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© National Geographic Society/Corbis
A depiction of Jamestown after settlement.
dampened the work ethic. The result was
that the colonists perished in great numbers and disappointed investors in England lost their money.
Even when they utilized modern methods of promoting their colony, they successfully whipped up enthusiasm for
settling in Virginia among a credulous
English public but achieved little tangible success. After fits and starts for
the better part of a decade, innovations
were finally introduced that slowly turned
things around and put the colony on the
path to success. The answers were novel
and surprising and yet very much in harmony with the longings of these free men
and women.
The solutions to the troubles at Jamestown were rooted in the entrepreneurial spirit that would shape and define
the American character. Private property,
individual initiative, the profit motive
and the freedom to pursue one’s happiness — these are the traits that helped the
colony survive and built a nation.
In 1604, London and other cities were
abuzz with several different schemes for
overseas voyages. Merchants, adventurers,
politicians and members of the court were
discussing the potential risks and rewards
of the different ideas that were proposed.
They were generally guided by a desire for
profits, but they were also fierce patriots
who wished to support England’s imperial
ambitions, particularly against Catholic
Spain, even if they were officially at peace.
One such promoter was Bartholomew
Gosnold, who was actively lobbying
merchants and politicians to support a
venture to North America. John Smith,
another gentleman-adventurer who was
interested in the idea of a Virginia colony,
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