What Are The Three Reasons For Edmund Morgan's Failure

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Identify and discuss the 3 reasons Edmund Morgan gives for possibly explaining the failures of Jamestown. Is Morgan absolutely certain of all 3 reasons? Why or why not?
The first reason Edmund Morgan proposes for the failure of Jamestown was the poor organization and direction of the colony. The colony was run by a powerless president who was elected by a council. The council, which was appointed by the king had full powers, however, they spent most of their time bickering and fighting instead of governing/running the colony. Prior to the starving winter of 1609-10, John Smith, who was appointed a member of the council, to the disgust of his fellow councilmen, successfully ran the colony. Smith took charge of running the colony only after most of those superior to him in the council (or as president) had either died or returned to England. It …show more content…

Although Smith was of the opinion that the Indians could be incorporated into the English community, he rescinded to a persuasive process of integrating them. Actually, Smith pictured the role of the Virginia Indians as slaves since the English possessed superior weaponry and technology to subjugate them. Notwithstanding, Smith maintained a “cordial” relationship with the Indians.
To get things going in the colony, Smith organized the people into work gangs and told them, in his little speeches that if they did not work, they would starve. Smith was not just one to talk but he worked himself also and no one was permitted to produce less than he (Smith) did in a day. With the work rule and his other strategies to prevent people from leaving the settlement, only about eight people died in the winter of 1608-9. Smith was eventually removed from the helm of affairs of the colony when a governor was appointed by the Virginia Company. The starving winter occurred in the transition between the arrival of the new governor and the exit of

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