We have been studying early English settlements in North America, namely Jamestown and Plymouth. One of the great legends that developed during this period is the story of Pocahontas and how she became a peacemaker between the English settlers and her people, the Powhatan.
Reflect upon what you know about Pocahontas. Perhaps as a child you watched Disney's movie about Pocahontas or read some storybooks. However, the Disney version, as you know, is quite different than what really happened.
Write a short essay including the following: A short summary of the legend, a summary of what most likely really happened, and an analysis of why the storybook/movie version is so different than the story that history reveals. Your essay should be at least three paragraphs. Cite evidence (page numbers in your text, Zinn's book, the Discovery Education videos and/or other sources). Be sure to write several replies to your peers to offer feedback, polite suggestions, points for discussion, etc.
In the Disney legend of Pocahontas, she is captured as a Native American princess who saves Captain John Smith's life and ends up falling in love with him. However, this is only half of what really happened. In actuality, she did save John Smith but didn't fall in love with him as fantasized in the Disney movie. Instead, she married John Rolfe, the leader in the tobacco trade, and moved to England where she had one child.
ReplyDeleteTo add insult to the injury, Disney made a sequel to the Pocahontas movie about how she meets John Rolfe and falls in love with him. I think human minds change the story to make it sound more interesting and fun.
http://www.historicjamestowne.org/wofp/meet_english.php
Very good information and use of a source.
DeleteThe Disney version of Pocahontas is a story of a beautiful Native Princess who saves John Smiths life by convincing her father, who was the leader of the Native American tribe, to spare his life. Later on in the movie, she falls in deeply in love with John Smith. But this is not the real story. The real Pocahontas did save him, by putting her head on top of John Smith's execution. Pocahontas was captured by the English during Anglo-Indian hostilities in 1613, and held for ransom. During her captivity, she converted to Christianity and took the name Rebecca. When the opportunity arose for her to return to her people, she chose to remain with the English. In April 1614, she married the tobacco planter John Rolfe, and in January 1615, had a son, Thomas Rolfe. Pocahontas's marriage to Rolfe was the first recorded interracial marriage in North American history. In 1616, the Rolfe’s traveled to London. Pocahontas was seen to the English society as an example of the civilized woman in hopes of getting investment in the Jamestown settlement. She became a celebrity, and attended a masque at Whitehall Palace. In 1617, Rolfe set sail for Virginia, but Pocahontas died at Gravesend of unknown causes. She was buried in a church in Gravesend, but the exact location of her grave is unknown.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the real reason that we have such a different version is because this story isn’t as happy and lovely like our fake version. Disney wants kids to be excited and to see a happy and beautiful ending, and not her marrying another man and dying in England. This version wouldn’t attract the kids and make them as happy as they are with the “princess” that she is presented as now.
Works Cited:
http://www.history.com/topics/native-american-history/pocahontas
www.powhatan.org/pocc.htm
A Young Peoples History of the United States
Textbook
nice and detailed ali!
DeleteYou have some good information here. This is very interesting and detailed with good sources.
DeletePocahontas may have lived the way that Disney portrayed it or the way the history puts it. We do not know because the history does not detail every thing about her life. She probably lived as the historians tell us she lived. That is because history has more details than the fake Disney version. Her life was more complicated than just the story of a Native American princess who had a fun joys lifestyle and was heroic by saving John Smith's life. The reason Disney producers may have left out the parts when she married Thomas Rolfe and when she was forcefully taken to England and even when she died of small pox was because it simply would have ruined their lavish life princess. Pocahontas may have went through many pains or many reliefs but we can tell that her legend will last forever.
ReplyDeletehttp://dettoldisney.wordpress.com/2013/07/03/pocahontas-vs-the-story-of-pocahontas/
Deleteand video in:
http://www.biography.com/people/pocahontas-9443116#synopsis
Very interesting information and good use of sources.
DeleteThe stories of Pocahontas has been changed throughout the years. In the Disney legend of Pocahontas, Pocahontas is portrayed as the only daughter of as the Chief Powhatan. She lives her life having fun and exploring with her friends, but dreads having to marry a serious warrior named Kocoum. Then, one day, she sees sails. The English had arrived. They were led by John Smith, who later falls in love with Pocahontas. John Smith is later captured by Powhatan and is soon to be executed. At the execution, Pocahontas throws herself in front of Smith saving him. But Smith is injured. Pocahontas lets him go, and watches him sail into the sunset.
