Why did the early years of the Jamestown colony prove to be a starving time? Could such a result ...

Answer: Jamestown was organized by a joint-stock company of merchants in search of quick profits through the discovery of gold, valuable trade, or the fabled passage to China. The settlers were not prepared for the mundane tasks of everyday survival. Disease and malnutrition contributed to a high mortality rate. Relations with local Indians turned bitter as the English tried to subdue them with shows of force. A starving time might have been avoided with the recruitment of farmers rather than adventurers and more cooperative relations with local natives.