The first successful English colony in 1607 was established in Virginia, specifically at Jamestown. This colony was intended as an economic venture, aimed at profiting from resources in the New World, such as tobacco. Founded by the Virginia Company, it overcame numerous difficulties, including conflict with Indigenous peoples, disease, and food shortages, eventually becoming a foothold for further English colonization. Jamestown's establishment marked a significant moment in American history, as it initiated a wave of settlements and the subsequent development of English culture and governance in what would become the United States.