ReplyDeleteThe real story of Pocahontas was probably quite different from Disney’s legend. Pocahontas was one of the many children of Chief Powhatan, but it was clear that she was a favorite. Her life wasn't as adventurous as the Disney version portrays. As a woman of the tribe, she gathered herbs and foods for the tribe that could be used. When the English settlers arrived, her father captured Smith and was about to execute him, but Pocahontas stopped the execution. This was her first interaction with Smith. She was only around 10 or 11 years old. Smith returned to England, and tensions arose again. Pocahontas was captured. While in captivity, she married a widower who led the tobacco trade named John Rolfe. She converted to Christianity, and became Rebecca Rolfe. She had a son named Thomas in Jamestown. Soon, she went to England with her husband, where she met the King and the Queen. In England, she fell ill and died of either tuberculosis or pneumonia.
The Disney version may have been inaccurate for many reasons. Firstly, Pocahontas probably wasn’t an adventurous person. Like other woman, she was expected to gather herbs and plants. Secondly, she didn't fall in love with John Smith. He only met Pocahontas during his execution. Thirdly, Pocahontas was much younger than portrayed in the film. She was around 10 or 11 when she saved Smith, but the movie portrays her as a young woman, and not a mere child. Finally, she didn't necessarily fall in love with John Rolfe. It was simply a way for her to get her freedom. It is known that John Rolfe had feelings for Pocahontas, but we don't know what Pocahontas thought of Rolfe.
Sources:
Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 21 Sept. 2014. .
United States. National Park Service. "Pocahontas: Her Life and Legend." National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior, 27 Aug. 2014. Web. 21 Sept. 2014. .
"The Pocahontas Myth - Powhatan Renape Nation - the Real Story, Not Disney's Distortion." The Pocahontas Myth - Powhatan Renape Nation - the Real Story, Not Disney's Distortion. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Sept. 2014. .
You said John Rolfe but it is supposed to be John Smith
DeleteThis is a very detailed response with specific details and examples. You have used very good sources as well.
DeleteDisney always manages to portray any woman as a beautiful princess who falls in love with a handsome young man. This is exactly what happened to the legend of Pocahontas when Disney set their eyes on it and decided to make a movie about it. Their version of Pocahontas shows her as a cheerful young lady who sings with her animal friends and falls in love with the charismatic John Smith when she first sees him sailing to her land on a ship. They eventually get to know each other better and fall in love. They become the perfect couple and live happily ever after, as all princesses do.
ReplyDeleteThis is probably not even half true. Pocahontas was a child of many in her family, but definitely her father's favorite. She first saw John Smith when he was about to be executed and rescued him. At this time, Pocahantos was a young child and John Smith was a man. The colonists actually sailed on 3 large ships, not just one. Historians are not sure if Pocahontas really did fall in love with John Smith, but we do know that she eventually married John Rolfe, even if she didn't love him. On the way back to Virginia, Pocahontas died of some disease that is not known of. Of course, in the movie, Pocahontas is shown sailing home with John Rolfe on her side, smiling into the horizon. NO. Just face the facts, she really did die.
Disney loves to portray their princesses as beautiful, so obviously enough, Pocahontas had to be a beautiful cheerful young lady. And who would be her perfect prince? Of course, the tall, handsome Jon Smith who came like a miracle sailing towards Pocahontas. Although Pocahontas would probably be a great movie, it is not true. The movie attracts all audiences, and thats why Disney probably changed it so much. If Disney created a movie that had many gaps and unanswered question like the real legend is, who would come to watch it? But a movie that is perfect and sweet? That would make many people want to watch it.
Sources:
1. "Pocahontas." Disney Princess. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Sept. 2014
2. "Pocahontas." The Real. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Sept. 2014.
nice transitioning..try to use less rhetorical questions and especially right after each other
DeleteYou make some good points here, Isra. Thank you for adding useful feedback, Israa. Two Isras working together is better than only one!
DeleteIn 1995, Roy Disney decided to release a movie about a Powhatan woman known as Pocahontas. The film was so historically inaccurate that the Powhatan decedents sent in complaints, to which the producer responded by claiming the movie is "responsible, accurate, and respectful." The children's story is anything but accurate. In fact, John Smith, who was portrayed as Pocahontas's lover and the man she saved, didn't even tell the story until 17 years after his adventure. He didn't mention any incident where he was threatened, he just claimed that he was welcomed by Pocahontas and her family. It was after the young woman's death that he decided to re-write Pocahontas's story.
