jamestown is a town in the united states. it was founded on may 13, 1607, by about 100 men and boys and women who came to virginia from london, england. they named the town jamestown after king james. these men hoped to find gold and silver in order to become rich. jamestown was the first permanent english settlement in what would become the united states. the town was built on jamestown island along the james river. this location was selected because the local native american tribes did not live on the island. built on a peninsula it was a good place to defend themselves from other european colonists.