Today in History–September 10–the Library of Congress features Captain John Smith, who assumed the presidency of the Jamestown governing council on this date in 1608. Smith helped the colony to survive and thrive during its early years by fortifying the settlement, exploring and documenting the Chesapeake region, and establishing relations with area Native Americans. Learn more about this explorer, writer, and cartographer by visiting…
Use the zoom feature online or access a larger image of this map (zoomable map | enlarged map). What details do you notice first? What else strikes you as interesting? Why do you think John Smith made this map? What scale is used for this map? What scale is typically used for maps today? The map…
Today in History–May 14–the Library of Congress features Jamestown, Virginia, established on this day in 1607. The first winter was harsh and after eight months, only 60 of the 214 pioneers were still alive. By September of 1608, John Smith became a leader of Jamestown and the colony began to flourish. Learn more about the ups and downs of…