...Pocahontas Pocahontas is a woman of myth and legend; she has mainly been depicted in fictitious movies such as the Disney version. She does have a small place in history as the one who saved John Smith, an Englishman. There was a copious amount of things that she did in the movies that did not really happen in real life. For one, she did not marry John Smith, but instead she married a man named John Rolfe, a tobacco planter. Pocahontas is a very strong woman with many traits that helps be in the elite ranks of women in the native American community. She put her life on the line to save a white settler so that is what she did that solidified herself in American history because it not only showed the courage of herself, but of her Native American Tribe. She was a brave girl who had quite the history growing up. The story of Pocahontas is an often-told tale. In the telling it has acquired mythological elements shared with other stories of encounters between Europeans and Indians, to such an extent that the original “facts” (if they are certain enough to be worthy of the name) have been distorted or obscured. In 1616 John Smith, one of the early English colonists in Virginia, recounted in a letter that ten years before he had been saved from certain death at the hand of the Powhatan Indians by a young teenage girl, named Pocahontas, who was the daughter of the chief of the Powhatans. Pocahontas grew to be on friendly terms with the colonists, but Smith made no suggestion that...
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...Pocahontas and John Smith Pocahontas is set in 1607, just as a new age of exploration has begun. A group of British adventurers led by the greedy governor of the Virginia Company, John Ratcliffe, and including a fearless soldier named John Smith, have set sail for the New World aboard The Susan Constant, seeking gold and other treasures. Meanwhile, in Virginia, a beautiful young Native American woman named Pocahontas, the daughter of Chief Powhatan. The type of painting is made of oil canvas. The painting shows a lot of hate and love. I believe that the subject of the painting is justice and mercy because on the top of the painting is the king of the tribe. He shows leadership, order, and power. His people around him look up to him seeking wisdom and leadership. The king wants to punish the people who invade his land and especially the ones who take other lives. The painting is mostly dark colored with a white cloud surrounding Pocahontas. The tribe seem to be very close attached to each other. Even though everyone is Indian except for John Smith, Pocahontas has a European face. I feel like the painting is 3D. There are people ion the painting that do not stand out as much as the king, Pocahontas, John Smith, and the guy that wants to kill john Smith. Those four are standing out of the painting. Most of the lines are angled. Everyone is moving a certain way. There is a little of horizontal lines, but more angles are found in the painting. All of these elements were...
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...160 Ethnic Symbolism in Pocahontas In Walt Disney’s Pocahontas (1955), the adventures of a young Native Virginia Indian woman in her early twenties are portrayed as she roams the forest to search for what the meaning to her life truly is. She is a free spirit who lives with the nature of the world around her and is very attached to its beauty. Once the Englishmen invade the Indians’ territory in search of new land to conquer, things begin to change. There is a shift of tone from innocence to savagery as they come looking for gold and are willing to do anything to get their hands on it. Through this clash of two different civilizations, the filmmakers adequately display the mixing of two opposing peoples and how their relationship ultimately affects the outcome of their situations. Early in the film, Pocahontas is very lonely and often spends most of her time away from her village. When she first meets John Smith, she doesn’t approach him directly, but instead, her raccoon meeko sneaks up to Smith and eats a cookie from him. This is a common way of introducing two characters because there is often anther person or object that will initiate the conversation or make the first move. It also indicates that the Indians are modest and unaware of what is about to happen to them. When John Smith meets Pocahontas, he is at first as prejudice as all the other men and ignorant to the Powhatan tribe as being a friendly people. Nonetheless after Pocahontas shows him the land and convinces...
