Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Map of Jamestown Colony in GRMC

Map of Jamestown Colony Available in GRMC


National Geographic has produced a map of the Jamestown colony that is a recent addition to the Geospatial Resources & Map Collection at Bracken Library. The map shows substantial Native American populations before and after European contact on one side with an inset map showing the Atlantic trade routes of the 1600's. The front of the map is titled 1607: When Cultures Collided. Images of the Jamestown colony and Werowocomoco, the capital of the Powhatan Indian chiefdom are shown.

The creation of the map coincides with the celebration in Jamestown of the 400th anniversary of the first permanent English colony in America. Queen Elizabeth II visited the site of the original colony during her state visit to the United States in early May. President Bush and first lady Laura Bush attended the anniversary festival on May 13 and walked the grounds of the original settlement.

The National Geographic Web site also celebrates the festivities with a Jamestown kids’ game. Players can follow Captain John Smith meeting Native Americans and exploring the Chesapeake Bay. The game even includes sword-fishing, shooting bows and arrows, and boat racing. Educators will also find lesson plans about the colony on the website. The lessons include information about the Chesapeake Bay watershed and history of the area. The Powhatan village can be explored, and users can even print off recipes of what the Native Americans ate.

Contact the GRMC to view the map of Jamestown or for any other information from 7:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. Monday through Friday during the summer.

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