America recognized a 400th anniversary in May, 2007! On May 13, 1607, colonists arrived at what would become Jamestown, Virginia, the first permanent English settlement in North America.
New Arrivals
Even before the Mayflower landed in Massachusetts, three ships from England—named the Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery—landed on the shores of North America. The English hoped they would discover gold, silver, and a trade route to Asia. But their arrival meant trouble for the local Indians. The settlers moved onto the Indians' land, and while the two groups sometimes got along, they fought when food became scarce.
A Long Legacy
The settlers never found riches or a shortcut to Asia, but they did create the first representative government in the British colonies. This May thousands of people are expected to visit Historic Jamestowne—the original settlement site—and nearby attractions to remember America's history.
Text by Robin Terry
National Geographic Kids magazine
; swapDescription('img_caption','A reproduction of the <i>Godspeed</i> sailed to six East Coast posts in 2006.'); swapCredits('img_credits','Photograph courtesy Jamestown Settlement Living-History Museum');)
; swapDescription('img_caption','The lives of the English colonists are re-created at Jamestown Settlement museum.'); swapCredits('img_credits','Photograph courtesy Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation');)
; swapDescription('img_caption','The lives of the Powhatan Indians are re-created at Jamestown Settlement museum.'); swapCredits('img_credits','Photograph courtesy Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation');)
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