What Challenges Did Settlers Face In The 17th Century

During the 17th century, many settlers moved to the Virginia colonies seeking riches and power. In this time colonists faced many hardships. These challenges had a significant impact on their economic and social structure. These challenges include the starvation, indenturement of servants, and the tobacco plantations.
Some of the first and earliest hardships that the settlers faced in the Virginia colony is starvation and diseases. When the settlers first arrived they spent much of their time seeking for gold instead of gathering and preparing for the winter that would soon come. Once winter arrived many of the settlers died, “with cruel diseases as swellings, burning fevers, and by wars” (Document B). The settlers were accustomed to their

old ways of life in England and didn’t want to work to find food, supplies, and etc. However, they were saved by Captain John Smith, who forced the colonists to work. If the colonists didn’t work they didn’t get food that night. Captain John Smith’s efforts to improve the Virginia Colony helped the colony greatly.
The colony needed a source of revenue to aid in the development in an independent colony. In 1612, John Rolfe, became an economic savior for the Virginia Colony. John Rolfe had perfected a method of raising tobacco which was in high demand in Europe. There was such a high demand that many of the tobacco companies had started to advertise their products one of these advertisements can be seen in Document C. The tobacco industry was vital to the Virginia Colonies survival and economic well-being. The Virginians’ values the crop so much that in an instance they would plant tobacco instead of planting food crops. Tobacco was significant to Virginia in more than one way.