ReplyDeleteThe true Pocahontas story is much more tragic than the Disney media portrayed. In 1612, at the age of 17, Pocahontas was taken prisoner by the English while she was on a social visit, and was held hostage at Jamestown for about a year. While she was captive, a 28 year old English-man, John Wolfe took a special interest in the young Native American. As a condition of her release, she agreed to marry Rolfe. In April 1614, Matoaka, also known as "Pocahontas", became "Rebecca Rolfe". Shortly after, they had a son, whom they named Thomas Rolfe.
John Rolfe, his young wife, and their son set off for Virginia in March of 1617, but "Rebecca" had to be taken off the ship at Gravesend. She died there on March 21, 1617, at the age of 21. She was buried at Gravesend, but the grave was destroyed in a reconstruction of the church. It was only after her death and her fame in London society that Smith found it convenient to invent the legend that she had rescued him.
Source:
"The Pocahontas Myth - Powhatan Renape Nation - the Real Story, Not Disney's Distortion." The Pocahontas Myth. Powhatan, n.d. Web. 21 Sept. 2014.
It was interesting, especially the part where Powhatan decedents sent complaints about the historically inaccurate movie.
DeleteVery interesting information and source.
DeleteIn the Disney movie, Pocahontas is a peaceful Indian princess that is intrigued by the newcomers to her world, the Europeans. The white men have come in large ships and created a colony, searching for gold. As hatred grows among the Indians and Europeans, John Smith and Pocahontas is relationship started to grow. John smith was then captured to be executed by the Indians, but just as the axe was going slit his throat, Pocahontas leaped out and saved his life becoming the hero.
ReplyDeleteThe real story of Pocahontas is very different from the Disney movie. She is one of many children to the Chief Powhatan. Her life in the Disney movie was not what she did on a daily basis. She would gather fruits and vegetables and not go roam around the country. Also as the Europeans arrived on the land of the Native Americans, Pocahontas and John Smith did not encounter each other until much later. As Smith was captured by the Indians and was going to be executed, Chief Powhatan’s daughter of around 10 or 11 years of age leaped out and saved the stranger. As John returned back to England, problems arose. Pocahontas was soon captured. In her captivity, she met and married a man by the name John Rolfe. He soon became the leader of the huge and money making tobacco trade. She was soon the first Native American to become Christian. She renamed herself Rebecca Rolfe. She moved to Europe when she had her son. Pocahontas became very ill and died from either pneumonia or tuberculosis
The Disney movie, Pocahontas, was incorrect for several reasons. First, the way she lived was different than portrayed in the movie. She was not adventurous as Disney portrayed, she probably only got out when she had to gather fruits and vegetables. Second, In the Disney movie it shows that John Smith and Pocahontas were in love but actually they had never met before the execution. Also in the movie, Pocahontas is symbolized by a young woman, around the age of 18 to 20. She stopped the execution when she was 10 or 11.
Pocahontas the Disney movie was great, but it was very inaccurate. The movie is twisting the real history to entertain people and to grab attention of all ages. Disney wants to only show the good sides of history. Many films about Pocahontas have been made, beginning with a silent film in 1924 and continuing into the Disney movie Pocahontas. She is one of the best-known Native Americans in history, and the first Native American to become Christian. She will continue to be known for what she has done for the early settlers and for her colony.
works cited:
"Pocahontas." Bio. A&E Television Networks, 2014. Web. 21 Sep. 2014.
"The Pocahontas Myth - Powhatan Renape Nation - the Real Story, Not Disney's Distortion." The Pocahontas Myth. Powhatan, n.d. Web. 21 Sept. 2014.
This piece is really informative.
DeleteThis is a very thorough response with good sources.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIn the movie, Pocahontas is a Native American princess that falls in love and gets married. First of all, in the Disney version, ships come with English men. Then she falls in love with Captain John Smith. Then when Smith, gets captured, she saves him from being executed. But Smith is injured. So Pocahontas watches them sail back to England.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the real version of Pocahontas is completely different. Matoaka, or Pocahontas, was sent to her mother's village while she was young. Then, when she was school age, she left her mother and went to her father. Pocahontas was young and lively. When John Smith returned there were only thirty-eight colonists left. After the capture of John Smith, Pocahontas married a Native American named Kocoum. Soon, Captain Argyle captured Pocahontas. During her capture, she was forced to convert to Christianity. John Rolfe fell in love with her. Pocahontas was baptized as a Christian and married John Rolfe. She agreed to marry him as a condition of her release. Her new name was now Lady Rebecca Rolfe. Then in England, she died of an English disease, either tuberculosis or pneumonia.
