Pocahontas

Pocahontas

Who really was Pocahontas? Was she like the Indian girl in the Disney movie, who saved her reservation? Yes and no. She was an Indian of the Algonquian Indians. Her father was Powhatan, the chief. Her original name, however was in fact, Matoaka. But Pocahontas mean "playful, frolicsome little girl" and so they nicknamed her that. The meeting and capturing of her acquaintance, and possible first love, John Smith, was in fact true. But, the saving of him may be as made up and make believe as the movie. Many people speculate the authenticity of the "execution and salvation" story, told by Smith. Supposedly, Smith’s Englishmen team landed in Jamestown, 12 miles from the Indian reservation. John Smith was captured and forced to stretch on two flat stones, then out of nowhere, and little Indian girl cam up and put herself on his body as to say, "Kill me instead". Weather this is true or not, it doesn’t change the rest of her story. After the "saved’ him, Smith and the Indians became friendly for the following year. Smith stayed in Jamestown, and Pocahontas visited him frequently. She carried messages from her father, and other Indians carried food, fur, and then traded hatchets and trinkets.

After a while, Smith’s relationship with the Powhatas worsened. Pocahontas’s visits started to lessen, and in 1806, Smith was injured, and had to go back to England.

Pocahontas went on with her life though, she married an Indian "Pryvate C...

Pocahontas

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