In the early 1600s, the British began to arrive and settle the Americas. Many religious groups such as the Puritans, voyaged to the New World in hopes of escaping religious persecution. Additionally, companies, similar to the Virginia Company, chartered voyages, in which part of the profits of the colonies would return to them. These journeys were to build colonies that would discover precious metals that would be exported back to Great Britain. Modern historians question whether or not the British settled haphazardously, because of the seemingly sporadic nature of the colonies. When considering this idea, there are many examples of early colonies which could have benefited from better organization. For example, Jamestown was founded in the