The Prisoner on the Ship | America Before the Revolution

In this immersive episode of Why Wars Happened, step into the chaotic birth of Jamestown, where debt, desperation, and ambition fueled the first permanent English colony in America. Discover how King James I’s need for cash gave rise to the Virginia Company, a business venture that gambled everything on the New World.

But before the colony even began, the journey itself turned dark: John Smith, imprisoned and chained below deck, and a mysterious box containing the names of those who would rule once they landed.

This is a story of debt, betrayal, and survival, told through off-camera narration and calming visuals that pull you deep into the 1600s.

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💬 Comment below: Would you have trusted the king—or the company?

🕰️ Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction to Why Wars Happened

00:15 – King James I’s Desperate Finances

01:14 – The Virginia Company Takes Its Gamble

02:32 – The Power of the King’s Charter

04:00 – A Company Governs the Colony

06:19 – Jamestown’s Rocky Start

08:16 – John Smith’s Chains and Imprisonment

10:56 – Closing & Next Episode Teaser

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