Jamestown

Jamestown, former village in southeastern Virginia, on the James River, first permanent English settlement in North America. Founded in 1607 by colonists from the London Company, it was named for King James I. Lord De la Warr reinforced it in 1610, and John Rolfe introduced tobacco cultivation in 1612. In 1619 the House of Burgesses, first representative government of the colonies, met there. The village was destroyed during Bacon's rebellion in 1676.

See also: Virginia.