Captain John Smith (1580-1631) was a founding member and, later, president of the governing council of the Jamestown settlement. He was the first to explore and map the Chesapeake Bay region and to establish trade relations with the Native Americans.
John Thompson is the author of nine National Geographic books, including America's Historic Trails, The Revolutionary War, and Our National Parks. His assignments have taken him to almost every state in the country and have covered a wide range of natural and historical subjects. Thompson lives in Charlottesville, Virginia.