Starving Time (1609–1610)

E175574

The Starving Time (1609–1610) was a catastrophic period of famine, disease, and conflict that nearly wiped out the English settlers at Jamestown during the early years of the Virginia Colony.

All labels observed (6)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf disaster in Virginia Colony
famine
historical event
appliesToJurisdiction Virginia Company of London
surface form: London Company
country Kingdom of England
describedIn colonial records of Virginia
surface form: Virginia Company records

contemporary accounts by George Percy
endTime 1610
fieldOfWork colonial American history
followedBy arrival of relief fleet in 1610
reorganization of Virginia Colony
hasCause brackish and contaminated water supply
conflict with Indigenous peoples
disease
famine
harsh winter weather
overreliance on resupply ships
poor harvests
shipwreck of the Sea Venture
siege by Powhatan Confederacy
supply shortages from England
hasEffect high mortality among colonists
introduction of stricter martial law in the colony
mass starvation
near abandonment of Jamestown
policy changes by the Virginia Company
reassessment of settlement location and strategy
reports of cannibalism
location Jamestown
surface form: Jamestown, Virginia

Colony and Dominion of Virginia
surface form: Virginia Colony
notableFor evidence of survival cannibalism at Jamestown
extreme mortality rate among English settlers
numberOfInitialSettlers approximately 240
numberOfSurvivors approximately 60
partOf colonial history of the United States
history of the Thirteen Colonies
precededBy establishment of Jamestown in 1607
significantParticipant George Percy
Jamestown
surface form: Jamestown colonists

John Smith
Lord De La Warr
Powhatan peoples
surface form: Powhatan Confederacy

Sir Thomas Gates
surface form: Thomas Gates

Virginia Company of London
significantPlace James Fort
James River
startTime 1609

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (7)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Jamestown significantEvent Starving Time (1609–1610)
First Anglo-Powhatan War significantEvent Starving Time (1609–1610)
this entity surface form: Starving Time at Jamestown
James Fort significantEvent Starving Time (1609–1610)
this entity surface form: Starving Time
Third Supply mission to Jamestown mainSubject Starving Time (1609–1610)
this entity surface form: Jamestown settlement crisis
Third Supply mission to Jamestown relatedEvent Starving Time (1609–1610)
this entity surface form: Starving Time in Jamestown
Third Supply mission to Jamestown chronologicallyBefore Starving Time (1609–1610)
this entity surface form: Starving Time in Jamestown
Jamestown Island historicalEvent Starving Time (1609–1610)
this entity surface form: Starving Time winter of 1609–1610