Document A
WINTER 1609-1610__The “Starving Time”
GEORGE PERCY____A TRUE RELATION
Now all of us at James Town, beginning to feel that sharp prick of hunger which no man can truly describe but he which has tasted the bitterness thereof, a world of miseries ensued as the sequel will express unto you, in so much that some to satisfy their hunger have robbed the store for the which I caused them to be executed. Then having fed upon horses and other beasts as long as they lasted, we were glad to make shift with vermin as dogs, cats, rats, and mice. All was fish that came to net to satisfy cruel hunger as to eat boots, shoes, or any other leather some could come by, and, those being spent and devoured, some were enforced to search the woods and to feed upon serpents and snakes and to dig the earth for wild and unknown roots, where many of our men were cut off of and slain by the savages. And now famine beginning to look ghastly and pale in every face that nothing was spared to maintain life and to do those things which seem incredible as to dig up dead corpses out of graves and to eat them, and some have licked up the blood which has fallen from their weak fellows. And among the rest this was most lamentable, that one of our colony murdered his wife, ripped the child out of her womb and threw it into the river, and after chopped the mother in pieces and salted her for his food. The same not being discovered before he had eaten part thereof, for the which cruel and inhumane fact I ajudged him to be executed, the acknowledgement of the deed being enforced from him by torture having hung by the thumbs with weights at his feet a quarter of an hour before he would confess the same. . . .
Document B
Lawes Divine, Morall and Martiall, etc (1610-1611)- Sir Thomas Dale
Every man and woman shall attend church services twice a day on each work day upon hearing the tolling of the bell. Non attendance will result in losing his or her day’s rations for the first offense, being whipped for the second offense and being condemned to the gallies [probably refers to some type of coastal sea service] for six months for the third offense.
Every man and woman shall attend church service on Sunday morning and afternoon. Non attendance will result in loss of provisions and allowance for a whole week on the first offense. For the second offense, he or she shall lose their allowance and be whipped. For the third offense, he or she shall suffer death.
Anyone who takes an oath untruthfully or gives false testimony about another person shall be punished with death.
No one shall criticize, tell lies about, disobey or resist the orders of the Lord Governor and Captain General, Lieutenant General, Marshall, Council or any authorized Captain or public officer. For doing so the first time, one will be whipped three times and must, upon his knees, ask forgiveness on Sunday before the church congregation. For a second offense, one will be condemned to the gally for three years. For a third offense, one will be punished with death.
No man shall say or do anything to disgrace another person in the colony. For doing so, one will have his head and feet tied together every night for one month and be publicly disgraced himself. He will forever after be unable to possess any place or hold any office.
No man, unless appointed by a lawful authority, shall barter or trade with the Indians, upon pain of death.
No man shall take away anything by force from any Indian coming to trade or in any other situation, on pain of death.
No man shall take, lose, or willfully break a spade, shovel, hatchet, axe, or other tool, upon pain of whipping.
Every tradesman shall work at his trade dutifully each day or lose meals for one month for the first offense, three months for the second offense, and one year for the third offense. If he continues to be negligent in his work, he will be condemned to the gally for 3 years.
No man or woman shall run away from the colony to the Indians, upon pain of death.
Anyone who robs a garden, public or private, or a vineyard, or who steals ears of corn shall be punished with death.
No member of the colony will sell or give any commodity of this country to a captain, mariner, master or sailor to transport out of the colony, for his own private uses, upon pain of death.
Name______
Based on your document, what were some challenges and problems the settlers faced that made Jamestown such a difficult place to live? State specific evidence from the documents that support these conclusions.
Document A: WINTER 1609-1610__The “Starving Time”
Challenge/problem 1:
Evidence:
Challenge/problem 2:
Evidence:
Document B: Lawes Divine, Morall and Martiall, etc (1610-1611)
Challenge/problem 1:
Evidence:
Challenge/problem 2:
Evidence: