Go to go.thoughtleaders.io/1650420200128 for unlimited access to the world’s top documentaries and non­fiction series, and for our listeners, enter the promo code ‘biographics’ when prompted during the sign­up process and your membership is completely free for the first 30 days.

Jamestown seems like ancient history to most of us Yanks, until you go to Europe, then Jamestown seems like a recent bad camping trip.

As someone who lives in Virginia and has visited Jamestown numerous times, it is crazy to think anyone survived there hundreds of years ago due to how little there is in the area. To think anything became of it, is a miracle story at the very least

I live here in Virginia, about an hour from Jamestown, and I applaud how thorough you were on Jamestown. A lot of its history has been disney-fied and made family-friendly, it's nice to see how you touched on the realities of the colony. Thanks

Why not do an episode on St. Augustine, FL, the oldest European settlement in the US? Founded by Ponce de Leon and home to the famed Fountain of Youth and Florida's legendary Old Sparky

While the colony in Roanoke disappeared, some of the people survived among the local natives. There are people living in North Carolina who have been determined, by DNA tests, to be direct descendants of two families that were part of the colony. One fellow still had the family name, Brown. They were comparing the DNA of Mr. Brown to that of some living descendants of the English families that sent members to Roanoke.

That piece of beard sticking out...

I live here!!!! We went to Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg, and Yorktown almost every year in school.

"don't offend that naturals." a very underrated rule.

Wait the bacon rebellion had nothing to do with bacon?... I have never been so disappointed with history

the beard is filling in nicely

correction: Jamestown is EAST of Richmond (30miles?).

The impact Jamestown has on the nation is incredible and yet it never reached more than 500 population and by 1750 was little more than a country church and a few shacks. Many southerners, perhaps more than 40%, can trace their lineage to at least one settler from 1600’s Virginia. For instance, my city (Orlando, Fla.) was founded almost entirely by descendants of early Jamestown settlers who slowly spread outward into the Carolinas, Georgia, and inevitably Florida. The Jones family, one of America’s most common last names, first arrived at the small village. Some of the earliest black slaves arrived here in 1619. What would become The Episcopalian church, now having over 1.6 million members, effectively began when that first church service was held. And yet it was not until really 1907 when Jamestown was even remembered again. Funny how little things can make huge impacts on history. (FYI, Saint Augustine, Fla. is technically older, not having moved site since 1572. That place is interesting, it has only grown about three-fold since 1763.)

You didn't do ALL of your homework. Jamestown is southeast of Richmond. But your beard is magnificent so all is forgiven.

When I was 4 years old, my family went to Jamestown. Somewhere I learned the finger, so I ended up flipping everybody off all day.

Pleass do: * Salem, Massachusetts * Volgograd aka Stalingrad * Iwo Jima

Some of the men that immigrated were “gentlemen” meaning, born into a rich family, probably never worked, had allowance or trust fund, and were only interested in searching for gold. They refused to build their own houses and never grew crops, thinking that the others would provide shelter and food. The other settlers were pissed off that the gentlemen were not contributing to the community. They told them they had to fend for themselves. Some went back to England, others did build cabins with help and grow crops.

Seems like there has always been a problem with the concept of treating all people with respect.

They brought too many chiefs and not enough Indians. No farmers, no carpenters, just a bunch of bosses.

I was brought in by the title, I commented because of the beard. Apparently I wasn't the only one to notice ! haha

My husband and I visited Historic Jamestown several years ago, and enjoyed it thoroughly. There is a museum of artifacts on display, an interactive presentation where you, the audience, are treated as if a newly arriving colonist, a glass blowing shop, a representation of a typical native village, replicas of the ships the colonists sailed on, gardens, and much, much more. It's there that we learned about the hardships of establishing a life in a land bereft of all modern conveniences, and where we learned about the cannabalism. At the time, a midden pit was being excavated, and that is where Jane's bones had been found. It was a sobering, fascinating place to visit, and I highly recommend it to anyone visiting the area.

What's up with the little dread in his beard on the right side of the screen 😂 Still I love the channel and appreciate his work.

