Relationship Between John Smith And Native Americans

When the English arrived in Jamestown, they landed in an area with 15,000 to 25,000 Indians living in small villages. Wahunsonacock ruled these Indians. He had authority over the region and collected tribute from many tribes and called this Powhatan (Foner, 59). The Indians and the Chesapeake decided to be peaceful and started to trade. John Smith was then captured by the Indians and threatened with execution by Powhatan, but then later on rescued by Pocahontas. Smith’s return to England raised tension between them and the Indians. This began the conflict with the Powhatan Confederacy for the settlers of Chesapeake. English were massacring villagers and destroying Indian crops. New England faced the conflict of the Pequot War. In 1637, a fur trader was killed by Pequots, a powerful tribe who controlled southern New England’s fur trade (Foner, 76). Connecticut and Massachusetts soldiers surrounded the Pequot village. The soldiers set it ablaze killing those who tried to escape. Over 500 men, women and children lost their lives in the massacre and by the end of the war most Pequot had been exterminated or sold to the Caribbean slavery.

John Smith and Pocahontas did, in fact, meet and they did develop a kindly relationship. It is said that his love for her is what helped her negotiate the release of two Indian prisoners that John Smith had caught and he stated that “not only for feature, countenance, and proportion,” she “much exceeded any of the rest of Powhatan's people.” [4] It

It is thought that the Virginia Indians played a role in the location and survival of Jamestown. The English were in Powhatan 's territory, and the island had a natural defense from their enemies making it the safest place to be, even if it was not a geographically ideal location. Powhatan was considered one of the most powerful chiefs claiming to have over a hundred children. Powhatan died in 1618 and his brother, Opechancanough led an attack on the English in 1622 and 1644. Pocahontas would befriend John Smith and marry John Rolfe in 1613 resulting in a temporary peace between the Virginia Indians and the

Smith was kidnapped by a group of Indians while leading an expedition on the Chickahominy River. The Indians had plans to kill Smith, he saved his life by giving the Chief a compass and a globe like jewel. Plans had still been made to kill John in a more cosmopolitan way, in which Pocahontas had spared his life. Opposing to John’s experiences, which had turned into a good relationship, William’s experiences with the indians were good from the beginning. Bradford chose to live among the Native Americans peacefully for the most part and trad and converse with them, thus constructing a relationship which would benefit Bradford and his crew greatly in years to come.These new found relationships resulted in the Indians teaching the Pilgrims useful skills on how to survive. With the help of fellow Indians, Bradford’s commons learned how to plant crops and live in the new America. The colonists and Indians lived in a mutually harmonious

Also, as a side note John Smith was not attractive at all he was short and stubby. Many different accounts are told on how she came to stay in jamestown, some say she was captured so the colonist could get guns back from the indians and some don't say how she came to stay with the colonist. The story of pocahontas is told differently by many people, but they all seem not to agree with the disney version. A Native American chief of the Powhatan Renape nation comment on the movie, “ it is unfortunate that this sad story, which euro-americans should find embarrassing, Disney makes “entertainment” and perpetuates dishonest and self-serving myth at the expense of powhatan

Joseph Smith believed the Laminites were the ancestors of the Native American Indians. “There are detailed descriptions of the land of the dead among almost all American tribes. Usually, the land of the dead is the reverse of the land of the living with day and night and seasons reversed. The dead live very much as they had while alive” . The various tribes of Native American Indians had their own rituals. When they prepared the bodies for burial, some painted the faces of the dead. Other clans put on the dead relative’s moccasins. The Pueblos cover the face of the dead with cloud masks of cotton. Others burned the dead’s property to supply to ensure ghosts of dead were released so they can proceed to the spiritual world. Bodies would be mummified, buried in caves, mounds, boxes, or even on scaffolds. Any cremated ashes are deposited into urns. They are buried on the surface of the ground, in boxes, placed in pits, scaffolds, trees, or in canoes. This sent the individual off into the spiritual world. They clearly were not adverse to cremation that was prevalent in the Mormon community. However, Jesus confirms, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt 10:28). This implies only one soul per body. This is another misconception due to the limited understanding of humans over God’s divine nature. Perhaps, man was being too detailed in their interpretation of the soul.

