Natural Resources and Religion

                              Natural Resources and Religion and  in Early Virginia

         On March 13, 1607, the Virginia Colony was established. (Jamestown)  104 men landed in the “New World” to create their first permanent settlement in North America.

         The colonists heavily depended on their natural resources to survive.  The main natural resources were water, trees, animals, and soil.  The colonists used water for drinking and transportation.  It wasn’t hard to find water; although it wasn’t always clean. The bay was clear and was filled with nutrients and food.  They would gather oysters and fish for food.  Trees were used to build their fort and to make shelter and furniture.  Hunting animals was another food resource.  The colonists hunted animals, like deer and squirrels.  Soil was important because it gave nutrients to crops.  Also, tobacco was grown in their soil, which they made a huge amount of money with. 

         Religion in early Virginia was based on the Anglican Church in England.  This religion came about because people wanted to make their own choices, they didn’t want a Pope to rule over their people.

         The Anglican Church of England was the established church of the colony.  The English believed it was their duty to spread their religion and to convert people to Protestant Christianity.  In the VA Charter, it said that one reason why they wanted to establish a colony in North America was to spread their Christian religion. 

         Attending church everyday was mandatory.  Services were held fourteen times a week.  If a settler failed to attend one service, it would cost him his serving of food for the day.  If a settler rarely went to church, he could be sentenced to death. 

         Later, the colonists assembled a cross and gave thanks to a safe journey on a point they named Cape Henry.  Later on that year, the settler built their first real church building, went it burnt down, they built another one that looked very similar.

        

Jackie