Early settlers to Jamestown hoped to establish a profitable colony based on agriculture and natural resource extraction. Tobacco emerged as a lucrative cash crop, and the colony began to thrive as tobacco exports grew. The settlers also sought wealth through exploration, searching for gold, silver, and a water route to the Pacific Ocean.
In addition, these settlements were driven by religious motivations, with many of the early settlers seeking to establish a community based on Protestant values and free from religious persecution. They hoped to create a "Christian commonwealth" in the New World, and they saw Jamestown as a potential refuge for those seeking religious freedom.