What REALLY Happened at

Jamestown during the “Starving Time?”Three Historians Debate

Overheard at the Historians’ Convention in the Hilton

Omaha…I totally need a new iPhone app for historians who don’t get it! It’s so obvious that the “Starving Time” at Jamestown the winter of 1610 was really sabotage by the Spanish. The forensic evidence proves it! Ugh!

It’s called the “Starving Time” for a reason. Obviously, the colonists starved to death. Come on, everyone knows they weren’t prepared for the winter!

I just got a text message from a historian who thinks it was a Powhatan seige. Um, so wrong! GTG.

So…The Did What All Good Historians Do…They Had a

DEBATE!Your task:1. Pick the top three theories. Assign each theory

to a historian.2. For each historian, write a thesis with at least

three supporting details. Use evidence from the documents and book whenever as possible.

3. As a team, decide on the one most likely theory. Write a paragraph telling why you chose this theory.

4. Create a poster to show your learning!

Later that same day…

I have tried telling them a million times. Jealousy. The Spanish were jealous of the English colony and wanted to protect their empire. Thus, SABOTAGE. Trust me, it was that competitive between the two nations. Just a little poison…

Captain John Smith rocks! If he hadn’t gone back to England, the starving time would never have happened. I bet they have some John Smith T-shirts for sale at the Convention Gift Shop…

LOL. Now thatsame historian thinks thinks itwas the plague.Make up yourmind already or I’ll unfriend u!

Rubric Time!Use the rubric to make sure you complete all necessary parts of the project. Stay on task, work together, & have fun!

C me if u have any questions.

ExampleIn my humble opinion, what really happened in Jamestown is that the colonists lacked sufficient leadership to deal with the challenge of lacking supplies. After Captain John Smith returned to England, the leadership failed to adequately prepare for the winter, despite having asked the Powhatan for supplies just the winter before. Captain Smith himself in his Travels and Works blamed the “stupidity of our leaders” for the “starving time.” Further, if Smith had been there, he probably could have made a deal to get food with the Powhatan like he did in January 1609 when he said, “I will not, nor dissolve that friendship we have mutually promised, unless you force me” (also from Smith’s account in Travel and Works). From the painting created by colonist John White, the Powhatan obviously knew how to live successfully in Virginia’s environment, and might even have helped the colonists again if they had had better leaders.

At the Historians’ Convention Three

Historians Debate…WHAT REALLY HAPPENED IN JAMESTOWN IN THE WINTER OF 1609-1610?

After reviewing a collection of primary and secondary sources, each historian gives his or her opinion…

Read what each has to say, and then YOU decide!