Pocahontas

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Pocahontas

• Pocahontas is known for heroically saving John
  Smith from the Powhatan. While many people
  believe she was involved, nobody is exactly sure
  what happened. Pocahontas is remembered because
  of her heroism and her marriage to John Rolfe.
  But how else did Pocahontas influence America?

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This image shows the Powhatan tribe fighting John
Smith and the settlers. In late 1607, the
Powhatan tribe took Smith prisoner briefly, but
soon released him.

• Unknown. (1629). How they took him prisoner in
  the Oaze, 1607. Library of Congress America's
  Library, Meet Amazing Americans.

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In a book written almost 10 years later, Smith
said that Pocahontas convinced Chief Powhatan,
her father, to release him. Many historians have
questioned his story, but they have never been
able to discover exactly why he was released. One
thing historians do know, however, is that
Smiths release began a short period of good
relations between the Powhatan tribe and the
English settlers.

• New England Chromo. Lith. Co. (c1870). Pocahontas
  saving the life of Capt. John Smith / NewEngland
  Chromo. Lith. Co. Library of Congress Prints
  Photographs, Popular Graphic Arts.

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Here, John Smith describes his capture and
release from the Powhatan. He says that
Pocahontas convinced her father to spare his life
and release him. He also says the Powhatan tribe
saved the settlers from starvation, saying, had
not the Savages fed us, we directly had starvd.
Smiths account is one of the only written
documents from this time period about his
release. Historians dont know of any Powhatan
documents that might describe this event.

• Beverley, R. (1772). The history of Virginia, in
  four parts. I. The history of the first
  settlement of Virginia, and the government
  thereof, to the year 1706. II. The natural
  productions and conveniences of the country,
  suited to trade and improvement. III. The native
  Indians, their religion, laws, and customs, in
  war and peace. IV. The present state of the
  country, as to the polity of the government, and
  the improvements of the land, the 10th of June
  1720. (page 27). Library of Congress American
  Memory, The Capital and the Bay Narratives of
  Washington and the Chesapeake Bay Region,
  1600-1925.

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This print shows Pocahontas in 1616 dressed
entirely in English clothes. Around this very
English portrait is the name Rebecca, the
Christian name given to her after her marriage to
John Rolfe.

• Holland, C. (1624). Pocahontas. (Bust). . Library
  of Congress Research Centers, Prints
  Photographs Reading Room.

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This image of Pocahontas shows her in very
English dress and specifically mentions that she
had been converted and baptized in the Christian
faith.

• Unknown. (c1900-1920). Portrait of Pocahontas,
  from painting by Wm. Sheppard. Library of
  Congress Prints Photographs, Detroit
  Publishing Company Collection.