A terrible death toll continued for almost 20 years in Jamestown, between 1620 and 1640. The Virginia Company ran out of money by 1624 and Jamestown was thereafter ruled by the king. For generations, historians blamed Jamestown's failure on the foolishness and laziness of its planters and leaders. "They appear to have been without a trace of foresight or enterprise", wrote W. E. Woodward in "A New American History" (1937). Tsk, tsk. My genealogical research into the lives of many of these first settlers has proven that they faced Indian attacks and starvation in a venture no longer supported by entrepreneaurs. Also, the personal costs to these colonists to get necessary supplies and building materials shipped to them. Finally, archelogists began excavating. the site of the fort during the 1990s. The site itself was low and marshy and so close to the ocean that the river water tasted of salt.
Showing posts with label Excavations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Excavations. Show all posts
Monday, March 7, 2011
Excavations
A terrible death toll continued for almost 20 years in Jamestown, between 1620 and 1640. The Virginia Company ran out of money by 1624 and Jamestown was thereafter ruled by the king. For generations, historians blamed Jamestown's failure on the foolishness and laziness of its planters and leaders. "They appear to have been without a trace of foresight or enterprise", wrote W. E. Woodward in "A New American History" (1937). Tsk, tsk. My genealogical research into the lives of many of these first settlers has proven that they faced Indian attacks and starvation in a venture no longer supported by entrepreneaurs. Also, the personal costs to these colonists to get necessary supplies and building materials shipped to them. Finally, archelogists began excavating. the site of the fort during the 1990s. The site itself was low and marshy and so close to the ocean that the river water tasted of salt.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Drought
Bald cytpress trees which were growing in Jamestown in 1607 were still on the site when a group of scientists set out to discover how much fain fell that year. The scientists bored narrow holes into these trees to extrace cores which showed all of the growth. Then, starting from the outermost riings, they discovered that those rings dating from 1606 to 1612 were the most narrow. Meaning, lease amount of fallen rainwater.
"Find your Ancestors on Virginia Pioneers.net"
"Subscribe and view documents"
"Find your Ancestors on Virginia Pioneers.net"
"Subscribe and view documents"
Skeleton
This is the skeleton of a gentleman found at Jamestown. He probably died of a gunshot wound to the leg. Other skeletons were probably of those colonists who crowded into the fort to escape Indian attacks, and died of hunger and disease.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)