John Smith, Father Paul LeJeune and Bartolome de Las Casas each encountered the Indians or Native Americans. John Smith met the Indians in Virginia in 1606, Frenchman LeJeune dealt with them in Canada from 1632-1649 and Las Casas encountered them on the Caribbean Islands (1542). All of them observed the Native Americans in different places and different years; therefore their documentaries are distinct. Furthermore the Indians had tribes, so one tribe was not like another. Each tribe had its own qualities and lacking qualities.

In May, the establishment of Jamestown was founded. The men relied on the Indians for food. The settlement suffered from the “starving period” without Powhatan’s help. The settlers held Pocahontas, Powhatan’s daughter, hostage to gain the upper hand in 1613. While they held her captive, she agreed to convert to Christianity and marry John Rolfe. (Norton)

David A. Price, Love and Hate in Jamestown: John Smith, Pocahontas, and the Heart of a New Nation (New York: Alfred A. Knopf)

Evidence from Blood On The River is, “A group of our colonists have burned the native houses, stolen from their gardens, robbed valuables from their temples, beat the people with clubs, and shot them with muskets. The natives have become furious and killed some of our colonists.” (Carbone, 190). This proves that Powhatan’s perspective is justified because the settlers have hurt the Powhatans to gain things for themselves. Finally, Chief Powhatan’s perspective is

The most interesting detail that I observed throughout the documentary was the way of John Smith was thinking during emergency moments. John Smith was able to manage to escape the fight with the Native Americans by showing them a simple compass and making them distracted by it. Also, John Smith discovered a new style of trading, which is called “silent trade”. Being a true leader, he managed to trade with the Native Americans for food, in order for him and his settlers to stay alive. Since most of the settlers were gentlemen, they were not able to work with their hands, therefore, they had no food and limited access to their needs.

Not only that, but he has supposedly told multiple stories of a prominent woman aiding his rescue (Powhatan Nation, n.d.). Pocahontas’s tale is one of three (Powhatan Nation, n.d.). Further discrediting the claims, Smith’s character described by his fellow colonists was anything but dependable: nothing but an abrasive, ambitious, self-promoting mercenary soldier (Powhatan Nation, n.d.). “The New World” narrates accounts of confused love, comparing the elegance of Pocahontas to an ethereal embodiment. After his brush with death, Smith is welcomed into the tribe as a temporary guest.

John Smith's tales of the Indian princess, Pocahontas, have, over time, encouraged the evolution of a great American myth. According to this myth, which is common knowledge to most Americans, Pocahontas saved Smith from being killed by her father and his warriors and then fell in love with John Smith. Some versions of the myth popular among Americans include the marriage of Smith and Pocahontas. Although no one can be sure of exactly what happened almost four-hundred years ago, most historians agree that the myth is incorrect. Pocahontas did not save John Smith's life from "savages" and never showed any affection for him. The events of her life differ greatly from the myth Americans have created.

According to Native American history, Pocahontas was a stocky young lady who saved John Smith’s life in the hope of the colonists and Native Americans maintaining a respectful relationship that would bring peace to both nations. “Indian voices must be heard, and

In the year 1609, Chief Powhatan delivered a speech to John Smith in order to affirm peace between the English and the Powhatan people. The chief asks that the English and his people become equals instead of fighting with each other over food and land. All he asks for is that his generations to come not have to face the war that he had to go through. Chief Powhatan wants to co-exist with the English and any other colonists who decide to explore the New World. He doesn’t want to be afraid of the colonists anymore. Through this primary source, it is evident that Chief Powhatan simply wants peace and the ability to co-exist on the same land as the English colonists.