In the real Pocahontas, she didn't gather berries and sing to the animals. Pocahontas was not a a princess although she was portrayed as one. Pocahontas was showed in the movie as a girl in her late teens but really, she was a child. In the movie it shows her living happily ever after, but really she didn't, because of her capture. This is how the disney version of Pocahontas and the real version were different.
Works Cited:
"Pocahontas." The Real. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Sept. 2014.
Sterbenz, Christina. "The Real Story Of Pocahontas Is Much Darker Than The Disney Movie." Business Insider. Business Insider, Inc, 05 Apr. 2014. Web. 21 Sept. 2014.
"The Real Pocahontas Versus the Disney Version." Answers.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Sept. 2014.
Very good information and use of sources, Farah.
DeleteOver the years, there have been various interpretations of Pocahontas's story. The most famous anf popular version of the story has been the Disney version. Their take on the story depicts a supermodel-like Pocahontas with a handsome John Smith. The story starts off with John Smith coming to America with other Europeans to search for gold. Soon enough, he meets Pocahontas, and they both fall in love. Hatred starts to brew between the Native Americans and Europeans. Chief Powhatan, Pocahontas's father, captures John Smith and is about to execute him, but Pocahontas leaps in front of John Smith and saves his life. Also, after a series of events, John Smith saves Chief Powhatan’s life, which results him in getting an injury. Thus, he returned to England.
ReplyDeleteThe real story is far more different than the Disney version. Although, there are fragments of truth within the story. John Smith did come to America from Europe with other Europeans to search for gold. Although, John Smith and Pocahontas didn’t meet until much later when he was going to be executed. Pocahontas was around the age of 10 when she supposedly saved John Smith from being killed, but John Smith was famous for telling exaggerated stories. Also, he told the story 17 years after it happened. John Smith left for England, and years later Pocahontas was 17 when she got captured by the English. She met John Rolfe, and as a circumstance for her release she was to marry him. In the movie, she never even met John Rolfe. After she married him, they both went to England and had a son, Thomas Rolfe. She also adopted the Christian name, Rebecca. John Rolfe, his wife, and son set off to go to Virginia, but she died on the ship when she was in her 20s by a disease.
The Disney version could not be more historically incorrect with their rendition of Pocahontas’s story. I think that one reason as to why the Disney movie and the real story is so different is because the actual story is far blunter about it. Disney movies are main audience is mostly children, and they probably wouldn’t want to show themes like slavery and death to kids. Also, Disney likes to paint dream-like fantasies for their movies and happily ever after type endings, so if they adapted the accurate version of the story into a movie it would have been strange and out of the ordinary for them. Hence, it wouldn't appeal to their primary audience, children.
Sources:
• "Synopsis of the Disney Movie ''Pocahontas''" Entertainment Guide. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Sept. 2014
• "The Pocahontas Myth - Powhatan Renape Nation - the Real Story, Not Disney's Distortion." The Pocahontas Myth - Powhatan Renape Nation - the Real Story, Not Disney's Distortion. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Sept. 2014
This is a very interesting piece with good use of sources.
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ReplyDeleteIn the Disney version of Pocahontas, she is captured as a Native American princess who then saves Captain John Smith's life and so then falls in love with him. Some historians say that John Smith almost getting killed was part of an Indian ritual that will accept John Smith into the tribe if someone tried to save John Smith.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing is that smith wasn't the dashing leader that the cartoon makes him out to be. In fact, he was sent by the Virginia company to make sure their interest were secured, so the settlers never really trusted him. Also, it has been said that it was one of the settlers that shot and wounded him. Then, forced him to go back to England. Another difference was the age of Pocahontas. The cartoon shows her in her late teens 18 or 19 when she was only 11 or 12, and smith was in his late 30's. She also didn't throw her self on top of smith like the cartoon says. While she was very curios about smith but, she was never in love with him. Also the leader was not hated like the movie depicts, he was well loved and trusted by all the men including smith.
