The Jamestown Expedition's First Landing

Name: The Jamestown Expedition's First Landing
Start: 1607-04-26
Location: Unspecified

The Historic Landing at Cape Henry

On April 26, 1607, the Jamestown expedition made its first significant landing on the shores of America at a location known as Cape Henry

Under the leadership of Captain Christopher Newport, the expedition consisted of three ships: the Godspeed, the Discovery, and the Susan Constant. After a long and arduous voyage from England lasting nearly five months, their first encounter with the New World was both monumental and fraught with challenges.

Jamestown Expedition at Cape Henry

The landing at Cape Henry was less than ideal, as the area was characterized by sandy beaches and limited freshwater resources. Despite the promising start, the colonists quickly realized that this location would not sustain their needs.

Reasons for Departing Cape Henry

Recognizing that Cape Henry was not a suitable location for establishing a colony, the expedition soon departed. The group navigated up the Chesapeake Bay searching for a more favorable site, eventually settling on a location that would become known as Jamestown.

The Shift to Jamestown

The decision to move from Cape Henry to Jamestown was pivotal in the history of English colonization in America. Jamestown, founded on May 14, 1607, offered a more strategic location with better resources.

Establishing Jamestown

Jamestown was established just a few weeks after the initial landing at Cape Henry, providing a more defensible and water-rich site that would allow the settlement to grow. Despite numerous hardships that followed, Jamestown ultimately became the first permanent English settlement in the Americas.

Historical Significance of Jamestown

The decisions made by the Jamestown expedition during these early days set the foundation for future colonies and shaped the course of American history. Jamestown served not just as a settlement but as a site of political, social, and economic development in the New World.

Fun Fact

Jamestown's Legacy

The Jamestown settlement is often referred to as the birthplace of America, marking the beginning of a new chapter in the colonization of North America by the English.