Pocahontas
Pocahontas, meaning "Little Wanton", was an Indian princess born sometime in 1595. She was the daughter of Powhatan, the powerful and wealthy leader of the Powhatan Indian confederacy located in Virginia. Accomplishing a lot in her lifetime, she has become an important figure in American history. Shortly after the English settlers arrived at Jamestown, a man named Captain John Smith led a small group of colonist in an expedition outside the fort in search for food. Powhatan's Indian hunting party soon found them and killed all of the men except Captain Smith. Smith was taken to the Indian village of Werowocomooco as a prisoner where he met Pocahontas. Smith described her as more beautiful than the rest of her people. Pocahontas made an effort to learn English and fo
Powhatan saw this and to his daughters wishes, spared his life, sending him back to Jamestown. Powhatan met most demands but Pocahontas remained in captivity. Soon thereafter, Smith unexpectedly returned to England and slowly but surely relations between the Indian's and the Colonist degenerated and Pocahontas trips became infrequent. A few years later in 1610 she married an Indian named Kacoum and lived among the Potomac Indians. She captivated English royalty and the publicity in turn sparked interest in the Colonial settlement. As a result of her curiosity concerning the English settlers, she eventually traveled to the colony itself. She then made frequent trips to Jamestown as a messenger for her father and arranged for the exchange of food and supplies in a time when the colonist and the Indian's resented, threatened, and disliked each other. In 1613 English settlers abducted her and the fate of her husband is unknown. Pocahontas met a married the colonist John Rolfe and gave birth to a son named Thomas in honor of the Governor. I believe that her life story goes to show that the human natures of both societies living in early colonial Jamestown were very curious but protective of themselves and there were a few people in both societies that were willing to risk it all for more knowledge and understanding of the unknown. Soon there after, Smith was put to trail, declared guilty and sentenced to death. Little information exist concerning that period of her life. She was buried in Gravesend, England.
Common topics in this essay:
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Indians England,
Indians Little,
Gravesend England,
Indian's Colonist,
Powhatan Powhatan,
Pocahontas Smith,
Wanton Indian,
Virginia Company,
John Smith,
english settlers,
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