What social and environmental factors almost caused the demise of the Jamestown? How did it revive itself?

The settlers of Jamestown were met with a rather unyielding environment - one filled with swamps that paved the way for malaria and dysentery outbreaks. The settlers also landing right before the year's winter set in, giving them little time to build shelters and start their new lives before the harsh cold and snow set in.

Along with the environment, the men comping to the New World were what were known as "gentle men" (this is where we get the term used today from), or in other words, men unaccustomed to hard work and labor. Others in the settlement had no will to hunt or farm and had eyes only set for gold and adventure. Rocky relationships with the local Native Americans were also an issue, which halted the two people's trade and left the settlers hungry for long periods of time.