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...everyone has heard the tale of the American Indian princess, Pocahontas – but is it true? John Smith's tales of Pocahontas have, over time, and with the help of Disney’s inaccurate rendition of Pocahontas’ story, encouraged the evolution of a great American myth. According to this myth, which is common knowledge to most Americans, Pocahontas was the fully clothed, disobedient daughter of Chief Powhatan who saved John Smith from being killed by her father and his warriors and ended up falling in love with Smith. But, was this the real Pocahontas? Was she like the Indian girl from the Disney movie who saved her reservation? Yes and no. Pocahontas was a real woman who had a great impact in the relationship between the foreigners and her people; her notoriety today is based on glorified tales that do not account for the tragedies that befell her. According to Camilla Townsend, “Long before Pocahontas became an icon, she was a child who walked and played beneath the towering trees of the Virginia woods, and then an adult woman who learned to love--and to hate--English men.” (Preface) Pocahontas was born in 1595 in Werowocomoco, Virginia. Pocahontas's real name was Matoaka. As a child, she was also called Pocahontas, meaning "playful one," and the name stuck. (Pocahontas Biography http://www.notablebiographies.com/Pe-Pu/Pocahontas.html) She had 20 brothers and 9 sisters, not including herself. At an early age Pocahontas was taught how to swim. Like many other children from her tribe...
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...“Look around you. This is where the path of hatred has brought us” (“Real Pocahontas Quotes). This quote is quoted in the Disney film, where the main character was inspired by the historical figure Pocahontas. Pocahontas was a Native American woman who is usually recognized for her bravery for saving John Smith from being executed. Since Pocahontas is a respected historical figure there have various versions in order to depict the history behind her. One of these versions is the Disney movie, Pocahontas where she shown as young woman who falls in love with an English settler despite the rivalry between their people.In terms of factual information, the Disney version of Pocahontas doesn’t show the actual encounter, the ages of the figures, and the relationship between Pocahontas and John Smith whereas other factual...
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...Women, Families, and Communities Chapter Review Chapter 1- Jamestown: Pocahontas, Powhatan, and the Struggles for Virginia When you here the name Pocahontas they think of the movie but she was real and she was a symbol of peaceful co-existence of American Indians and European settlers in North America. Powhatan was a powerful chief who ruled thirteen thousand Indians. In December 1607 some of the warriors captured three men and that is where you meet John Smith. He was about to be executed but at last minute Pocahontas rush out and saved him. They say that she was only about ten years old when she saved him. Powhatan was the one who sent her to rescue him as a gesture of mercy because women traditionally had the right to determine the fate of captives. Camilla Townsend follows Pocahontas and Powhatan on their negotiation with John Smith and the English Settlers. She tries to capture moments like when the English still had only a loose hold in America. She also reveals the role that the Indian women played. She eventually married John Rolfe who took her to England for their honeymoon in 1617 where she caught a fever and died. Rolfe returned and became a leader in development of tobacco in to a cash crop. He also transformed the lives of both Indian and English men and women for generations to come. Camilla Townsend wrote about the trading that went on between the Indians and the English and also making promises to each other about weapons. Then later on some of the...
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...Many people have heard the famous story of Pocahontas, but they still don’t know the true facts about her life. Pocahontas was estimated to be born around 1595 in the current state of Virginia as the Powhatan chief's daughter. It was early in her life that North American exploration began and settlers began to come to this ‘New World’ to settle colonies for their home countries. Instead of fighting the colonists, Pocahontas helped the Europeans settle and grow on the land and, thanks to her, they made a lot of profit. Many years later in 1995, Disney published the film Pocahontas; a exciting family movie about her life and her help to British colonists. The question of debate is: Did Disney accurately portray the story of Pocahontas? There is evidence saying that Disney did not tell the real story because they changed her name, made her several years older, and altered the relationship between her and John Smith. First of all, Pocahontas was not her real name, it was just a nickname. Disney thought that they should use this name since it was well known, however, “"Pocahontas" was a nickname, meaning "the naughty one" or "spoiled child". Her real name was Matoaka” (Doc B). Even though they could have used her name they chose Pocahontas instead. They most likely chose to do this because it was a name that she was well known by and was easier to...
