The major reason for the establishment of the Jamestown colony in Virginia was economic. Founded in 1607 by the Virginia Company, Jamestown was England's first permanent settlement in the Americas, created to exploit the region's natural resources and search for gold. Investors sought profits through trade and agriculture, particularly with tobacco, which became the colony's backbone and a highly profitable cash crop. The desire for wealth and the expansion of English influence in North America spurred the establishment of Jamestown, marking an important chapter in the history of colonial America.