Pocahontas, whose real name was Matoaka, was daughter of Powhatan, an important chief of the Algonquian Indians (the Powhatans) who lived in the Virginia region in the 1600s. While she is known for one of the most important decisions she made later in her life, the life she led before that is can be considered somewhat normal. A young girl, around twelve, Pocahontas was already introduced and aware of the world around her. English settlers arrived at Jamestown, or America, and almost immediately tensions rose between the English and the Indians of the Powhatan tribe. Pocahontas, being the daughter of the extremely powerful chief, took on the role of peacemaker; her own people loved and respected her immensely and she became well liked by the English settlers. In 1607, Pocahontas committed a heroic act that is still being researched today. Besides Captain John Smith, there are no other sources and/or evidence to conform the event. However, how the story is said to of happened is that Captain John Smith was leading an expedition when suddenly the Indians took him captive. The great chief forced Smith to stretch out on two large, flat stones and Indians stood over him with clubs as though ready to beat him to death if ordered. Suddenly, Pocahontas, only twelve, emerged and rushed to Smith’s side and laid her own body on top of his, appearing as if to sacrifice herself. As a result of Pocahontas’ brave act, she saved Smith and relations between the Indians and English continued to be generally friendly. (Fausz "Pocahontas"; Townsend “Pocahontas”). Despite Pocahontas’s effort to make peace between the two sides, war eventually broke out. In 1613, the English kidnapped Pocahontas. They intended to use her as a hostage in negotiations with the Indians. The English were certain that her father would ransom his daughter and settle the war, but her father acted far from the
Pocahontas Powhatan Opechancanough, tells the story of the interactions between the Jamestown settlers and the Powhatan Indians, and how the European arrival changed the lives of the natives. the book focuses on the three Indians it is titled for and tries to explain the story of Jamestown through a less Anglo-biased view. At many times the book contradicts the story most people know of the Jamestown settlement and the major players involved. Throughout the book, author Helen Rountree goes to great lengths to tell the whole story truthfully, and when she can't give the whole story she makes it clear as to what is accepted to be true.
Did you know that John Rolfe was the first to make tobacco a commercial crop? John Rolfe was a Politician and a working man, who developed the first profitable export. First, John Rolfe was a family man who married plenty of times including Pocahontas. Second, he was the first to successfully export tobacco to another country for a profit. Lastly, his historic marriage to Pocahontas led to a state of peace between Indians and colonists for quite some time. John Rolfe was a working man who lived to meet each of his family’s needs.
The Historical Interaction Between the Europeans and Indians in the Disney Movie Pocahontas Over the past couple of weeks, we have been studying the story of the Native American (Indian) princess, Pocahontas. We have studied both literature and the 1995 Disney movie. I am going to write about what methods are used to portray the relationship between these two civilisations. Both media portray the same relationship between the civilisations; this is one of mistrust, misunderstanding and dislike. From the moment the Europeans landed in "the new world", the natives were not sure of what to think of them, they looked different, sounded different and carried themselves differently.
As a young child many of us are raised to be familiar with the Pocahontas and John Smith story. Whether it was in a Disney movie or at a school play that one first learned of Jamestown, students want to believe that this romantic relationship really did occur. As one ages, one becomes aware of the dichotomy between fact and fiction. This is brilliantly explained in David A. Price's, Love and Hate in Jamestown. Price describes a more robust account of events that really did take place in the poorly run, miserable, yet evolving settlement of Jamestown, Virginia; and engulfs and edifies the story marketed by Disney and others for young audiences. Price reveals countless facts from original documents about the history of Jamestown and other fledgling colonies, John Smith, and Smith's relationship with Pocahontas. He develops a more compelling read than does the typical high school text book and writes intriguingly which propels the reader, to continue on to the successive chapters in the early history of Virginia.
Pocahontas and the Powhatan Dilemma, provides a vivid and brutally honest account of the atrocities committed against Pocahontas and her people, unlike the popular animated film released by Disney. We will never know the absolute truth behind Pocahontas and her people, or the early settlers who emigrated to Jamestown, but one truth, however, remains evident. The English had succeeded in destroying an entire culture, rich with diversity. This may not have been what the English had intended at first, but it untimely was the result of their actions against the Powhatan people and the other tribes of the surrounding region. They imposed harsh conditions which included abduction, conversion, violence, and tributes which practically impossible to
	In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops criticism of society by contrasting Huck and Jim’s life on the river to their dealings with people on land. Twain uses the adventures of Huck and Jim to expose the hypocrisy, racism, and injustices of society.
