Final answer:
Jamestown, founded in 1607 by the Virginia Company, was the first permanent English settlement in North America. Its success came from the cultivation of tobacco, which required a significant labor force, fostering the plantation system and the growth of the slave trade.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Founding of Jamestown
The colony founded in 1607 that was successful due to its fertile land, plentiful game, and abundant timber was Jamestown, located in what is now Virginia. The Virginia Company, formed by English merchants and named after Queen Elizabeth I, was granted a charter by King James I to establish a colony in the New World. In 1606, they set sail and eventually chose a site along the James River for their settlement.
The location was a marshy area, chosen perhaps to be less conspicuous to the Spanish and native peoples, although it turned out to be less than ideal due to health reasons. Nevertheless, despite early struggles with hunger, malaria, and tensions with the Algonquin tribes, the colony managed to survive. It became the first permanent English settlement in North America.
The success of Jamestown was significantly bolstered by the cultivation of tobacco, introduced by John Rolfe. Tobacco became a major cash crop that required a significant labor force, leading to the development of the plantation system and the subsequent growth of the slave trade.