Chesapeake Reading Characteristics
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Chesapeake Reading: What were the values and characteristics of the 1st Virginians?
The first to settle in Virginia, specifically the Chesapeake, were of a “get rich quick (or die trying)” mentality. Many preferred searching for gold and the like as opposed to searching, planting, and hunting down their own food. This often led to starving, as did the rest of their unpreparedness, most notably in the period of the “Starving Time.” After winter of 1609, only 16% of Jamestown settlers survived.
Over time, the company realized that producing food was of greater importance than searching for gold, in terms of survival. In turn, this would also help with the colonies’ growth, as more would live and more English would be attracted.
In essence,