While Disney may not have made any claims as to the historical accuracy of the "Pocahontas" movie, it is still a misleading representation of her life. In 1617, the Rolfes, along with their son, were heading to Virginia. During that voyage, Pocahontas became ill and died at Gravesend, England.
Sources: http://dettoldisney.wordpress.com/2013/07/03/pocahontas-vs-the-story-of-pocahontas/
http://pocahontas.morenus.org/
http://www.powhatan.org/pocc.html
cool and detailed
DeleteNice work, Ahmad. Good information and sources. Be sure to check for capitalization, etc.
DeleteThe Disney and legend or real story of Pocahontas are two different stories. In the Disney version of Pocahontas, Pocahontas saves John Smith's life and falls in love with him. When really, Pocahontas was very curious of the man and didn't think that he should be killed and saved him, not out of love, but out of good being and curiosity.Also, in the Disney version of Pocahontas, Pocahontas' age was around her late teenage years, but in reality she was around 10-13 years old. Another false accusation that the Disney movie provides is that Pocahontas fell in love with Smith and they got married. This is incorrect because on historical records it says that Pocahontas and John Ralphe got married and later had a son. These few things are not all the things that differ between the reality and the Disney movie.
ReplyDeleteAlthough it is true though that Pocahontas was a great success at the English court. Another thing that is correct in both the Disney movie of Pocahontas and the Reality is that her brother took a stick with him to England so he could notch in the ground for every person he saw, but had to stop because there were too many people.
i believe that the differences that were made were because it was too inappropriate for children to understand and watch. for example, her age. if they had put a little girl saving a man or marrying a man in his late 30's it would seem okay to do this. this would mislead a child. Also, this movie was supposed to be a princess movie and in every princess movie the princess falls in love and marries a handsome prince, and this is how it ended up looking.
Cite:
"Pocahontas vs. The Story of Pocahontas." Disney the Dettol of Storytelling. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Sept. 2014.
You make some very interesting points here. Nice work.
DeleteIf I do say so myself, the Disney version of Pocahontas and what actually happened are polar opposites, at least between Pocahontas and John Smith. Disney tends to create a perfect love story between a beautiful princess and a handsome prince or any “important” man. This obviously, doesn't happen in reality. Just like Pocahontas, there are other love stories such as Mulan and Cinderella. And because these are so amusing to a myriad of people, Disney makes money and a lot of it.
ReplyDeleteIn Disney, Pocahontas is a young, slender, and overall physically attractive woman. And she manages to catch the attention of John Smith who himself is a well built, handsome young man. As they meet, they begin to fall deeply in love with each other. But the conflict between the Indians and the English keeps them apart, just like the traditional story plot for many movies. When John is on the verge of death by the tribe leader Powhatan, who is also Pocahontas’ father, she saves him by risking her life for their “everlasting love.” John leaves Pocahontas behind and goes back to England.
In May, 1607 English troops went out to find gold from America just like Spain had. As they were living there, battle erupted between Indians and English. And since all the people did in America was pan for gold, they were starving. The men who thought “they were too important to work” ate the food and left others to die. Then, john smith came along and befriended the Indians. He traded English good for food from the tribes of Powhatan. It is true Pocahontas saved John from execution but they were never in love. She was said to be about nine years old when this took place. Four years later, Pocahontas was captured by English men and was baptized. She then married John Rolfe, who made Jamestown rich by starting a tobacco business.
As you can see the historical version and Disney version of the legend are very different. For the sake of entertainment and profit, Disney adapted the story to suit its need, whereas the historical version tells the interaction between the Indians and the English. When we watch or read things based on history we should always keep in mind that it isn't entirely true.
"Pocahontas." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2009. Web. 21 Sept. 2014
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteHas many details. Well rounded essay
DeleteNice work, Halimah. You make some excellent points about the entertainment industry's tendency to capitalize on history.
DeleteThe meeting of Captain John Smith and Pocahontas is a legendary story. According to John when he was captured, he was first welcomed by the great chief and offered a feast. Then he was grabbed and forced to stretch out on two large, flat stones. Indians stood over him with clubs as though ready to beat him to death if ordered. Suddenly a little Indian girl rushed in and took Smith's "head in her arms and laid her own upon his to save him from death." The girl, Pocahontas, then pulled him to his feet. Powhatan said that they were now friends, and he adopted Smith as his son, or a subordinate chief. The Disney version, however, portrays Smith falling in love with Pocahontas, marrying her, and then living happily ever after. In the real world, however, John takes his Bride to England, where she dies of smallpox. This showes how far-fetched we can make things.
