James Bay


 * In 1607, 104 English men and boys arrived in North America to start a settlement. On May 13 they picked Jamestown, Virginia for their settlement, which was named after their King, James I. The settlement became the first permanent English settlement in North America. The winter of 1609-1610 in Jamestown is referred to as the "starving time." Disease, violence, drought, a meager harvest followed by a harsh winter, and poor drinking water left the majority of colonists dead that winter. Two of the major causes of the failure of Jamestown were disease and famine. Within eight months after the departure of Captain Smith, most of the settlers died from disease and by January of 1608, only 38 settlers remained. In Jamestown, the summers are warm and muggy; the winters are short, very cold, and snowy; and it is partly cloudy year round. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 31°F to 87°F and is rarely below 18°F or above 93°F.