John Smith at Jamestown The strengths and weaknesses of John Smith's leadership evoked a profound effect on the Jamestown colony. The fact that Smith actually arrived in the colony as a common prisoner and was able to achieve the leadership role he acquired is astonishing. His creativity and knowledge in some areas actually saved the settlers from attacks and starvation in the early days. Some of the rules he enforced as leader were actually instrumental in saving the colony. His skill in dealing with the natives allowed him to gain their support and continue the trade that led to the survival of the colony. Christopher Newport, the admiral who transported John Smith and many colonists from England, left the Jamestown colony in the fall of 1607. Immediately all work in the settlement ceased to exist. The settlers had decided to wait for Newport to return with new workers. The plan was for the natives to provide them with food while they waited. When the natives never arrived with food, Ratcliffe, the colony's current president, ordered John Smith to visit nearby natives and exchange tools and metals for corn. The natives had noticed how the English were unable to feed themselves by planting their own crops. The natives refused to exchange more than a few handfuls of corn and bread for the hatchets and iron they were offered. Smith understood why the Kecoughtans didn't trade more than those small amounts and created a way to fix the problem. To show the natives that the English were not poor, Smith gave the children free beads and trinkets. This was to demonstrate to the Kecoughtans that the English were economically strong and possessed more valuable items. Smith used the mentality of “weakness in appearance…was weakness in reality” (Price 57) to justify his travels from village to village, gathering large quantities of corn, bread, and other foods for the Jamestown settlers. Smith thought that the natives would have traded more food if they had not realized the small amount of food supplies the English had actually acquired. If the natives had known what large quantities of food Smith had actually traded, they would have realized how desperate the state of the colonists was. Smith ran his trading sessions in this way “'at least they should perceive my too great need.'” (Price 57) In this way, John Smith saved the ent...... middle of paper .... ..making them believe the English had enough food supplies to actually help protect the colonists from attack. It also allowed Smith and the settlers to continue bringing back enough food and supplies to last the settlement through the first winter. By the second winter, John Smith had assumed the position of president of the settlement. This put him in a position of power where he could invoke some rules among the colonists. Invoking the rule “those who don't work won't eat” was a key factor in surviving this winter. During the same season, food supplies again became dangerously low. Rats had once again infested the main food supply. John cleverly divided the colonists into three groups. Despite the risk of the settlement being devastated by the partition, Smith made it and again saved the settlers. John Smith remained true to the interests of the common man during his efforts at Jamestown. This character trait, as well as his impulsiveness and outbursts of temper, weakened him in the eyes of the Virginia Company. Unfortunately, this shortened his time as a leader of the settlers. Despite his shortcomings, John Smith was a critical player in the success of the Jamestown Agreement.