ReplyDeleteWorks Cited:
Deletehttp://www.historicjamestowne.org/wofp/meet_english.php
I am interested by the information you found. I thought Smith simply became friends with the Indians, rather than his adopted son or subordinate chief.
DeleteYou have some very interesting information here. Why do you suppose we make everything so "far-fetched?"
DeletePocahontas, a woman shrouded in mystery, is a legendary figure in american history. Although we are not sure exactly how her life turned out Disney's version isn't, by any stretch of the imagination, an accurate account. John smith was famous for telling love stories such as the one between him and Pocahontas. Disney is also famous for producing love stories between two perfect characters who are somehow not allowed to love each other but find a way to do it anyway. In addition the timelines don't match. when Pocahontas saved john smith some historians believe she was only nine.
ReplyDeleteThe love between john smith and Pocahontas is further disproven by the fact that she marries John Ralphe rather than him. As far as we know Pocahontas may just have been a little girl that felt bad for john smith and thats why she saved his life. they may never have interacted before or after that moment.
So in conclusion common sense dictates that disney is not a reliable source of information and that it simply changes the story as it sees fit in order to make the story more perfect.
SO DETAILED!!!!
DeleteThis is very interesting information. Please add your works cited list. Double check for capitalization, etc.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteReally good suhaib
ReplyDeletethe disney version of the popular Pocahontas is portrayed in a much different way than what really happened. of course we don't know all the facts and details, but from what we do know, Pocahontas was not a love story, and was a legend. but Disney changed it to make the story interesting for the crowd to which they were presenting it to.
ReplyDeleteJohn Smith came with about a 100 other people in search for gold, just like Spain. But John Smith was captured and was to be executed when Pocahontas placed her head on his and ordered for him to be sent to Jamestown. The Disney version shows Pocahontas falling in love with John Smith, but that is not what happened. Pocahontas was captured by English , and she met John Rolfe, to whom she got married and had one child with. as you can see Disnay changed the legend into a love story with two people who are perfect for eachother, when in real life, they didn't even get married.
United States. National Park Service. "Pocahontas: Her Life and Legend." National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior, 27 Aug. 2014. Web. 21 Sept. 2014.
You make some good points here, and you have used a good source. Please check for capitalization, etc.
DeleteIn reality Pocahontas is a woman who has helped a man named John smith by saving his life. Disney of course have changed the story by adding romance and love between the two characters, John Smith and Pocahontas. There were ships that came to the Indians in search for gold, alongside their search both Pocahontas and Smith grew a relationship and grew peace between the Indians and Americans. However, in the realty Pocahontas had never loved John smith, historians have said she was only nine at the time when she saved him from his death. Furthermore, Pocahontas grew a relationship with John Ralfe and eventually got married and had a child. What this shows us is that the Disney movie is a completely different story than the real story of Pocahontas.
ReplyDeleteIn conclusion, Disney Pocahontas has created a movie that mainly about the relationship of John smith and Pocahontas, however, in realty Pocahontas had married John Ralfe and had no relationship with Smith.
This is good information. Please cite your source.
DeleteMatoaka was the beautiful daughter of Powhatan, the ruler of the land that the English called Virginia. "Pocahontas" was her childhood nickname, which meant "little wanton," meaning she was playful and not very easy to take control of. As Pocahontas grew older, she became her father's favorite.
ReplyDeleteThis brave women is most famous for saving the life of Captain John Smith. This story has been retold various times in several different ways.
Disney's Pocahontas was their first attempt to rewrite a historic event, instead of a fairy tale. But the Disney version has created confusion. Although there may be some accurate details, such as the setting of the story, and the spirit of Pocahontas and her people, there are some details that are complete fantasy. One Disney guy wanted to do a "Romeo and Juliet" story, and another wanted to do an American Frontier movie. They both worked on putting ideas together and came up with "Pocahontas", with Smith as Romeo and Pocahontas as Juliet. the men did not intend for it to be a historical movie, but we wouldn't know that.
http://pocahontas.morenus.org/
Nice work, Shahd. You have some very interesting and useful information here.
Delete