The event referred to as the planting of the first English colony in America is the establishment of Jamestown in 1607. Located in Virginia, it marked the beginning of sustained English settlement in North America. Jamestown was founded by the Virginia Company amidst expectations of discovering gold and other resources. Although the colony faced numerous hardships, including harsh climates and conflicts with indigenous peoples, it eventually laid the foundation for future English colonies and the expansion of British influence in the New World.