James Fort

English settlers in Virginia built a fort to protect themselves from raids by the Spanish and local Indians. In 1610, an English settler described it as triangular in shape with walls of planks and posts, and bulwarks or raised areas at each corner that supported artillery. The earliest colonists were instructed to build the public buildings first: a storehouse for supplies and exports, an Anglican church, and a guardhouse that served as headquarters for military activity. Life at James Fort centered on survival, military drills, the business of government, and attempts at profit-making. Difficulty obtaining a steady food supply often led to disease and death. Military training prepared the site for possible attack. The few women in Jamestown gardened, cooked, sewed, and did laundry. As the Virginia colony became better established, more activities moved outside the fort walls.

Virginia · United States