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...History 10618 The Real Pocahontas Pocahontas was estimated to be born in 1595 and, in the state of Virginia. She was part of the Tsenacommacah tribe and was the daughter of Powhatan. Over the years many different stories of the life of Pocahontas have been told and written about, but there is only one true story of her life, and her connection to the settlers of Jamestown. It is my turn now as the writer of this new movie to set the story straight, and show what really happened to Pocahontas. There have been many different stories of the life of Pocahontas, but one of the first one that comes to mind is the Disney animation story. This story had many false parts about the story, and it misleads many people to who Pocahontas really was. One of the most misleading parts about the movie was that john smith was this nice caring man, and that when he was going to be but to death by the Indians it is Pocahontas who also but her head the on the stone to save his life. This never actually happened in real life, and John smith was not the caring loving man the movie portrays him to be. Many the of the other Englishman he was with described him as a harsh self arrogant man. Finally the movie never brings up the very important part in the movie when she marries John Rolfe, and moves all the way back to England. This movie was very misleading, and was very historically in accurate, which lead to many people misinterpreting the real life of Pocahontas. Now As the scriptwriter...
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...Name Professor U.S. History 08 October 2012 A Letter to My Dearest Friend John Smith September 15, 1616 Dear John, Since I have met you I, Matoaka (Pocahontas), have matured into a great woman. Most people know me as "the most dear and well-beloved," but other people (Powhaton Tribe Members) still think of me as "the devil child or playful-one." In my opinion I am just a strong, resilient, self sacrificing, and overly caring lady of the Tidewater Region. Therefore embracing my new lifestyle as a Christian wife and mother is easy. When I was growing up in Werowocomoco which is about twelve miles outside Jamestown, Virginia I learned what I thought were necessary skills to being a good wife and mother but not how to be a colonial wife and mother. Being a colonial wife and mother means cooking, cleaning, sewing, making clothing, and assisting in raising baby Thomas to be a great man. In contrast to my tribes way of life where the good wife and mother constructs the house and everything associated with it, cooking and preparing food, gathering firewood, collecting water, rearing children, making clothing, planting, harvesting, making useful items (baskets, pots, wooden spoons), processing meats, tanning hides, and collecting plants. Apparently being a Powhaton mother and wife is harder than being a colonial one. I am really enjoying all the free time. In regards to my feelings I think I am finally in love with my husband John Rolfe. Even though I was forced to marry...
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...“Jamestown and triumphs” Julie Atkinson Reconstructive US History Professor Brumbaugh December 20,2014 Before the settlers landed in Jamestown, The Indians occupied the land and lived there for centuries. They were the first people to arrive in Jamestown. Some say there were 25,000 Indians; others say around 50,000 of the American natives, who lived on the land. There were about thirty different tribes whom the powhatan chiefdom took charge. However, each tribe had their own chief. In time there would be a change; King James 1 of England granted for another colony to be established under the Virginia Company of London which consisted of many wealthy Englishmen who wanted to invest their money into the company. They expected to open new lands for financial and patriotic explorations and use the resources of the new world. They wanted to establish English shipbuilding industries and to convert the Indians to Protestant Christianity. The Spanish were aggressive to convert the Indians to Roman Catholicism. Since there were already Spanish colonies in America, the English needed to develop new employment opportunities for the English. For this reason, English people wanted their own colonies. Around the time of 1607, there were three ships sailing from England: the Susan Constant, the Godspeed and the Discovery. They held around hundred and fifty English men, and boys who sailed four months before they reached Jamestown. During their voyage they encountered crowded conditions...
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...second-hand sources and that even the primary source of Captain John Smith is unreliable. My decision for choosing this article is simply logical, I’ve studied Pocahontas in the past and have a firm understanding of her importance as a cultural bridge between the English and the Indians. This article is the best choice simply because Pocahontas is an example of how two cultures can coexist and even aid in each other during times of distress. Pocahontas was born into the most powerful Eastern Woodland Indian tribe of the Powhatan. Pocahontas life changed forever when three English ships arrived near the Chesapeake Bay in April 1607. After some complications between the people of Jamestown and the Powhatan tribe, Pocahontas was sent by her father to begin a peaceful communication...
