for the task of establishing a colony.  Many of the first settlers practiced trades such as weaving and assaying (determining the value of minerals), and some were "gentlemen" who were not expected to work.  The English thought that the Native Americans would feed them. However, the Chesapeake was in the midst of a twenty year drought, and the natives had little incentive (or desire) to feed the colonists. Out of the original 104 male colonists, only 38 were alive in January of 1608, when a "resupply" from England landed 70 more settlers, two of them women.  In August of 1609, an estimated 200-300 settlers arrived in Jamestown.  

The initial settlers were ill chosen for the task of establishing a colony.  Many of the first settlers practiced trades such as weaving and assaying (determining the value of minerals), and some were "gentlemen" who were not expected to work.  The English thought that the Native Americans would feed them. However, the Chesapeake was in the midst of a twenty year drought, and the natives had little incentive (or desire) to feed the colonists. Out of the original 104 male colonists, only 38 were alive in January of 1608, when a "resupply" from England landed 70 more settlers, two of them women.  In August of 1609, an estimated 200-300 settlers arrived in Jamestown.  

    

    

John Smith, the leader of the colony was a former soldier and strict disciplinarian, who decreed that “he that doth not work, shall not eat.” However, food shortages continued. Smith and his successors augmented existing food supplies by sometimes trading for, and other times exthoring food from the local Powhatan peoples. The colony suffered a severe blow in September of 1609 when Smith was badly injured in a gunpowder accident and returned to England.  

John Smith, the leader of the colony was a former soldier and strict disciplinarian, who decreed that “he that doth not work, shall not eat.” However, food shortages continued. Smith and his successors augmented existing food supplies by sometimes trading for, and other times exthoring food from the local Powhatan peoples. The colony suffered a severe blow in September of 1609 when Smith was badly injured in a gunpowder accident and returned to England.  

The leaderless colony suffered through the starving time from the fall of 1609 to June 1610. When Lord De la Warr arrived with resupply ships and 250 more settlers, he found only 60 survivors.  

The leaderless colony suffered through the starving time from the fall of 1609 to June 1610. When Lord De la Warr arrived with resupply ships and 250 more settlers, he found only 60 survivors.  

References:

References:

Edmund S. Morgan, ''American Slavery, American Freedom: The Ordeal of Colonial Virginia.'' (New York: Norton, 1975).

Edmund S. Morgan, ''American Slavery, American Freedom: The Ordeal of Colonial Virginia.'' (New York: Norton, 1975).