Although many movies try to recount the most important events and biggest accomplishments in history, many of them end up taking the focus away from the real impact of the historical event. Due to the need to create a movie that has drama and an attractive or complex story line. The 1995 version of the movie Pocahontas directed by Daniele Suissa focuses on Powhatan princess Matoaka, known as Pocahontas, and the events that resulted from English colonists settling in Powhatan lands. Although the movie incorporated a few important details of the actual historical event, overall, it poorly represented the lasting effects Pocahontas’s encounter with the settlers had on the history of colonial America. The history of Pocahontas, the Virginian …show more content…
With high hopes in creating a successful settlement and starting a money-making colony, the settlers were in no way prepared or aware of the hardships and dilemmas they were about to face for several years. Upon their arrival, colonists faced disease, famine, and multiple hardships and were watched from afar by natives who were pleased at the settlers’ struggle. The Powhatans were known for their culture of “dark superstitions and devil worship,” making them a cruel adversary to the white settlers. The natives were a major threat to the settlers; if they were captured, they would be stoned to the head and scalped for the members of their tribe to admire. Pocahontas was the favorite daughter in her father’s home, so it would be expected that she would always side with her tribe. Instead, she “effected a remarkable and significant relationship… with the small group of settlers at Jamestown […]” then years later with English royalty. Fascination with their advancements in technology drew Pocahontas to the colony. John Smith became very close to her as he taught her the English language and she taught him the native language. During the time spent at Jamestown, Pocahontas became well …show more content…
Years later, she married John Rolfe, a tobacco planter, bringing peace between the settlers and Powhatan. This was an enormous step, for Virginia needed “good publicity” to continue being funded. This was “fortified by the visit of the Algonquian princess” with her son and husband, proving that it was possible to spread Christianity to the natives. The royal court saw an opportunity and Pocahontas gained royal honor as she succeeded in connecting the two very contrasting
To conclude with “The General History of Virginia” and Disney’s version of Pocahontas, the two stories had two different opinions and views. Although, Disney’s portrayal of Pocahontas was perceived as an offense to the Native Americans, no one really knows the actual events that took place during that time. People will continue to think that John Smith’s version was a bit hysterical, while the Native Americans will take the Disney movie Pocahontas to an offense. John Smith and Disney both gave their own versions of their story. Others will continue to do the same.
Pocahontas was an influential Indian who shaped Jamestown. Pocahontas’ real name was Matoaka. She was the daughter of Wahunsenaca or chief Powhatan. Pocahontas was a Powhatan Indian and at the time the Powhatan tribe was strong. It was Pocahontas who helped save a colonist named John Smith from being clubbed to death. Because Pocahontas had saved John Smith she built trust between the colonists and the Powhatans. Pocahontas became an important figure for the peace and negotiation during this time period. She had helped the Indians from not fighting the colonists and vice versa. As an immediate result of her saving John Smith the Indians and the new colonists worked together and were beneficial to each other. In the future Indian and Colonists began to fight again. But Pocahontas relationships with the colonists did not end, she continued to associate and help other
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.
The Americans had many problems with the Native Americans during the Colonial period. Sometimes the Americans were even taken as captives by the Indians. In New England alone, an estimated 1,641 with captives were taken between 1675 and 1763. Among two of these were Mary Rowlandson and James Smith. Mary Rowlandson was a reverend’s wife from Massachusetts during the seventeenth century and James Smith was cutting a wagon trail in Pennsylvania during the eighteenth century. Even though they were both taken to be used in the Indian villages, because of their gender, their time with the Indians differed greatly in how they were treated and how their thoughts of the Indians were influenced.
The most interesting part of the chapter was the non-Walt Disney version of events during the founding of Jamestown colony. John Smith is responsible for most of the information available about him, and he was not modest in describing his adventures, or entirely truthful. Pocahontas was first described as being a young girl when she rescued Smith from execution. Smith’s later telling of the story aged her a little more. She was still too young to have had a romantic relationship with Smith. It is even possible that he made up the events, since Pocahontas wasn’t even mentioned in his accounts of until she was famous. Also, the execution may not have been real but a mock event as part of a ceremony. Powhaten might have been making Smith a subordinate. Pocahontas converted to Christianity, took the name Rebecca, married an Englishman, John Rolfe, and was held up as an example of success in civilizing the natives, at least until her untimely death.