In the United States, the plant is called "jimsonweed", or more rarely "Jamestown weed" deriving from the town of Jamestown, Virginia, where English soldiers consumed it while attempting to suppress Bacon's Rebellion. They spent 11 days in altered mental states: The James-Town Weed (which resembles the Thorny Apple of Peru, and I take to be the plant so call'd) is supposed to be one of the greatest coolers in the world. This being an early plant, was gather'd very young for a boil'd salad, by some of the soldiers sent thither to quell the rebellion of Bacon (1676); and some of them ate plentifully of it, the effect of which was a very pleasant comedy, for they turned natural fools upon it for several days: one would blow up a feather in the air; another would dart straws at it with much fury; and another, stark naked, was sitting up in a corner like a monkey, grinning and making mows [grimaces] at them; a fourth would fondly kiss and paw his companions, and sneer in their faces with a countenance more antic than any in a Dutch droll.

In fourth grade Virginia students take a trip to Jamestown and Williamsburg. I have gone back several times since then and always discovered something new. They have exhibit of life in the settlement and native American life. You can go down to the replica boats and walk aboard. It is very nice.

I'm American, and I do know the story of Jamestown. What can I say? Excellent job as usual. Kept my rapt attention when I thought you were just going over what I already know, but with new information, and maybe a different enough perspective to keep the whole thing interesting. Well done, again. Unexpectedly well done. As usual.

"Powdered wife" *Binging With Babish has joined the chat*

Really enjoying this channel, Simon. Cheers!

A lot of historians say she was treated well during her capture. The reason being was that colonist were greatly outnumbered and didn’t want to risk a full fledged attack from the Powhatan.

Post US Civil war the books were changed so we learned the pilgrims were there first. Or at lest the most successful. That's because Jamestown is in Virginia a southern state. Actually St. Augustine was the first successful European town I the 'New World'. But again. The US doesn't recognize St Augustine at all because it was Spanish.

To think that it only took 400 years to go from a fledgling colony on some random backwater marsh to the most powerful country on Earth is quite amazing in of itself. No one of the original 100 settlers could ever have imagined just what their legacy would have entailed. Imagine how much more will change in another 400 years.

Seeing the skeleton of 'Jane' with the cut marks on the bone is quite harrowing

One of my ancestors was there in 1607. He eventually went back to England though.

You should all watch “Jamestown” on tv high budget tv show it’s brilliant Virginia is named after the virgin queen, Elizabeth 1st And for those saying he is moaning that he spelt town and cities wrong no that’s how it was spelt in old English

I admit, I do a little dance in my chair when a video comes out regarding a topic I've studied in the past.

The monarchy in England still refers to the USA as 'The Virginia Company.' With regard to Jamestown, one of my ancestors was there in the 1600s; am pretty sure his name was Sir Wm. Wiseman. (Wiseman was purely an English name until Jews decided to Anglicize Weisman by transposing the letters). The family estate in England was called Much Canfield Park, in Essex. What this documentary left out was how so many inhabitants of Jamestown were bluebloods and had no clue as to how to farm or even dress their own deer. They had led cushy lives and were used to servants. Inasmuch as the first born in a family received all the wealth by way of inheritance, the 2nd, 3rd., 4th born sometimes opted for a new life in the New World. I've no clue as to why my ancestor was knighted and can only pray that he didn't partake of the cannibalism. Perhaps he landed in the late 1600s . . .

Thank you for this video and the one on MegaProjects! I’m visiting Jamestown tomorrow and am happy to have the info needed to fully understand and appreciate the land.

Thank your for making this video. I am descended from many settlers and Natives of Jamestown. They celebrated their 400th anniversary recently & opened a new Native exhibit. We’ve also begun working with PBS to make a documentary on the Descendants of Pocahontas that started last fall. As a descendant of Pocahontas...this is so exciting to me!!

2:04 Jamestown is not West of Richmond... It's East of Richmond

I am not embarrassed saying my favorite movie was Pocahontes. However, I was younger than most people, (I think?), to hear a closer to the truth version. Thanks for doing the whole settlement and clearing up some details. I love all your channels!

Great channel!! Both this and Biographics are very well put together and extremely informative. Cheers from Canada

Also: there was black slavery in Spanish St. Augustine (Florida). Angela would not have been the first black African in North America... but rather in English North America.

I have spent a great deal of time in Virginia and as an Englishman coming from England's fine weather I can only begin to imagine how hard it must have been. Dealing with just the temperatures and humidity alone must have been a brutal education for those early settlers.

John Smith: [coming back to Jamestown] Hey, has anyone seen William? Settler: [burping] We had him for dinner last week. Since then, no.

