Final answer:
The Jamestown settlers faced starvation, disease, and conflicts with the Powhatan tribe. They endured severe famine during the starving time in 1609-1610, leading them to resort to cannibalism. Only about 60 settlers survived from the original 500 by spring 1610.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Jamestown settlers experienced a series of catastrophic difficulties that led to their high mortality rates. Initially lured by the promise of riches, the settlers were ill-prepared for the reality of establishing a new colony. They faced severe shortages of food and fresh water, lacked the necessary farming skills, and suffered from disease and difficult interactions with the indigenous Powhatan tribe. During the starving time of the winter of 1609-1610, settlers endured extreme famine, leading them to resort to eating animals, leather goods, and, in harrowing cases, the deceased, culminating in instances of cannibalism. George Percy's accounts describe the grave conditions, noting that the men were destroyed by diseases, famine, and sometimes sudden deaths. In these dire circumstances, the Jamestown colony almost collapsed, and by spring 1610, only about 60 of the original settlers had survived, their number reduced from over 500 when Smith left them.