Spanish conquistadores such as Cortes and Pizarro were especially harsh, completely destroying the Aztec and Incan empires. Some natives, such as Chief Powhatan and his daughter Pocahontas, attempted to create friendly relations with the European settlers. The marriage of Pocahontas to colonist John Rolfe was successful towards maintaining peace for a short period of time, but the Anglo-Powhatan Wars soon broke out, and the Powhatans were banished from their homeland. European settlers also believed in converting the natives to their own religion, and the Spanish Mission System in California was established as a
Chief Powhatan did not comply knowing they would treat her well, Pocahontas was then taken in by alexander Whitaker, a minister, he taught Pocahontas all the english customs and made her leave her culture behind. Pocahontas was baptized as a christian and renamed Rebecca. During this time a man named John Rolfe fell in love with her but hesitated marrying her because she was an Indian. He asked the Government of Jamestown if this was okay to do, which they consulted Chief Powhatan about, which resulted in less conflict and battles. at18 years old in 1614 Pocahontas married John Rolfe and lived on a piece of land given to them as a marriage gift from her father. A year after the marriage Pocahontas had a son and named him Thomas. Her goal in Jamestown was that Indian children could go to school and the peace could continue. In the spring of 1616 Pocahontas, John and their son along with a dozen Powhatan people traveled to England and were quite the sensation. They attended many events including meeting the royal family thanks to John Smith. When Pocahontas met John Smith again she was stunned and in shock because she thought he had died. Pocahontas called John Smith her father as a way to show their close relationship. Shortly after, in the spring of March 1617 Pocahontas unfortunately died of
Imagine you’re near Jamestown in Virginia. It is late December, and you see natives in a bunch. In the middle, there is Chief Powhatan, about to execute John Smith, leader of the Englishmen, while people around him are, weirdly, singing a song. Suddenly, Pocahontas suddenly runs and throws herself on top of John Smith and proclaims her love for John. After that, all is well. This is the Disney movie’s story, but the real story is still being debated. Did Pocahontas really save John Smith’s life? The movie might make it seem that way, but Pocahontas did not save John Smith’s life.
Pocahontas and the Powhatan Dilemma written by Camilla Townsend is a biographical novel written to provide a more in depth view of the feelings of both the natives and the Old World English. The novel is set in late sixteenth century and early seventeenth century and follows the narrative of Pocahontas’s life while including the thoughts and actions of her relative native people in addition to the thoughts of the Englishmen of Jamestown. Townsend’s novel uses primary and secondary sources to personalize and summarizes the story of Pocahontas in a new story-like way that makes her life relatable to readers.
A happy ending is what sells, but unfortunately that is not historically accurate. Pocahontas did not have the choice to stay with her family as her love left her. She was kidnapped, brought to Europe, forced to live with two men, and eventually married John Rolfe. As for her family and tribe, they were all killed. The Powhatan tribe no longer exists. It is obvious to see how unjust and inaccurate this story is.
Many people have heard of the renowned story of Pocahontas and John Smith; a girl who saves a guy’s life and they may or may not have fallen in love. But did Pocahontas really save John Smith? In John Smith’s books, Powhatan (Pocahontas’s father) turns from friendly to suddenly hostile. Furthermore, John Smith only even mentioned Pocahontas in his second book, after she had passed away. He also took credit for many of Pocahontas’s achievements. This scenario is a heavily debated subject, and from the evidence I was presented, Pocahontas did not save John Smith.
She was healthy and lived in a swell society. Pocahontas was only 9 years when the englishmen arrived and settled into jamestown.
It can be easily assumed that almost everyone has heard the tale of the American Indian princess, Pocahontas – the narrative of a mysterious young girl who rescues an English explorer from death only to fall in love and win his affections in return. It is one that is quite popular and has even been developed into an animated movie by Walt Disney Pictures. Regardless of which version they may have heard, most people are familiar with the legend now thanks in part to Disney. However, what they are not familiar with, are the facts. All too often, we accept what is presented in films as history without any thought into the matter. Did Pocahontas and explorer John Smith ever actually meet?
The Disney movies of Pocahontas tell a plot of a Native ¬American tribe and English colonists that fight for the land the Native Americans live on though war ultimately creating moderate peace. While keeping to their own sect, the imbalance of power between the two social groups is prevalent throughout much of the story. Walt Disney’s Pocahontas is more than a classic children’s movie. It is a thoughtful, well contrived narration that portrays a message that in order to fit in, you must be a certain race and born into a specific culture. Disney’s Pocahontas suggesting that the color of our skin shouldn’t matter when being accepted into social groups as well as the idea that arranged marriage should be rejected. Thus, treating people right could ultimately have a positive outcome and lastly, the film also suggests that family roles change without a mother figure.
They were having marriages among them. For example, when Pocahontas married John Rolfe, many said it had a political implication to unite more settlers with the Indians to have a better relationship between both groups. As for the Indians, their attitude was always friendly and full of curiosity when they saw the strange and light-skinned creatures from beyond the ocean. The colonists only survived with the help of the Indians when they first settled in Jamestown and Plymouth. In these areas, the Indians showed the colonists how to cultivate crops and gather seafood.