John Smith (explorer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Smith
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Captain John Smith (1624)
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| Born |
Lincolnshire, England
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| Baptised | 6 January 1580 |
| Died | 21 June 1631 (aged 51) London, England
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| Resting place | St Sepulchre-without-Newgate, London |
| Known for | Helping to establish and govern the Jamestown colony |
John Smith (born around 1580, died 1631) was an English soldier, explorer, and author. He was a key leader in the first settlements of the Virginia Colony in 1608-1609. He explored the rivers of Virginia and the Chesapeake Bay. He also drew important maps of the Chesapeake Bay area and New England.
Smith's books and maps were very important for English people settling in the New World. He wrote that in America, "every man may be master and owner of his own labour and land." He believed that even if someone had nothing, they could still become rich.
At Jamestown, Smith taught the settlers how to farm and work to get food. He famously told them, "he who shall not work, shall not eat." Smith's strong character and determination helped the colony survive. He faced many problems, including bad weather, little water, living in a wilderness, lazy settlers, and attacks from Powhatan Indian tribes.
Contents
Early Adventures and Travels
John Smith was born in January 1580 in Willoughby, Lincolnshire, England. His parents rented a farm there.
Smith left home when he was 16 years old and went to sea. He became a soldier and fought in different wars across Europe. He fought for Henry IV of France against the Spanish. He also fought for the Dutch against the Spanish King Philip II. He traveled the Mediterranean Sea, where he worked in both trade and sailing.
Later, he fought against the Ottoman Empire in wars in Kingdom of Hungary in 1600 and 1601. Stories say that Smith defeated and killed three Turkish commanders in duels. Because of his bravery, a Transylvanian Prince made him a knight. He was also given a horse and a special Coat of arms.
In 1602, Smith was hurt in a small fight. He was captured and became a prisoner. Smith wrote that his Turkish master sent him as a gift to a Greek woman in Constantinople. She fell in love with Smith. He then escaped from the Ottoman lands and returned to England in 1604.
Life in Jamestown
In 1606, the Virginia Company hired Smith to help settle the Virginia Colony for profit. They sailed in three ships in December 1606. Smith had a servant named Samuel Collier with him.
There were problems on the journey, and Smith was accused of mutiny. Captain Newport planned to execute him. However, Captain Newport opened a letter of orders from the Virginia Company. This letter said that Smith was to be one of the leaders of the new colony. So, Smith was not killed.
The English settlers arrived in April 1607. Captain Wingfield chose Jamestown as the location for the colony. In the summer, the settlers were still living in temporary housing. After the four-month ocean trip, there was not much food. Each person had only a cup or two of grain-meal per day. Due to the bad weather and lack of food, disease spread. By September, more than half of the settlers had died.
Smith's Capture and Pocahontas
In December 1607, Smith was looking for food when Native Americans captured him. He was taken to meet the Chief of the Powhatan tribe. The village was about 15 miles from Jamestown. Smith was released without harm. He later said that the chief's daughter, Pocahontas, helped save him. She threw herself across his body. Seeing this, her father showed mercy to Smith. He was safely taken back to Jamestown. This meeting started a friendly relationship between the Native Americans, Smith, and the colonists.
In early January 1608, nearly 100 new settlers arrived with Captain Newport. But the village caught fire due to carelessness. That winter, the James River froze over. The settlers had to live in the ruins. During this time, Newport and his crew wasted time loading their ships with iron pyrite, which looked like gold. Food supplies ran low. Even though the Native Americans brought some food, Smith wrote that "more than half of us died."
In April 1608, a ship brought supplies and 50 new settlers. Smith made them build housing and plant crops.
In the summer of 1608, Smith left Jamestown to explore the Chesapeake Bay region. He was searching for much-needed food. He made a map that was very valuable to explorers for over a century. While he was away, Smith left his friend Matthew Scrivener as governor. Scrivener later drowned in a storm. Smith was elected president of the local council in September 1608. He set up strict rules for the colony.
