Love and Hate in Jamestown

Price, David A. Love and Hate in Jamestown: John Smith, Pocahontas, and the Start of a New Nation (Vintage Books, 2003)

In Love and Hate in Jamestown: John Smith, Pocahontas, And The Start of A New Nation, David A. Price, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, who focuses on early English settlement in North America, writes of the creation and conflict of the Jamestown settlement and how it was the dawning of a new nation. In doing so, he gives a triumphant but horrific description of the formation of Jamestown, settlement of Jamestown, and the consequences Jamestown had for England and the Indians. Love and Hate in Jamestown consists of fifteen chapters plus a prologue, and notes. These sections introduce how Jamestown encountered many challenges from within and from outside sources such as, conflict with the natives and diseases. Jamestown is significant to American history, as it was the first successful English settlement in the United States and led to the formation of other colonies which would lead to the creation of a nation.

Price uses a multitude of primary and secondary sources that includes songs, journal entries creative works, and letters to support his claims. Price's research is in-depth and he mainly uses primary sources. He uses journal entries and letters from the settlers to illustrate the trials and the mood of the settlement. His primary sources include songs, first-hand accounts, diaries, and excerpts from autobiographies. His secondary sources include second-hand accounts of Jamestown and various scholarly books about the Jamestown settlement and trials. Price's book utilizes his sources to document the relationship between the settlers and the natives and to illustrate how Jamestown struggled during the early years, but leadership and innovations would lead to Jamestown thriving.

Price begins his book describing why the Virginia Company wanted to start a colony and introducing us to John Smith and Pocahontas. He writes of England's failed attempts at settlement and the competition between the English and Spanish. Price writes of John Smith and how he became a member of the Virginia expedition. In this section, he emphasis how John Smith was chosen as he had military experience. Price argues that John Smith was suitable as a leader of Jamestown as he encouraged people to work regardless of their background. According to Price, the settlers did not plan to interact as harshly with the natives as the Spanish did. Price writes that "The leaders of the Jamestown venture- who needed no excuse to hate their Spanish enemies anyway- were disgusted by the Spaniards' record of bloodthirst" (10). Price suggests that the English regarded the natives as white people. When the English left for Jamestown they expected to accumulate wealth easily and quickly. This idea would quickly prove false for the settlers.

The voyage to Jamestown proved to be long and harrowing from the inauguration of the journey in 1606. Price articulates that the English almost turned around and headed back to England after visiting the West Indies and not seeing land for three days longer than expected. In a few days, the voyagers did arrive in the Chesapeake Bay. Price concludes the chapters with the first encounter the settlers had with the natives. This encounter with the natives leads John Smith to ponder the question of "What stance to take towards the natives" (29).

Upon arrival at the Virginia Coast a sealed box would be opened containing the list of the seven men who would govern the colony's council. Price argues that this was significant as John Smith was selected as a member of the council. John Smith did not get to assume his role as a council member as his colleagues deemed him inferior. The Virginia Company warned the colonists against offending the natives. Price states "It was eminently good advice for an outnumbered contingent in a distant land, and consistent with the hopeful attitude and kindly intentions that were prevalent at the time" (31). The natives decided to take a different approach to the colonists and attacked the settlement. The attack proved to the colonists that the English would have to defend themselves against the natives. When Smith assumed his council seat the colonists had essentially stopped working and were depending on supplies from England and the natives. Price argues that Smith was sent to secure vital trading partners with the various tribes around the settlement. The capture of Smith led to his near execution by Powhatan's order, but he was saved by Pocahontas. This was vital to the Jamestown settlement as it would forge a relationship between the most powerful Indian tribe in the Virginia area and secure a trading partner for the English. The lack of gold and ease had left some of the gentlemen ready to sail for home. Price writes that "Smith ordered cannon and muskets trained on them, with an ultimatum to stay or be sunk" (71). Jamestown was struggling but Smith would not let the colony perish, so the colony managed to survive.

The Virginia Company was not satisfied with the few products the colonists had sent to England. Price writes that the colonists had now begun searching for gold. Smith urged the Virginia Company to adjust their expectations of the company. The colonists had become too dependent on Powhatan and the Monacans. This would prove to be an unfortunate mistake as Powhatan decides to limit what his tribes gave to the English. Price states that Smith enforced scare tactics on the tribes to force them to provide the colonists with food. This method of dealing with the Indians was not popular but the colonists were desperate for food for the winter. While Jamestown was dealing with conflict with the Indians and lack of food, the Virginia Company had decided they were taking the wrong approach to the settlement. Price illustrates that the company had decided to send larger groups of colonists who would mainly be hardworking men. The voyage was financed by shares which were offered to the public. A group of men, women and children arrived in Jamestown however; this would lead to a surplus of people but a shortage of supplies.

With the arrival of the new settlers John Smith learns he has been replaced and his role will shrink dramatically. Smith is soon injured when a bag of gunpowder explodes while he is carrying it. His injury and decreased leadership role convince him to return to England. Price argues that Smith's departure is vital to the history as Jamestown as Powhatan saw the opportunity to wage war on the colony. His method of warfare was to attack the English and their property, but also to starve them. The colonists were so hungry they even began to practice cannibalism. Price writes "A man named