Inventor: John Rolfe

In 1612 John Rolfe brought tobacco from the Caribbean to the colonists in Virginia. He had been experimenting with different strains of tobacco, and found that this particular type "smoked pleasant, sweet and strong." The colonists had been searching for a trade to produce income but so far had not found one. This strain generated the first profitable exports from the colonies.

The demand for Virginia tobacco was high in England, so the colonial planters enjoyed a wealthy lifestyle. To provide enough tobacco to support the demand, the planters had to import slaves from Africa. This fostered the slave trade and brought about an institution that lasted for over 200 years. The tobacco trade firmly established the economy of the southern colonies and helped them survive the early years of development, while remaining one of the most profitable businesses for decades.

*Picture from Encarta Encyclopedia

Sources:

"John Rolfe." Jamestown Rediscovery (2003). Available December 30, 2003, from The Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities. <http://www.apva.org/history/jrolfe.html>

• Jamestown Rediscovery is a site that was created to provide information about Jamestown to the public. It has a biography on John Rolfe.