The Virginia Company of London was a joint-stock company chartered by King James I in 1606 to establish a colony in North America. Such a venture allowed the Crown to reap the benefits of colonization—natural resources, new markets for English goods, leverage against the Spanish—without bearing the costs.
Back then , the city was shocked by smallpox epidemic. Since smallpox is easily transmitted by contact, overcrowded areas are the perfect breeding spot for smallpox ( they still has not developed small pox vaccine back then)
A communist insurgent group
The domino theory posited that if one country in a region came under the influence of communism, then the surrounding countries would follow in a domino effect.
Is that what you mean?