Jamestown massacre: Algonquians kill 347 English settlers around Jamestown, Virginia, a third of the colony's population, during the Second Anglo-Powhatan War.

On a seemingly ordinary day, March 22, 1622, the fledgling English Colony of Virginia, situated in what is now the United States, was plunged into a brutal conflict. This event, forever etched in history as the Jamestown Massacre, or more broadly, the Indian massacre of 1622, represented a devastating blow to the ambitions of the early European settlers.

The surprise attack was meticulously planned and executed by warriors of the Powhatan Confederacy, led by the formidable Chief Opechancanough. While John Smith, a pivotal figure in Jamestown's early history, wasn't present—having left Virginia in 1609—his later account in his "History of Virginia" paints a vivid, albeit second-hand, picture. Smith recounted how Powhatan warriors initially approached English settlements seemingly unarmed, carrying an array of provisions: deer, turkeys, fresh fish, fruits, and other goods, presenting themselves as traders. This disarming gesture, however, was a calculated ruse. Once inside the homes and amidst the unsuspecting settlers, the warriors swiftly seized any available tools or weapons, turning them against the colonists.

The onslaught was relentless and indiscriminate, claiming the lives of English men, women, and children of all ages. This coordinated series of surprise attacks swept across the scattered settlements of the Virginia Colony, resulting in a staggering loss of life. In total, 347 people were killed, representing a shocking one-quarter of the colony's entire population at the time. The capital, Jamestown, founded in 1607 as the first successful English settlement in North America, became a symbol of this fragile existence on the edge of a new world.

The seeds of this horrific violence had been sown long before that fateful day. Jamestown's burgeoning tobacco economy, while economically vital, created an unsustainable demand for land. The cultivation of tobacco quickly degraded the soil, necessitating constant expansion and, inevitably, the seizure of more and more ancestral lands belonging to the Powhatan people. This relentless encroachment on their territory, disrupting their way of life and infringing upon their sovereignty, ultimately provoked the catastrophic massacre of 1622, a tragic consequence of colonial ambition clashing with indigenous resistance.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Jamestown Massacre

What was the Jamestown Massacre?
The Jamestown Massacre, also known as the Indian massacre of 1622, was a coordinated series of surprise attacks by warriors of the Powhatan Confederacy on English settlements in the Colony of Virginia.
When did the Jamestown Massacre occur?
It took place on March 22, 1622.
Who led the Powhatan attacks?
The attacks were led by Chief Opechancanough of the Powhatan Confederacy.
How many people died in the massacre?
A total of 347 English settlers were killed, which amounted to approximately one-quarter of the Virginia Colony's population at the time.
What was the primary cause of the massacre?
The primary cause was the constant expansion of the English settlements, driven by the demand for land for tobacco cultivation, which led to the seizure and encroachment upon Powhatan lands, escalating tensions and provoking the attack.
Was Jamestown itself destroyed?
While settlements surrounding Jamestown were heavily hit, Jamestown itself, as the capital, endured, though the colony suffered a massive blow to its population and morale.