Define Colony In 1607 Captain John Smith Essay Example

ptain Smith injured, he had to leave the colony, leaving it vulnerable and unable to produce its own food. The colony's fortunes changed when tobacco was grown and it quickly gained popularity and was even recommended by doctors for its healing properties. Jamestown saw a major shift when John Rolfe introduced a particularly favored type of tobacco called Brown Gold that became a stable source of economic support for Virginia. The headright system was then implemented in 1617 to deal with labor shortages arising from the newfound success of Brown Gold.

The headright system, which granted colonists two plots of land each as well as an additional plot for paying for the journey of another immigrant, exacerbated the inequality between wealthy landowners and impoverished workers. As a result, the system marked Virginia's inaugural creation of a social hierarchy.