Disease was a huge part of Jamestown’s history. The island was not quite situated at “a point of great natural food abundance” (Blanton Jamestown’s Environment). Many of the water sources in Jamestown that the people depended on contained brackish water, which is water that has resulted from the mixture of saltwater and freshwater. Rivers in Jamestown were filled with this brackish water, which was not good for the people consuming it. Diseases also spread in Jamestown due to the fact that “filth introduced into the river tended to fester rather than flush away,” (Blanton Jamestown’s Environment). These dangers in …show more content…
The lack of rainfall in Jamestown caused drought and starving time that affected the lives of many people. Jamestown suffered extremely long periods of drought. According to “The Lost Colony and Jamestown Droughts”, Jamestown experienced many periods of below average rainfall. This resulted in droughts, which then resulted in Jamestown’s crops not being able to flourish. According to the chart adapted from “The Lost Colony and Jamestown Droughts”, Jamestown suffered extreme droughts which lasted for long periods of time, which meant that it was difficult for the colonists to survive. Without reliable sources for food, their survival during the starving time didn’t last very