Name:
Nov, 2011
Core
Social Studies
Tobacco in Virginia, and the Labor Problem
Directions: Today you will read letters that were written during the period of great growth in Virginia. You
should be familiar with it least one of the letter writers from your social studies textbook. Read the excerpt from
the letter aloud (remember: it’s easier to read Old English out loud and listen for the main idea), and complete
the boxes after. The parts that are bolded and underlined will help you answer the questions. Samuel Argall and
John Rolf, 1617
… In March they set saile 1617. and in May he arrived at James towne, where hee was kindly entertained by
Captaine Yearley and his Companie in a martiall order, whose right hand file was led by an Indian. In James
towne he found but five or six houses, the Church downe, the Palizado's broken, the Bridge in pieces, the
Well of fresh water spoiled; the Store-house they used for the Church, the market-place, and streets, and
all other spare places planted with Tobacco, the Salvages as frequent in their houses as themselves,
whereby they were become expert in our armes, and had a great many in their custodie and possession,
the Colonie dispersed all about, planting Tobacco. Captaine Argall not liking those proceedings, altered
them agreeable to his owne minde, taking the best order he could for repairing those defects which did
exceedingly trouble us; we were constrained every yeere to build and repaire our old Cottages, which
were alwaies a decaying in all places of the Countrie, yea, the very Courts of Guard built by Sir Thomas
Dale, was ready to fall, and the Palizado's not sufficient to keepe out Hogs…
John Rolf, 1618
… In May came in the Margaret of Bristoll, with foure and thirty men, all well and in health, and also many
devout gifts, and we were much troubled in examining some scandalous letters sent into England, to disgrace
this Country with barrennesse, to discourage the adventurers, and so bring it and us to ruine and confusion;
notwithstanding, we finde by them of best experience, an industrious man not other waies imploied, may well
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tend foure akers of Corne, and 1000. plants of Tobacco, and where they say an aker will yeeld but three or
foure barrels, we have ordinarily foure or five, but of new ground six, seven, and eight, and a barrell of
Pease and Beanes, which we esteeme as good as two of Corne, which is after thirty or forty bushels an
aker, so that one man may provide Corne for five, and apparell for two by the profit of his Tobacco; they
say also English Wheat will yeeld but sixteene bushels an aker, and we have reaped thirty
TOBACCO
Primary Source:
Samuel Argall and John Rolf, 1617
Primary Source:
What is the state of Jamestown in this article?
How does John Rolf feel about the men sent over
from England to help tend to the crops?
John Rolf, 1618
How was John Rolf
important to
Jamestown’s success?
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Fun Fact:
The market for tobacco
continued to grow and
in just five years (by
1617) Virginia shipped
20,000 pounds of
tobacco to England.
What did the colonists neglect tending to the growth
of tobacco plants?
What does he hope will happen with the help of the
new men? What is John Rolf’s main motivation?
Think about what you know about women in the new colony. How are they impacted by the above information?
Think about what you know about Africans in the new colony. How are they impacted by the above information?
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