The document summarizes the early history of the Jamestown colony in Virginia from 1607-1610. It discusses how Jamestown was established as a charter colony by the Virginia Company, a joint-stock company, to further England's goals of mercantilism. Many of the original colonists were unprepared for survival and faced conflicts with local Powhatan people, leading to great hardship including starvation known as the "Starving Time" until the leadership of John Smith and later Lord Delaware helped the colony survive.

2. Joint-Stock Company Investors pooled money to share the risk and possibly share the rewards of expensive, risky projects, such as establishing colonies

3. Charter Colony - A joint-stock company was given a charter by their King to establish a colony within a specific region

5. Problems for Jamestown Colonists - many of the colonists were ‘gentlemen’ who expected to easily find gold and return home - these men were unprepared for the hard work of colonization - despite sufficient fish & game animals, and fertile soil most of them starved to death - ongoing conflict with the nearby Powhatan Indians - illness from swampy conditions – mosquitoes, parasites/disease, and salt poisoning

7. Powhaton Confederacy - Large group of American Indians in the Chesapeake region who were led by Chief Powhaton

9. Starving Time - Winter of 1609 -10 - Several problems led to the colonists running out of food: - lack of planning and farming, lack of supply from England, the Powhatan tried to starve the English out - Colonists ate dogs, rats, shoe leather, and in a few cases human meat.

11. Cash Crop - A commodity that is grown specifically to sell at market, not to feed the farmer’s family