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...Colonizers: Great Britain in Jamestown “Life and Death at Jamestwon” INTRODUCTION “There it comes!” In May of 1607, there was the arrival of the first white settlers in Jamestown, Virginia. Virginia Company, a group of entrepreneurs from London, funded the explorers. Three ships namely Susan Constant, Godspeed, and the Discovery were used to transport the 104 men and women who left England to look for greener pastures in North America. Half of the settlers aboard the three ships were mostly “gentlemen” and some others from upper classes who do not know how to find a way to save their own lives. As soon as the colonists arrived at Jamestown On May 13, 1607, their expectations were immediately cut short since this group was met by rampant diseases, internal political struggle, as well as attacks from the native Indians. The initial instruction for the colonialist was to ensure that they have located a site that was not near the coasts to ensure an avoidance of Spanish warships, Virginia Council's primary concern. The relationship with Powhatan Indians were a major worry of the England Settlers. Because of the environmental issues at Jamestown, the English settlers had to establish their relations with native Powhatan Indians. Moreover, there were also some Indians who were hospitable to the first settlers, others were very hostile and would discharge them with arrows. After constructing rudimentary fort as well as witnessing Indian attacks, the white settlers realized that they...
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...Pocahontas and the Powhatan Dilemma This fascinating book is a true story that gives us details about the life of Pocahontas and the events that took place during that period. It also helps to distinguish important facts from mythology bordering this amazing yet vibrant woman. Pocahontas, the daughter of the chief Powhatan was able to cross the boundary between the English invaders and the Native American culture. Her life’s history tells us just as much about this strong woman as it does about the two tribes she lived in. John Smith’s rescue from Pocahontas still arise questions and has a lot of misinformation. In this book Camilla does not tell put the misinformation to rest, but she succeeds in a rescue of her own; namely that of the Indian girl from the hands of the other character Pocahontas. This story aims to recall the humanity that the myth of the Pocahontas stole from the real Indian girl. Camilla argues that the Algonquian girl was overthrown into the mythical Pocahontas to assist the needs of the settlers and supporters of Jamestown journey as well as interested spectators within the government and general community of England. Since that time, the love poets, advocates of American exceptionalism, and Hollywood tycoons have continued to twist the reality that the real Pocahontas is no longer in existence. According to Camilla, she “was as brave as all her people – but a real and complicated woman with her own plans, goals and ideas. After the affirmation of this...
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...Intermarriage Pocahontas was the age of eleven when she met John Smith.Though,in the film she is of the age of fourteen years old,the relationship between John Smith and Pocahontas was portrayed in accuracy as there was a a strong bond between them in real life.However,the true fact is that they were not real lovers.It is stated that they had love for each other,but Pocahontas was not in love with him as much as he was in love with her.She eventually married a man named John Rolfe,who was the pioneer of English tobacco cultivation in Virginia.By them intermarrying it helped to make an alliance between the English and the Powhatan nation.Intermarriage back then was a legitimate stragtey that was used to obtain Indian lands.White men would intermarry with Indian daughters so they could allow for certain lands to be passed down...
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...hopes which was denied to them in the Old World. Europeans writers wrote an enormous amount of documents about America aimed during the early periods of settlement. Europeans composed portrayals of the nation, its abundant vegetation and aquatic life. They also “wrote of trading with the Indians” as numerous tribes established a peaceful exchange relation with the new settlers during the early phases of European settlement (Perkins 4). John Smith composed for future settlers when settlement started to grow. He also drew the maps for those settlers and gave them dreams that made them come to America even more. What created the drive for new settlers to come to America even more, was his adventure as “he told the story of his rescue by Pocahontas” (Smith 31). Through these stories, the readers could see the issues of Virginias settlement and throughout his letters he would make promises of a great future for New England, as he said “I would rather live here than anywhere” (Smith 31). Of the considerable number of colonies, the Middle Colonies appreciated the best geographical area, as stated “the easiest access to the great inland waterways and stored natural resources of the continent, and the finest balance of...
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