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In the spring of 1607, a group of 105 colonists, funded by the Virginia Company, arrived in Virginia. They sailed into Chesapeake Bay and began building houses along the James River. They named their tiny outpost Jamestown after their king. The settlers of Jamestown hoped to make a profit by finding gold or other riches. They also hoped to discover a water route to Asia. Further, they wanted to claim the region for England.

The colonists soon discovered that Jamestown was located in a swampy area. The water was unhealthy, and mosquitoes spread malaria. Many settlers suffered or died from disease. Historians have long debated the reason the settlers chose the location they did. One of the main reasons was security: they located their settlement in a place where Spanish ships would be unlikely to find them. If the Spanish did discover Jamestown, its location would make it difficult for Spanish ships to fire directly at the settlement.

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Answers

setting up a protected colony
setting up a protected colony

locating gold and other riches
locating gold and other riches

discovering a water route to Asia
discovering a water route to Asia

fighting the spread of disease

3 answers

The settlers of Jamestown were primarily motivated by a few key factors:

  1. Setting up a protected colony: They chose a location that offered some security from potential threats, notably from Spanish ships.

  2. Locating gold and other riches: One of their main goals was to find gold or other valuable resources that could generate profits for themselves and the Virginia Company.

  3. Discovering a water route to Asia: They also hoped to find a waterway that would facilitate trade with Asia.

  4. Fighting the spread of disease: While the location they chose ended up being unhealthy and contributed to the spread of disease, combating disease was not one of their initial goals when selecting the site for their settlement.

In summary, the primary motivations were setting up a protected colony, locating gold and other riches, and discovering a water route to Asia, while dealing with disease was an unfortunate reality they faced after establishing their settlement.

CHOOSE ONE

Setting up a protected colony.