Which individual played a key role in introducing a new variety of tobacco in Jamestown, marking it as a cash crop?

John Rolfe played a crucial role in the success of the Jamestown colony by introducing a new strain of tobacco that was more palatable and demandable in European markets. This variety, known as Virginia tobacco, quickly became a cash crop and transformed the economy of the colony. Rolfe's successful cultivation and export of tobacco led to significant economic growth and established tobacco as a cornerstone of the Virginian economy, which would have lasting effects on the social and economic structure of the region, including the increased reliance on slave labor for cultivation.

Other notable figures, such as Pocahontas and Captain John Smith, contributed to the early survival and settlement of Jamestown but did not directly influence the introduction of tobacco as a cash crop. John Winthrop, associated with the Massachusetts Bay Colony, played a significant role in the establishment of Puritan communities but was not involved with Jamestown or its agricultural practices. The significance of Rolfe's contributions highlights the impact of agriculture on early American colonies and the development of economic systems based on cash crops.