When describing curiositystream for the second time you said "A" and then "2". My brain cant let it go Simon

The Biographics video on Pocahontas is simply one of the most disturbing and sad things I have ever seen. I am not American but still, I had no idea. That poor child.

a major reason Jamestown was abandoned was poor soil, basically built on sand, to go along with poor drainage which led to mosquitoes and tropical diseases. That soil improves a lot when you reach the rolling hills of Virginia's Piedmont region and that region is not far away. Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown are available for historical tourism partly because they were largely abandoned/under-inhabited, Virginians simply moved up river to better lands....

4:20 it’s unlikely she was abducted. Most slaves were sold by Tribal Kings who had conquered other groups or wanted to make a quick buck, very few slaves were just abducted, as that would be a very difficult job and physically taxing for those in the slave trade.

I lived in Virginia Beach (First Landing = amongst the 'goodly tall trees') back in the 80s and made frequent visits to Jamestown, Yorktown and Williamsburg as well as the various Indian reservations. It was a thrilling time for me to be immersed hip deep in so much beautiful history. Thank you for posting. 🌹

there are several major omissions in the history of America, North and South. The Mayflower was headed for Virginia, but the Pilgrims were dropped off in Massachusetts due to schedule issues. It was understood that settling in New England was impractical because natives were happy to trade with the European cod fishing ships, but made clear when it was time to leave.

I've been to Historic Jamestown; it's...well...still there. A reconstructed fort, replicas (full sized) of all 3 ships, and an underfunded park. It's a place where history buffs go, or perhaps a place where parents feel they should take their children. I think the biggest crowds are school groups. The ships are so tiny compared to modern ships and it's hard to believe that they are full sized. Although photographs make the ships look fairly large..in person...when you see them...cross the Atlantic in one of those...nope. Jamestown is not exciting and it lacks the parades or the volume of things to participate in like Colonial Williamsburg or Yorktown...but it still has mosquitoes and it is not the easiest of places to get to still today. It is an informative, educational, and beloved by many place but it's the kind of place that you see once and feel you've pretty much seen all it has to offer.

He did it on purpose so we'd all comment on it

This is now one of my favourites of these. I grew up not far from there. That part about Newport makes more sense than the abridged story I was always told growing up. I hadn't realized they had only begun the excavations in 94. I thought that had been ages ago, not when I was I kindergarten!

Spring is very beautiful in this part of Virginia. The last two weeks of April are blooming wonderful. Cape Henry,where they first landed, is worth the trip. It's where the Chesapeake Bay enters the Atlantic Ocean.

1:50 - Chapter 1 - Visiting Jamestown 5:20 - Chapter 2 - The birth of the birthplace of americ 12:55 - Mid roll ads 14:15 - Chapter 3 - The starving times 19:45 - Chapter 4 - Why did it almost fail ?

Love how Simon tends to pass over the fact of slavery in England along with a lot of other European countries.

Very informative on this subject didn't know about the cannabilism and revolving settlers

Roanoke would make a good geographics too, I like listening to u tell the stories better than anyone else.

The "Sea Venture" story inspired also Shakespeare's "The Tempest".

Last time I was this early Virginia was still one colony

I live *NEXTDOOR* to Jamestown settlement! I love seeing people across the world talk about my hometown! ❤️

It was a place of sadness but also a place of new beginnings i went there when i was like 10 or 11

Jamestowne is East of Richmond (on the mouth of the James River near Chesapeake Bay), not West.

East! (2:00) Jamestown it 60 mi (100 km) EAST of Richmond.

I love everything this guy does. I listen to him all day at work.

Back when I was married and our girls were young, we holidayed in Williamsburg. Fascinating place. Worshipped at Bruton Parish. High-back pews, a churchyard under renovation.....I recommend it.

Do one on Constantinople or Istanbul as its known

Simon we wear the same glasses I have just realized. Does that mean I am fashionable?

It was not the "manifest destiny" of the USA to expand across the continent. It was a combination of ruthlessness, desperation, determination and luck which allowed the USA to expand from sea to sea. Manifest destiny was a combination fantasy and lie cooked up to justify the ruthlessness, cruelty and thievery that were required for the people of the USA to claim land that they had not right to other than the right of conquest.

I visited the site in the 1980s. We boarded a replica ship, and inspected the stockaded village. It was well-done.

What's that hanging off your left cheek? Lol

Thanks

New video...yay! I really needed a new Geographics video to watch today.

You should do an accurate episode regarding indentured servanthood. And how some people were indentured for life. And one of the legally approved methods of punishment for people that tried to run away was to be suspended by their thumbs while their feet were burned by torches.

