Compare And Contrast Jamestown And Plymouth Plantation

Jamestown and Plymouth Plantation, both equally astonishing landmarks in America’s history, how they came to be though were based off ideals far from the same. America would be the land of opportunity, from reasons ranging to the search of gold or a safe haven from religious oppression. Both colonies founded by valiant explorers who risked their lives in the search of greater opportunity. However, there is no success without hardship, both colonies endured starving times and instances of tragedy. Jamestown was the first English settlement in North America and it was founded by the Virginia Company and led by Captain John Smith. Plymouth Plantation was founded on Plymouth Rock by oppressed puritans searching for religious freedom, led by religious man William Bradford. Both settlements suffered through depression, starvation, shock, and overwhelment.

Founded by the overly confident Captain John Smith, Jamestown was the first attempt to establish an English colony in America. Smith was a soldier who fought in Dutch war against Spain, in 1602 he was wounded and sold into slavery. Smith escaped and returned to England. Back in England, the Virginia Company was interested in establishing a colony in America, long story short, the company set sail

December 1606. The Company asked the explorer John Smith to accompany them on their journey to Virginia, in chains. Once there the settlers arrived they were determined to make a colony but they were also unaware of the severe challenges they would face.
Half of the settlers in Jamestown were artisans, merchants, craftsmen, soldiers and laborers. Most of them underestimated the hard work required in the new world. Through Smith's leadership, Smith kept the colony in motion. He was later elected president in 1608. In the midst of chaos and bad government, Smith had one policy, “You don’t work, you don't eat.” Under his rigid discipline and strong leadership the colony grew up to 500 people with new arrivals from England. Jamestown still had it’s fair share of problems, it was constantly under Algonquin Indian attacks, lacked major supplies, and it was a swampland. At first the chief of the Algonquin tribe allowed the settlers to farm in his land, but as the colony grew, chief Powhatan was tired of the increasing amount of colonists. Smith returned to England in 1609 after suffering a major injury from gunpowder. Out of the original 214 pioneers, only 60 survived the harsh winter after Smith’s departure.
William Bradford was regular attendant to puritan gatherings in England. In 1608, Bradford is influenced by William Brewster and John Robinson at separatist meetings. The Scrooby Separatists depart from England in 1609 and travel to Holland. Bradford joins them later in Amsterdam. In reality, Holland didn’t like religious fanatics either and it took the Separatists 11 years to notice. In 1620 they set sail to Plymouth and arrived in the same year. Bradford describes the journey of the Mayflower horrendously. The Mayflower faced furious seas and long thunderstorms. During the ride to Plymouth one of the ship's main beams cracked and the crew rode in fear of ever completing their journey. Due to the thunderstorms their passage took far longer than expected. With the storms prolonging the scheduled arrival of the puritans, they arrived in the dead of winter.
When the passengers of the mayflower arrived their resources were depleted. Bradford appropriately calls these moments of anguish the “Starving Times.” Many puritans died without food and fresh water. After Plymouth's harsh winter it flourished with assistance from Native Americans. They taught pilgrims how to survive through fundamental skills including planting crops, hunting game and fishing. They survived mostly off the crop corn. In 1621 the governor of plymouth dies and Bradford is now entitled as governor for the rest of his life. In 1630 he begins writing his journal on Plymouth Plantation. The plantation was more family friendly and acted as community to survive. The pilgrims are known for having a great feast with the Indians to show their appreciation for the help they provided. They grew crops for sustenance and worked together to survive. Bradford stops writing in his journal in 1646. He then dies in 1657.
Similarities between Jamestown and Plymouth obviously include the major hardships both colonies had to endure.

Both had their own starving period, Plymouth as soon as the pilgrims arrived in Winter and Jamestown had theirs after Smith’s departure. Both had to deal with lack of water and food at first, no source of crops, disease and unsanitary conditions. A big part of success on both of the colonies parts is due to Native American assistance. Without natives, both colonies would have starved and not survived the their first few winters. The Natives either showed them both a way to survive or invited into their resource abundant to take what they need to survive. Jamestown with the Algonquins and Plymouth with the

Wampanoags.
Differences would include the type of people in each colony. Plymouth was full of normal religious people searching for a place to start their own colony. On the other hand, Jamestown was full of artisans, laborers and explorers looking for new opportunities to make money. A key difference in both communities was their farming. Plymouth planted corn that fed the whole colony along with boosting morale. On the contrary, Jamestown was too focused on cash crops to even feed the settlers, humans cannot consume tobacco but that was mostly the plant that was being cultivated. Lastly, there was almost no sense of trustworthiness in Jamestown, it was every man for himself.
Both colonies survived hell on Earth to ingrain themselves in America’s history. The two valiant men upholding the colonies set the standard for their apprentices and people who would take the roles that mattered in the colonies. Success cannot be made without hardship.