In October 1608, a ship arrived with 70 new settlers. These included the first women and some German and Polish craftsmen. However, they brought no food supplies. After that, Smith tried to get food from the Native Americans. He had to threaten them with military force to get them to help. Chief Powhatan was worried about the large number of white men coming. He tried to starve them out.
Smith found that some settlers and Native Americans did not like his rules. They were planning to kill him. Smith wrote that Pocahontas warned him. He called a meeting and told the men who did not work that "he that will not work shall not eat." After that, the situation improved.
For three months in early 1609, things were well at Jamestown. Many homes were built, land was cleared, and much work was done. Then, in April, rats and dampness destroyed all their stored corn. They needed food badly. Smith sent a large group of settlers to fish and gather shellfish. They came back without food. This angered Smith. He ordered them to trade their guns and tools for fruit from the Native Americans. He also ordered everyone to work or leave the fort's safety. Some left and went to the Native American villages. But Powhatan’s people also followed Smith’s rule: "he who works not, eats not." These settlers returned home when they were almost starving.
An unexpected ship arrived, captained by Samuel Argall. He had food and wine. Smith bought these supplies with a promise to pay later. Argall also brought news that the Virginia Company was sending more supplies and settlers. A new governor, Lord De la Warr, was also coming.
In May 1609, Sir Thomas Smith, the Virginia Company treasurer, arranged for about 500 colonists to come to Virginia. This group included women and children. A fleet of nine ships set sail. One ship sank in a storm soon after leaving the harbor. The Sea Venture was shipwrecked on the Bermuda islands. One year later, in May 1610, the survivors arrived at Jamestown in small boats they had made. The new governor, Gates, found there was not enough food to support everyone. He decided to leave Jamestown. As their boats were leaving, they met a ship carrying Lord De la Warr. He ordered them back to Jamestown.
In August 1609, John Smith was surprised to see more than 300 new settlers arrive. London was sending new settlers without much planning for how they would live.
Captain John Smith was badly hurt by an accidental gunpowder explosion in his canoe. Smith sailed to England for treatment in October 1609. He had spent two and a half years doing his best for Jamestown. He never returned to Virginia. History shows his great help to Jamestown in its early years.
Colonists continued to die from illnesses and disease. About 150 of the 500 settlers survived that winter. Despite this, the Virginia Company kept sending money and settlers to Jamestown. For the next five years, Governors Gates and Sir Thomas Dale kept strict rules. Sir Thomas Smith in London tried to find skilled workers and other settlers to send to Jamestown.
Later Years and Legacy
In 1614, Smith returned to the northeast coast of America. He named this region "New England." In that same year, a storm destroyed his ship. In 1615, French sailors captured Smith off the coast of the Azore Islands. He escaped after weeks and made his way back to England. There, he wrote about his two voyages. He never left England again.
John Smith died in 1631 in London at the age of 51. He is buried in the church of St Sepulchre-without-Newgate in the City of London.
The Captain John Smith Monument is located off the coast of New Hampshire on Star Island. This island is part of the Isles of Shoals. The monument was built in 1864 to honor the 250th anniversary of John Smith's visit to what he named Smith's Isles.
In 1914, the New Hampshire Society of Colonial Wars partly fixed and rededicated the monument. This was for the 300th anniversary of his visit. The monument had been damaged by harsh coastal winters, and the words carved in the granite had worn away.
Images for kids
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Window in St Helena's Church, Willoughby, displaying Smith's coat of arms
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Inside a longhouse with Chief Powhatan (detail of John Smith map, 1612)
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John Smith taking the King of Pamunkey prisoner (1624 history)
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Smith's 1616 Map of New England
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Smith's 1624 map of the Somers Isles (Bermuda) showing St. George's Town and related fortifications, including the Castle Islands Fortifications
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Smith's map of Virginia from The Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles, 1624
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See also
In Spanish: John Smith (explorador) para niños
