Captain John Smith
One of our country's founding fathers, John Smith, exhibited an adventuresome, proud, and boastful spirit which led to his great fame, yet today he remains one of the least understood figures of early American history. His name evokes a popular image of a romantic hero who was rescued by the legendary Pocahontas. Many people once believed that the heroic adventures described in his writings were written simply to promote himself, but most of his writings have been substantiated of late. Even as a young boy, John Smith's spirit for adventure shone through. He was born in Willoughby, Lincolnshire, England, to George and Alice Smith. John was also baptized there on January 9, 1579. John's father, a tenant farmer, died in 1596, leaving John a modest property. Smith attended grammar school and was then apprenticed to a prominent merchant, Thomas Sendall of Lynn. His apprenticeship lasted a short time, however, because John left soon after he began it to seek adventure elsewhere ("Smith" 1). As John Smith grew older, his sense of adventure only grew stronger as he traveled throughout Europe engaging in war. John Smith was first beckoned by the Dutch war of independence from Spain, and he later joined British vol
Smith then sought adventure in France. Within the first seven months, almost two-thirds of Jamestown's population died. As successful as Smith was in leadership, his term came to an abrupt end when a new charter was granted. A royal charter licensing such activities was signed on April 10, 1606, and the Virginia Company of London was formed (Barbour 60). On his return to England in 1604, Smith was first introduced to the plans for a colonized Virginia. He began by exploring and mapping the Potomac and Rappahannock rivers and Chesapeake Bay. "Was John Smith a Liar?" American Heritage. By this time, John Smith had grown restless of England and longed for something more adventurous. " Due to Smith's strong leadership, the settlement was able to pull through and grow throughout the year.
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