VanDyke 1John Smith played many key roles in the colonies, which made him a very important person during the colonial era. He was a very important person during the colonial era because of his perseverance in difficult situations and his refusal to give in to anything he could have done. John Smith also possessed fantastic leadership abilities that saved the colonies he led from many disasters. In addition to this, his relationship with the Indians greatly benefited the settlers and saved them on more than one occasion. John Smith was born in Lincolnshire, England between 1579 and 1580 (Biography.com p. 1). John Smith was a man of many talents. When he was still a young boy, he was apprenticed to a merchant (shmoop p. 1). His father died when Smith was only seventeen. Shortly after his father's death, he became a hired soldier in the English army, also known as the "Redcoats", and enjoyed surprising success in his military career (biography.com p. 1). During his time in the English army he was captured by the Turks and taken prisoner (biography.com p. 1). Shortly after being imprisoned, he became a slave and killed his master because of the cruel treatment he received (biography.com p. 1). He escaped and returned to England in the early 1600s. After that, he became a sailor, explorer and settler in the New World and a writer in his later years (Mark Canada p. 1). But among all these things, he was best known for founding “Jamestown” and, in doing so, laying the foundation for the United States of America. One of the main reasons John Smith came to the New World was a taste for adventure, but the real main reason was money. By investing in the New World he thought ...... middle of paper ......ke. Np, and Web. October 20, 2013.2. “John Smith at Jamestown.” Shmoop: homework help, resources for teachers, test preparation. Np, and Web. October 20, 2013. .3. “John Smith Biography – Facts, Birthday, Life Story – Biography.com.” Famous Biographies and TV Shows - Biography.com. Np, and Web. October 20, 2013. .4. “John Smith.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, and Web. October 26, 2013. .5. “John Smith.” John Smith. Np, and Web. October 27, 2013. .6. "Indians and Smith | Captain John Smith Historical Trail." Indians and Smith | Captain John Smith Historic Trail. Np, and Web. October 29. 2013. .