Timeline was all over the place making it a little hard to follow

Really like the way you talk, It sounds so epic!

DUUUUDE!! Watched Ryugyong Hotel and just finished THIS video. Loved this Video, as horrible as it is to hear about Torture, rape, cannibalism, murder and starvation, the inclusion of such facts in these stories really drives home how horrific conditions can be for people who are unprepared for the realization of how life IS as opposed to what we want it to be. I think my gf will find these interesting, please keep them up. Subscribed!! Have watched yo on various videos in the past 6 months or so, but these 2 vids I watched sealed you a subscriber!!

Take Route 5 from Jamestown Williamsburg to Richmond or vice versa. It's a beautiful drive and keeps you off I-64. There is a beautiful public campground near Jamestown named Chickahominy Riverfront Park. It has tent and Rv sites as well as a boat ramp and canoe/kayak rental.

Can you do Jonestown next? :)

Historians will be shocked to learn - Jamestown didn't fail! Hard to know what would count as failure, since half people that set foot in the place quickly died, and most of the rest left. I guess the height of it's success must have been burning down, since it was plowed over shortly after.

I visited Jamestown a few years ago, in the winter. I would advise waiting for warmer months, but it was a very enjoyable experience. My (then) young cousin got to help water the gardens and try on a chestplate. I plan to return when my nephews are old enough to appreciate it, as we have ancestors who lived there and are interested in the history.

I live in Fredericksburg Virginia, about two hours from Jamestown, as a child we took many field trips down to Jamestown and for me it was amazing, they had musket and cannon demonstrations as well as actors to paint a picture of how the settlers lived back in those times

Jamestown: Why Did Britain's Colony Almost Fail?*

It's confusing. I know: Man-HAT-tan; but (2:36) POW-a-tan.

Loved that live chat with you this morning Simon!!!!

Remarkably, Jamestown is one of the few histories in America that has not been romanticized. It's told pretty straightforward in history classes. (Minus the rape and cannibalism for the younger audiences)

Hey Simon, your beard is starting to look very on point. Had to be said.

I’d like to see one on parris island, sc. we have monuments to French and Spanish settlement and it was a plantation for a while. it is now the basic training location for the USMC.

I grew up about half an hour away, and have spent quite a bit of time at both the original site and the nearby recreation.

Jamestown: home to very bad mosquitoes Sydney: home to world's most poisonous spider Coincidence? I think not.

Great video as always, Attenborough of KZfaq! (Shameless self-plug but I also did a video on Jamestown, the stories of cannibalism, and a few other good bits. If anyone is looking for more content on the same topic, feel free to check it out.)

I am a bit confused 300 settlers who surviverd the ship wreck of sea venture, at Bermuda, joined the over 100 already at James town and 60 amongst the all survied. And the settlement survived because of the arrival of 300 survivors from the shipwreck that took sea venture aground. So sets of 300 survivors from shipwreck came to James town?

Could you do videos about Native American history? King Philips War? The Massacre of Wounded Knee? The occupation of Alcatraz? Info of the American Indian Movement? I love your videos and as a future college professor for history I appreciate your wanting to inform people about a wide range of topics!

@2:00 Jamestown is EAST of Richmond. Simple mistake, but notable. Also would have appreciated more use of native Algonquian terms for the rivers and area. Don't write their perspective out of history now.

The most shocking revelation for me was, how incredibly poor spellers the English were in the early 1600's.

We were in Jamestown last year and just traversing the (now) island it is easy to see that while it's beautiful it would be a horrible place to locate a colony. It's already such a low-lying area. If there had been any floods they would have been wiped out. And they should have know this if the "naturals" wouldn't live there. It does say much to for the colonists that they didn't disappear completely like Roanoke or return like Popham, but it had to have been a horrible way to live.

I love how documentaries like these always talk about the bad things settlers did, which often were In response to natives, but always seem to gloss over what the natives did. They were hard and very different times. Some respect should be given to how fantastically hard life was then compared to now, and how hard people worked and fought to survive.

As it’s the 75 anniversary of the liberation a video on auschwitz would be interesting 😊

Is that bump on his left side of his forehead getting bigger?

also, Jamestown is about 60 miles East (not West) and 20 miles south of Richmond, VA

Yeah that place is one big swamp. Where the town is it’s dry land but everything surrounding it is a swamp. There’s a bunch of willow trees there though so that was nice