American history as we know it started on the shores of Virginia in 1607. In this series, the American History Podcast explores the trials, discoveries and dilemmas facing English colonists in Jamestown’s most formative years.
[mc4wp_form id=”123″] Listen on: iTunes Subscribe on Android Stitcher and more Another collapse … This is it, the final (final) episode on Jamestown. It’s here that everything comes together, and the seeds of future adventures are planted. When the Sea Venture sank off the coast of Bermuda, the Virginia Company once again began to collapse. Read more about Jamestown 10: The Virginia Company – King vs. Parliament[…]
[mc4wp_form id=”123″] Listen on: iTunes Subscribe on Android Stitcher and more The History of the Virginia Company of London In this two-part episode, we discuss the politics of colonization in England. England hadn’t successfully set up any New World colonies when Gosnold and Archer started to push for a new attempt, and the colony immediately became the Read more about Jamestown 9: The politics of Virginia in England[…]
[mc4wp_form id=”123″] Listen on: iTunes Subscribe on Android Stitcher and more The massacre of 1622 On March 22, 1622, Powhatan warriors ambushed and killed 347 people – a quarter of Virginia’s colonists. In just a few hours, the colony was transformed from boomtown into rubble. Worse, it was about to collapse into a second starving time. Over Read more about Jamestown 8: Bloodletting[…]
[mc4wp_form id=”123″] Listen on: iTunes Subscribe on Android Stitcher and more The defeat of the Powhatan After five years of attrition warfare, Samuel Argall kidnapped Pocahontas. Wahunsenaca couldn’t get her back, and the fact that he couldn’t get her back signaled to his entire empire that he couldn’t defeat the English. He played his hand as well Read more about Jamestown 7: The kidnapping of Pocahontas[…]
[mc4wp_form id=”123″] Listen on: iTunes Subscribe on Android Stitcher and more Replacing anarchy with tyranny As the Jamestown settlers prepared to abandon North America, they met up with Lord Delaware’s fleet. It was the first ship the Virginia Company had been able to fund since the disastrous Third Supply, and it was largely thanks to Delaware’s influence that Read more about Jamestown 6: A new era[…]
[mc4wp_form id=”123″] Listen on: iTunes Subscribe on Android Stitcher and more The Sea Venture castaways had spent nearly a year trying to get to Jamestown, but when they reached Virginia, starvation had overtaken the settlement. Settlers in Jamestown had resorted to cannibalism to survive, and over two thirds were dead. After reuniting, though, they had to make a Read more about Jamestown 5: The Tempest[…]
[mc4wp_form id=”123″] Listen on: iTunes Subscribe on Android Stitcher and more The attempted assassination of John Smith John Smith was trying to hold Jamestown together as hostile Powhatan refused to trade, food shortages threatened the colony, and the colonists themselves fell into disarray. It was then that made his most famous proclamation, “He that will not work, shall Read more about Jamestown 4: Gunpowder[…]
[mc4wp_form id=”123″] Listen on: iTunes Subscribe on Android Stitcher and more Bad to worse … There were two opposing groups, with different interests in Jamestown. Newport represented the London Company, which wanted to find a “get rich quick” scheme. John Smith represented the colonists, who needed to be able to survive in the wilderness. In 1608, the two Read more about Jamestown 3: The Coronation of Powhatan[…]
[mc4wp_form id=”123″] Listen on: iTunes Subscribe on Android Stitcher and more Four months alone … When Newport left for England, conditions in Jamestown crumbled. They didn’t have enough food, and leadership was consumed by faction fighting. Illness ran rampant, and soon half the colonists were dead. Kendall was executed for mutiny after threatening to tell the Spanish Read more about Jamestown 2: John Smith and Pocahontas[…]
[mc4wp_form id=”123″] Listen on: iTunes Subscribe on Android Stitcher and more When the first settlers arrived at Jamestown, it seemed like paradise. Settlers ventured through lush forests and met native peoples. Unfortunately, they’d gotten a late start, meaning they were running low on food. In addition, it was clear that some settlers weren’t exactly who they Read more about Jamestown: Paradise[…]