POCAHONTAS
1596-1617
By: Tabitha Cole, Kayla Schmidt, and
Kathy Bogard
POCAHONTAS
1596-1617
By: Tabitha Cole, Kayla Schmidt, and
Kathy Bogard
Table of Contents
Introduction, Timeline, and Map………………….Pages 6-7
Chapter 1: John Smith…………………………….Pages 8-11
Chapter 2: Pocahontas Captured…………………Pages 12-13
Chapter 3: Marriage to John Rolfe…………..…….Pages 14-15
Chapter 4: Journey to England………………...…..Pages 16-17
Bibliography……………………………………….Page 18
About the Authors………………………………..Page 19
Introduction
Pocahontas was born in 1596. She was originally named
“Amonute” and more privately named “Matoaka.” She was then
called “Pocahontas” which means
ing a mischievous behavior.
of chief Powhatan.
“playful one,” due to her hav-
She was the most beloved
daughter
When the English settlers arrived in Jame-
stown in May 1607, Pocahontas was 11 years old. This was where
her story began.
Pocahontas, you could say, was the most famous woman in
early American history.
Even as young as eleven, she helped
English settlers to survive in their new land.
As she became an
English wife and Christian woman she went to London and spoke to
the monarchs. She was a critical player in the survival of Jamestown,
John Smith had it right when he said she was “the in-
strument to preserve this colony from death, famine, and utter
confusion.”
Map and Timeline
Chapter 1: John Smith
Captain John Smith was an adventurer, explorer and author.
He was noted as the dominate force that brought the success of
Jamestown, Virginia and its establishment as the first permanent English settlement in North America. John Smith became the
Governor of Virginia and in 1607 began conducting expeditions
to Powhatan villages in order to save his people from starvation.
The English arrived in the Powhatan Nation in search of
food supplies for their people. John sought to make friends
with the Powhatan tribe and arrange an agreement to trade guns
for their food. John Smith was captured by Opechancanough which
was the brother of Pocahontas. Perhaps the most famous event in
Pocahontas’s life was her rescue of John Smith. Pocahontas was
responsible for saving John Smith from execution by placing her
head over his as he was about to be struck. This event triggered the relationships with the English that cemented an alliance for trade. Pocahontas became known to the English as a
“Symbol of Peace”. Chief Powhatan, Pocahontas’s father welcomed
John Smith as a son.
This act resulted in initiating him as a Chief and made it
possible for the English to have access into the Powhatan Nation.
In 1609 John Smith visited the nation uninvited demanding
food from them aggressively. This began the deterioration in
their relationship as the Powhatan tribe had experienced a summer drought which made it impossible to meet this demand. John
was extremely burned all over his body by a gun powder accident
and was sent back to England. Pocahontas received notice from
the settlers that John did not recover from this accident.
Pocahontas once again met up with John Smith in 1616 at
Masque in England. Smith had not forgotten about Pocahontas. He
had even written a letter to Queen Anne telling of her kindness
and how much she had helped the English in earlier years at
Jamestown. However, he also wrote that Pocahontas was full of
emotion towards him and could not speak. This angered Pocahontas
and she proceeded to tell John that he treated her, and her father, poorly and threatened her people. She was also upset because the settlers had reported him as dead.
This was the last time John Smith and Pocahontas spoke.
Pocahontas became known as the
“Symbol of Peace”
uniting the English and Powhatan Tribe.
John Smith
John Smith’s Travels
Chapter 2: Pocahontas Captured
In 1613, Samuel Argall, who was an English captain, realized
that the relationship between the settlers and the Powhatan Indians was still poor.
He believed that he could hold Pocahontas
as ransom to help change the situation.
He sought the help of
Iopassus, the chief of the Indian town of Passapatoanzy, to aid
in the kidnapping of Pocahontas.
Isopassus had one of his wives accompany Pocahontas onto Argall’s ship for a tour.
While on board, Pocahontas was detained
and held in captivity at the Jamestown colony.
Argall told
Chief Powhatan that he would return Pocahontas only after the
Chief returned the English prisoners, the guns the Indians had
stolen, and some corn. Once Powhatan received this word, he sent
part of the ransom and told Argall to treat his daughter well.
