The Colonies That Shaped AmericaThe Jamestown Colony, a ruined colony, became the richest colony. The Massachusetts Bay Colony, “a town on a hill,” was transformed into “the town that fell down the hill.” As the 13 colonies took shape, the Jamestown Colony and the Massachusetts Bay Colony took shape in different ways. These two colonies are among the most famous colonies in United States history. The colonies overcame the struggles, reached the top of the hill and fell down the hill. The Jamestown Colony in Virginia, established by the Virginia Company, was the first colony established in North America. The Virginia Company would entice investors to invest in the New World in return for gold, treasure, or sea passage. The members of the company, eager to find treasure, arrived in the New World. There was no gold or treasure. Members had to survive in the wild. They had to face disease, “starvation” and clashes with Native Americans until they found the key to wealth: tobacco. “In Virginia and Maryland, tobacco as our staple food is our Everything and indeed leaves no room for anything else. .” – Governor Leonard Calvert of Maryland The export of tobacco was an economic boom for Jamestown. In 1619, tobacco production reached 20,000 pounds and in 1688 it reached 18 million pounds. However, to export a large amount of tobacco, farmers needed slaves. As the need for labor increased in Jamestown, settlers turned to indentured servants. Indentured servants were English people who lived in poverty in England. The person would work for a wealthy New World merchant or farmer for approximately 7 years for passage to the New World. At the end of the 7-year contract, there were “freedom contributions”. The servants worked among papers and burned. Witch hunts were out of control. The economy declined due to the distractions of the witch trials. The governor finally intervened when his wife was accused of being a witch. He ordered the release of the remaining suspects. Jamestown and Massachusetts rose to power thanks to their clever ideas about growing tobacco and investing in maritime trade. Jamestown enslaved innocent people and Massachusetts Bay accused innocent people of witchcraft. Even though Jamestown enslaved people, they remained powerful. On the other hand, Massachusetts Bay never fully regained power after the Salem Witch Trials. Today, the tobacco trade and maritime trade remain profitable products. Until the 1960s, African Americans were not equal to whites. The Salem Witch Trials are now frowned upon by millions of people. Despite the struggles and difficulties, they both had an impact on America as it is today..