The first successful English colony in America was Jamestown, established in 1607 in Virginia. Sponsored by the Virginia Company, Jamestown faced numerous hardships, including severe hunger, disease, and conflicts with Indigenous peoples. Despite these challenges, Jamestown became the first permanent English settlement, marking the beginning of English colonial expansion in North America. The colony eventually thrived due to the cultivation of tobacco, which became a lucrative cash crop. Jamestown's establishment also set the stage for further colonization and the development of American society, economy, and governance based on English models.