Question

Three little vessels—the Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery—left England in December, 1606, under the command of Captain Christopher Newport, to found a colony on the distant shores of Virginia. Two decades earlier Sir Walter Raleigh had sent out a group of settlers to what is now North Carolina, and they had disappeared mysteriously. What had happened to them? men asked. Had they been killed by the Indians? Had they fallen victims to disease? Had they starved? Those who shared in this new venture must have wondered if a like fate awaited them in this strange new land.But their spirits rose when they entered Chesapeake Bay. Landing parties were delighted with the "fair meddowes ... full of flowers of divers kinds and colors," the "goodly tall trees," and the streams of fresh water. It was a smiling country which seemed to bid them welcome. But when they entered the mouth of a broad river, which they called the James in honor of their King, and made their way up into the country, new doubts must have assailed them. They knew that savages lived in the dense forests which lined both banks; might not strange wild beasts live there also? Might there not be fatal diseases unknown in Europe?Read this sentence from the text:But when they entered the mouth of a broad river, which they called the James in honor of their King, and made their way up into the country, new doubts must have assailed them.

What is the main point of this sentence?
A.) A river entry caused much concern.
B.) Although the river was wide, there were fears.
C.) Even a moment of triumph held some fears.
D) The colonists were devoted subjects

Answer 1

The main point of the sentence is that even as the colonists achieved the significant milestone of naming the river James, they faced fears and uncertainties about the new world and the challenges it held. It highlights the emotional state of the settlers amidst both the triumph of establishing Jamestown and the trepidations of what awaited them. Option C is the correct answer.

Step-by-step explanation:

The sentence “But when they entered the mouth of a broad river, which they called the James in honor of their King, and made their way up into the country, new doubts must have assailed them,” from the text about the settlement of Jamestown, primarily conveys that even during an uplifting moment of naming a geographic feature and possibly feeling a sense of accomplishment, the colonists could not escape their apprehensions.

It reflects the uncertainty and fear that existed alongside the hope and pride of these early settlers. Concerns about the unknown, such as potential conflicts with native inhabitants, unfamiliar wildlife, and diseases that did not exist in Europe were pervasive thoughts as they started their new lives in what would become one of the first English settlements in the New World.

This area of the James River where the colonists decided to settle was brackish and surrounded by marshland, which posed several challenges for the settlers. The water, unfit to drink, spoiled food supplies and led to diseases like malaria, exacerbated by mosquitoes breeding in the marsh waters. As Captain Newport returned to London, the struggling colony was harassed by the local Indians, leading to additional hardship and loss of life. However, despite all setbacks, Jamestown survived and became a significant foothold for the English in North America.