Labor Problem in Jamestown

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Summary of the Time Period, Author’s Focus, and Purpose In the article “The Labor Problem at Jamestown, 1607-18,” written by Edmund S. Morgan, Jamestown had a major problem with labor. The citizens of Jamestown were lazy and wouldn’t work for their food, because their only intention was to look for gold. They’d rather play games than work in the field. It wasn’t until John Smith made them plant corn and force them to do labor for six hours before the citizens put their butt into gear. Eventually, the citizens grew tired of this and forced Indians to do their labor for them. The Indians did nothing to provoke them, and the Spaniards could have learned from them. The Jamestown citizens were returning to their old ways, having slaves and all. They actually ran into more indians and forced them to work for them as well. Indian labor became a supply. This eventually failed and Jamestown was finally convinced to grow food for themselves, after believing that the Indian workers were lazy and negligent. When really, they were worked until extreme exhaustion. The citizens were so dependent on things, that they usually starved. Even when they started working they misbehaved. The government created more jobs for everyone and forced others to work for people who didn’t need it, otherwise they would have been sent to a correction facility. Morgan wanted to show how irresponsible the Jamestown citizens were, and comparing them to England was the best way to do it. In England they worked, they farmed, they planted. Cattle, crops, gardens, and they were able to expand to better areas to farm. He also wanted to show that the citizens of Jamestown could have learned from the Indians instead of making them work for them. Trade was thought to be a good resource to do so with them. The citizens did more work forcing others to do their job then doing it themselves. Historical
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