A History of the United States

Hello and welcome to A History of the United States. This episode gives an introduction to the project and myself.

This week we begin telling the story. We cover the early voyages by the French to the New World, see how New Spain gained control of Florida, and look at why England was so perfectly poised to be the most successful of the colonists. The situation is set up for an introduction to Jamestown next week.

This week we begin the real narrative. We look at the foundation of the Virginia Company, the failed settlement of St. George's Fort, North Virginia, and the voyage of the ships which would found Jamestown. Also included are a witty observation by Thomas Jefferson about the weather and the worst Back to the Future joke ever.

Surprise early episode! This week introduce the Native Americans in the region, the Powhatan Confederacy. We look at their leadership, society and culture. We then actually found the Jamestown settlement.

In this week's Friends themed episode Newport sails back to London to report on the foundation of Jamestown, but in Virginia everything starts falling apart. There is an outbreak of Typhoid Fever, everyone starts arguing, and then Smith goes on an adventure.

This week we follow John Smith's misadventures with the Powhatans, where he travels to their capital at Werowocomoco. We also look at how Jamestown made its way through the winter, Newport's return to the colony, and Smith's exploration missions.

This week we cover Newport's Second Supply of Jamestown, and English relations with the Powhatans completely breaks down.

This week Jamestown enters the Starving Time and in London the Virginia Company decides the colony needs a revolution.

This week everything goes wrong. EVERYTHING GOES WRONG. Gates gets lost, hundreds starve to death, and Jamestown is abandoned. It's hard to see how things could be any worse.

This week Jamestown attempts to rebuild itself under the governorship of Lord De La Warr, but things very quickly go horribly wrong. This is Jamestown, after all. Just another false dawn.