[gleeaikin]

The Jamestown settlers nearly starved because they landed during a period of prolonged and severe drought. This drought lasted for seven years from 1606 to 1612 and was the worst in 8 centuries. The settlers landed in 1607, and the Indians were already lacking food to the point they were not very interested in trading with the English. Communal living had nothing to do with it.

[SunkenCiv]

• The Medieval Warm Period hit west Antarctica

[Old Student]

Jamestown was also established in a swamp, on the edge of a river. There was no shortage of water there. Rather more likely an excess of both water and mosquitoes. Gentlemen who do NOT “work” with their hands are rather unlikely to be able to grow their own food.

The place was pretty well established, however, before my first known ancestors arrived there as transportees, in 1765.