Introducing KNOVA — A free reading app with curriculum-aligned passages on History & Science for Grades 3-8Learn More →

Jamestown Colony and Tobacco — Reading Comprehension

No ratings yet

Premium Resource

Grades

Standards

D2.HIS.2.3-5
D2.HIS.3.3-5
RI.4.3
RI.4.4
W.4.2

Rate this resource

Send Feedback / Report an Issue

About This Reader

This rigorous U.S. History reading passage explores the founding and development of the Jamestown Colony with a focus on the immense survival challenges faced by English colonists and the transformation brought by the tobacco economy. Students analyze multiple perspectives, including those of colonists and the Powhatan people, and examine causes, motivations, and consequences of key events. The content incorporates disciplinary vocabulary, a primary source excerpt, and encourages historical reasoning. Activities include a comprehension quiz, writing prompts, a T-Chart graphic organizer, and a timeline. This passage aligns with C3 Framework and Common Core ELA standards. Read aloud audio and a Spanish translation are provided to support diverse learners and bilingual classrooms. Ideal for developing historical analysis and critical thinking skills.

CONTENT PREVIEW

"Tobacco Farming" by Sidney E. King.
Source: Wikimedia Commons (Public domain).

In 1607, a group of English settlers established the Jamestown colony in Virginia, hoping to find wealth and new opportunities. However, the early years were filled with hardship. Many colonists died from disease, hunger, and conflicts with local Native American groups. The colony struggled to survive, and its future was uncertain. Leaders and colonists had to make difficult choices to keep the settlement alive.

One major problem was the lack of profitable exports. The colonists needed a cash crop—a plant grown to be sold for money—to support themselves and to pay back investors in England. Early attempts to grow crops like silk and grapes failed. The colony’s leaders searched for a solution that would provide economic stability and growth.

The solution came when John Rolfe, a colonist, brought a new type of tobacco seed from the Caribbean in 1612. This tobacco was milder and more appealing to European tastes than the local varieties. Soon, tobacco became Jamestown’s main export. The demand for Virginia tobacco in Europe soared, creating profit for the colony and attracting more settlers seeking fortune.

However, growing tobacco required large amounts of land and labor. Colonists began clearing forests and establishing plantations—large farms focused on one main crop. To work these plantations, colonists first relied on indentured servants, who agreed to work for a certain number of years in exchange for passage to America. Over time, as the tobacco industry expanded, colonists turned increasingly to enslaved Africans to meet labor demands. This shift laid the foundation for a society deeply divided by race and class for centuries.

Tobacco’s success also had environmental and social consequences. The crop quickly exhausted the soil, pushing settlers to seek new land, often leading to new conflicts with Native Americans. The pursuit of profit sometimes led to harsh treatment of workers and increased tensions between different groups in the colony. Still, tobacco’s profitability allowed Jamestown to grow into a permanent English settlement and influenced the development of the Southern colonies.

Historians use the story of Jamestown and tobacco to understand the complexities of colonial America. The colony’s survival depended on adaptation and innovation, but also caused long-lasting social and environmental changes. Through the rise of the tobacco economy, the roots of plantation agriculture and the system of forced labor were established, shaping the region’s history for generations.

Interesting Fact: In 1614, John Rolfe married Pocahontas, the daughter of Powhatan, which helped bring temporary peace between English settlers and Native Americans.

When was Jamestown founded?

1607162016121700

Who brought tobacco seeds to Jamestown?

John RolfeJohn SmithPocahontasPowhatan

What was Jamestown's main export?

TobaccoCornSilkGrapes

Why did Jamestown need a cash crop?

To earn money and surviveTo fight Native AmericansTo build shipsTo make laws

How did tobacco farming affect the environment?

It exhausted the soilIt made soil richerIt stopped conflictsIt grew forests

What new demand did tobacco create?

LaborGoldSilkHorses