Tobacco Miracle The first settlers at Jamestown arrive with high hopes, and the backing of top-tier business sponsors in London (top left). But the young colony is beset with problems, and struggles to repay its investors. When prospects are at their lowest, colonists discover that a special tobacco thrives in Virginia. It proves an instant success in English smoking clubs, and Jamestown thrives.

	Unhealthy Site Things are looking pretty good going into summer, but there's a reason the Indians have never settled this particular location, even though Indian villages are scattered almost everywhere else along the rivers and inlets. The problem is the lack of a reliable source of healthy drinking water. The land itself is swampy and mosquito-infested, and the groundwater near the fort is partially contaminated with salt from the river, which is tidal. This helps explain the persistent health problems of early settlers.
	Tobacco-based Prosperity The surging price for Virginia tobacco in London is due to the extremely limited supply, and Jamestown flourishes. With money pouring in, settlers expand their settlement, planting tobacco with determined energy. Everyone is growing as much tobacco as they possibly can. Soon, instead of exporting 2,000 pounds of tobacco a year, Jamestown is exporting a million pounds. Predictably, this floods the market, driving the price down by a heart-stopping 95%. The price never really recovers.