A little more than a century after the period of exploration brought Christopher Columbus to the Americas, the land that would eventually become the United States of America was colonized. In 1607, the first American colony was established at Jamestown, Virginia, making Virginia the first of the 13 English colonies.

The original settlers of these colonies came to America for various reasons, but each of them left an impact on the country. The earliest colonists paved the way for millions more to eventually call America home.

Sent by the King of England to find gold and a route to China, Jamestown was established by a little more than one hundred men and boys.

Captain John Smith is commonly known as the most famous of all of the original settlers. Not only was he one of the first settlers, but some consider Smith as one of the first American heroes. As the colonists faced major difficulties during their first winter in Jamestown, Smith, who fought off the attack on the colonists by the Algonquian Indians, became the leader of the colonists.

Smith was once captured by Indians, but his life was spared because Chief Powhatan was impressed with him. The chief's daughter, Pocahontas, convinced the Indians that Smith's life was worth sparing, as depicted in the image below.

Smith went on to become an explorer of the area. Smith sent reports to England and even published A True Relation of Virginia, a short essay. This sparked more interest in the colonies and led the way for more people to come to the American colonies. John Smith was one of the many American colonists who left a lasting impact on the colonization of America.

Jamestown was initially settled by all males in 1607. It is important to remember that the English settled Jamestown for business purposes (locating resources and a waterway to China); women were not included in these endeavors. Additionally, the first years in the settling in Jamestown were difficult, and the men experienced harsh winters, bitter clashes with American Indians, starvation, and sometimes death. Women did not arrive in Jamestown until it was determined that Jamestown would be a permanent settlement and the chances for survival had improved.

Another group that came to Virginia was African slaves. The first documented arrival of Africans was in 1619. They were 20 slaves who were sold to Virginia tobacco planters who needed workers for this new, profitable crop. Their arrival marked the beginning of the African slave trade in the American colonies.

In this lesson, you will learn about American colonists who have made an impact on the American colonies and identify their contributions to the establishment of the 13 colonies.