Pocahontas was taken to the town of Henrico where she was
put under the charge of Reverend Alexander Whitaker.
It was un-
der him that she learned English, and the customs and religion
of the English people.
It was during this time that Pocahontas
met John Rolfe. John Rolfe introduced the cash crop tobacco to
the settlers.
Samuel Argall
The Abduction of Pocahontas
Chapter 3: Marriage to John Rolfe
In 1613, during her captivity, Pocahontas met a widower
named John Rolfe. John Rolfe was a successful tobacco planter
and introduced cash crop tobacco to Jamestown. At this time
he was 28 years old and Pocahontas was 17.
John Rolfe and Pocahontas fell in love, but John Rolfe
would not marry her until she converted to Christianity. Pocahontas converted and baptized, changing her name to Rebecca. Once she was released from captivity, she sent word to
Chief Powhatan that she was going to stay with the English
because she wanted to marry John.
They married April, 5 1614, with the blessings from Chief
Powhatan and the governor of Virginia. This marriage brought
peace between the English colonists and the Powhatans. This
peace stayed into effect until 1922. Some call this the
“Peace of Pocahontas”
In 1615, Rebecca Rolfe gave birth to a son named Thomas
Rolfe. It was after this that the Virginia Company of London,
decided to take advantage of their union. They thought that
by her being a Christian convert who married an Englishmen
would look good to others so that they may travel to the new
land.
John Rolfe and Pocahontas
Rebecca and Thomas Rolfe
Chapter 4: Journey to England
In 1616, Pocahontas and her young family made their
journey back to England.
Their expenses were paid for by the
Virginia Company of London.
They traveled to both London and
Norfolk, where the Rolfe family resided.
Pocahontas was treat-
ed as royalty during her stay in England, because the English
considered her as an Indian princess.
traditional Elizabethan style.
in Rural Brentford.
She also dressed in the
Eventually, the family settled
It was here that she again met Captain
John Smith, whom she thought was dead.
It would be the last
time she would ever meet with Captain John Smith.
In March of 1617, the Rolfe family decided to return to
Jamestown.
They were given funds to help establish a college
to Christianize the Powhatan Indians.
However, while on the
ship, Pocahontas became very ill, possibly with tuberculosis or
pneumonia. At age 22, she passed away and the ship returned to
England. The famous Pocahontas was taken to Gravesend and
buried in the church there.
A stamp with a portrait of
Pocahontas dressed in
Elizabethan style clothing.
Bibliography
Pictures
www.allposters.com/-sp/john-smith-and-pocahontas-virginiaposters_i8421809_.htm
digital.lib.lehigh.edu
en.wikipedia.org
www.nps.gov/jame/historyculture/life-of-john-smith.htm
http://pocahontas.morenus.org/images/poca.jpg
http://minerdescent.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/pocahontasand-john-rolfe.jpg?w=640
http://image2.findagrave.com/
photos/2006/231/15426278_115607744481.jpg
Map
www.smithtrail.net/captain-john-smith/smith-maps/
Information
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/pocahontas-marries
-john-rolfe
http://www.nps.gov/jame/historyculture/pocahontas-her-lifeand-legend.htm
www.history.com
www.markerhistory.com/kidnapping-of-pocahontas-marker-c-48
www.historicjamestowne.org
www.marinersmuseum.org/sites/cbhf/native/nam022.html
Authors Page
Tabitha Cole is a 28 year old mom, wife, and student.
She is currently attending IUPUC pursuing a degree in
Elementary Education. She likes to spend her free time
reading and playing with her 3 daughters.
Kayla Schmidt is a 24 year old mother. She is currently in her last semester at IUPUC pursuing a degree
in Elementary Education. She loves to play volleyball
and spend time with her daughter whenever possible.
Kathy Bogard is a mom, grandmother and student. She is
currently completing her Elementary Education degree
with a dual licensure in Technology Integration. Kathy
enjoys helping people to accomplish their goals in
life. She loves spending special moments with her
grandchildren and being around family.