Spotlight on Jamestown
Roam From Home
by Melissa Clifton
In honor of the 413th anniversary of the founding of America’s first settlement, we are spotlighting Jamestown this week!
Our friends and partners at the Jamestown Settlement living-history museum have put together an amazing day to celebrate the anniversary of the colony’s founding on May 13th, 1607.
This virtual, free event includes hourly Facebook posts, live demonstrations, exclusive film screenings and more. We highly recommend checking out the anniversary festivities, as well as exploring their extensive listing of online resources which are available year-round. Check it out below!
Live May 13th Anniversary Celebration
The uniqueness of this living-history museum will be celebrated with stories and demonstrations by its historical interpreters, featuring period-authentic clothing and techniques used by the settlers and Powhatan Indians.
Plan to catch these live demonstrations on their Facebook Page:
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10am - Learn how to create a dugout canoe in the Powhatan Indian Village.
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12pm - Witness a broadside artillery salute aboard the Susan Constant- a replica of a ship that brought early settlers from England.
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1pm - Understand the skills sailors needed to navigate the seas in these times.
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3pm - Hear from interpreters about the differences between Powhatan and English weaponry.
Limited Film Screenings
Not only are fun demonstrations happening LIVE throughout the anniversary, but visitors can also catch limited showings of films about the real settlers and the evolution of the Jamestown colony.
Check out the following videos:
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1607: A Nation Takes Root - This film traces the evolution of the Virginia Company that sponsored the Jamestown Colony, examines the relationship between the English colonists and the Powhatan Indians, and chronicles the arrival of the first recorded Africans in 1619.
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Bacon’s Rebellion - Discover the cause and effect of Bacon’s Rebellion, a 1676 armed rebellion of Virginia colonists led by Nathaniel Bacon against the rule of Governor William Berkeley.
- The Crossing - The Susan Constant, Godspeed and Discovery, carrying 105 passengers, one of whom died during the voyage, departed from England in December 1606 and reached the Virginia coast in late April 1607. This short film describes the voyage.
- Virginia Charters - A Jamestown Settlement gallery presentation about the evolution and impact of government in 17th-century Virginia, including the Virginia Charters.
Year-Round Resources
The museum has an extensive library of digital content that is available on their website, and fun trivia on their Facebook page. Some of our favorite resources include the interactive Legacy of Women learning experience, and lesson plans which have been updated for at-home learning. Click the links below to utilize these tools:
