John Smith
John Smith (1580 - 1631) was an explorer, the Governor of Virginia, and an author.
- Captain John Smith: National Park ServiceCaptain John Smith was an adventurer, soldier, explorer and author. Through the telling of his early life, we can trace the developments of a man who became a dominate force in the eventual success of Jamestown and the establishment of its legacy as the first permanent English settlement in North America.
- John Smith: A Literary PioneerMany scholars trace the South's rich literary history back to one of America's earliest settlers, Captain John Smith. Though shrouded in legend and controversy, Smith nevertheless embodied the American pioneering spirit and was one of the first authors to write of the southern landscape's beauty and promise.
- John Smith: Jamestown RediscoveryVirginians know that Captain John Smith was vital to the survival of Jamestown in its early years. They can quote his order: “He that will not worke, shall not eate.” But few know that Smith’s adventures started years before Jamestown.
Research & Reference
- John Smith: Credo ReferenceA Credo Reference landing page on John Smith. This page includes links to reference works, journal articles, and a mind map.
- Smith, John: American National BiographyAmerican National Biography of John Smith.
John Smith, Jamestown and the Roots of America
Author's Works & Perspectives
Captain John Smith: Writings
One of the truly legendary figures of American history, the soldier, explorer, and colonist Captain John Smith was a vivid and prolific chronicler of the beginnings of English settlement in the New World. This volume brings together seven of his works, along with 16 additional narratives by 13 other writers, that recount firsthand the tragic, harrowing, and dramatic events of the settlement of Roanoke and Jamestown. Written in a consistently lively style, Smith's works are filled with suspense, astonishment, and keen observations of American Indian cultures and New World landscapes. Together with the other narratives, they capture the fear and fascination of early encounters with the Indians and the brutality, desperation, and ingenuity of settlers facing extreme hardship. Included in the volume are 29 plates of contemporary drawings, 15 in full colour.
The American Dream of Captain John Smith
Here is a study of the character, writings, and ideals of Captain John Smith, popularly recognized as the greatest English explorer and colonizer of his time - perhaps of all time. Reading closely the facts of Smith's life and, especially, Smith's own words, J. A. Leo Lemay offers the fullest appreciation to date of Smith's contributions to American colonization and culture. The result is a new interpretation and appreciation of the man who, more than any other of his time, saw the potential of America for creating a new society unencumbered by the feudal vestiges of the Old World.