The essence of Pocahontas’ history is debatable, with very few documented facts. Pocahontas lived over four hundred years ago, and the known facts may also be manipulated. The story John Smith recounted of his own ordeal may have been altered to suit his own needs. The truth of the story may not be the facts given of the story. The essence of Pocahontas’ legend is really what is argued. Some may object to Disney’s version of the tale; however, it is Disney’s version to tell.
The New England colonists were in constant contact with Indians since their arrival. Conflict was unavoidable between the two polar opposite cultures. The colonists sought to convert the Indians into Christians and attempt to civilize the "barbarians." Also, the expansion of colonies into Indian Territory was a major concern among the Indian tribes. King Phillip's War was the result of the ongoing tensions between the two cultures. Both the colonists and the Indians grew increasingly suspicious of each other eventually leading to war.
Furthermore, there are many historical inaccuracies in the film “Pocahontas” that do not correspond to the events of the early colonization of America. In 1607 when John Smith and Pocahontas first met, she was around ten or eleven
The General History of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles by John Smith, portrays the enormous troubles the settlers were faced with by the Native Americans. He explains how he was captured by Indians and also saved by a young Native American girl, Pocahontas. He vividly describes the ceremonies and rituals of the Natives performed before his execution. However, the execution never occurred due to the tremendous mercy showed by the king’s daughter who blanketed John Smith’s body her own. Pocahontas went on to persuade the Native Americans to help the settlers by giving them food and other necessities. Despite her efforts to reach peaceful grounds, her people were still bitter and planned an attacks on the colony. Nevertheless, Pocahontas saved them once again by warning the settlers of attacks. Pocahontas went on to marry an Englishman and traveled to England. She resembled the prosperity and good that was to be found in an untamed land.
Pocahontas is the main reason John Smith wasn't killed. Pocahontas actually risked her life in order to save his life. This just shows for itself what kind of 11 or 12 year old she really was. Pocahontas' father, Powhatan, was never fond of this man. However, after he had seen what Smith meant to his daughter, he reconsidered everything he once thought about this man. Powhatan then realized that he and his people would need this man more then he thought. Smith had many resources and the chief could benefit from all of them.
At first meeting, the Powhatan considered the settlers as allies, who may be able to aid them in their struggle for land and power over the other tribes in the area. These relations strained when starving settlers started to take food from the Native Americans. In 1610, any notion of alliance between the Powhatan and the Virginia settlers was immediately crushed when Lord De La Warr arrived with a declaration of war against all Indians in the Jamestown area. De La Warr used his "Irish Tactics" of burning houses and crops and taking prisoners to destroy the Native Americans in what was known as the First Anglo-Powhatan war. A peace treaty was signed, but lasted only eight years.
One realizes that later in her life Pocahontas’ role was much more political. Pocahontas was kidnapped by the English living in Jamestown and was taught English manners, English theology and ultimately married an Englishman. The marriage is seen as an attempt by the colonists to end what is known as “Powhatan’s War,” which was a series of successful guerilla attacks on the colonists. From that point on, to those in the colony, Pocahontas is known ever after as Rebecca Rolfe, her Anglican baptismal name. The leaders of the Virginia Company decided it would be a great publicity move for them to send
The First Anglo-Powhatan War was fought from 1609 until 1614 and pitted the English settlers at Jamestown against an alliance of Algonquian-speaking Virginia Indians led by Powhatan. After the English arrived in Virginia in 1607, they struggled to survive through terrible drought and cold winters. Unable to sufficiently provide for themselves, they pressured the some Indians for relief, which led to a series of conflicts along the James River that excelled in the autumn of 1609. Powhatan ordered a siege of some sort of the English fort, which lasted through the winter of 1609 and started the so-called Starving Time. This was the Indians' best chance to win the war, but the English survived and, after the arrival of reinforcements, was viciously attacked. Using terror tactics, English soldiers burned villages and towns and executed women and children. Eventually, they defeated some tribes near the falls. After two years, Captain Samuel Argall captured Powhatan's daughter Pocahontas in the spring of 1613 and turned his prisoner into the leverage necessary to make peace. She married John Rofle. Chief Powhatan later told Smith that he did not in fact kill the
In May of 1607, the English began to settle in the new world (NWHM), but Pocahontas did not begin to form a relationship with them until that winter (Stebbins). The first English man she met was Captain John Smith when she saved him from execution (NWHM). For the next year after the encounter, Pocahontas and other tribe members would frequently travel to Jamestown (NWHM). On each trip Pocahontas would deliver messages from her father and bring items to trade (NWHM). As a result of her friendliness she became the “symbol of peace” (Stebbins).