Belur—US History
Name___________________________
POCAHONTAS & JOHN SMITH:
A HISTORICAL INQUIRY
Belur—US History
A TIMELINE OF EVENTS RELATED TO POCAHONTAS & JOHN SMITH
1608:
1597:
Pocahontas
is born
Smith
publishes a
book about
meeting
Chief
Powhatan
1607:
John Smith
arrives in
Jamestown
1613:
Pocahontas
is captured
and brought
to
Jamestown
1614:
Pocahontas
and John
Rolfe marry
1617:
Pocahontas
dies
1624: Smith
writes a
second
book.
1616: Pocahontas, John Rolfe and
their son Thomas sail for England.
Pocahontas (now called “Lady
Rebecca”) makes a big media splash.
Belur—US History
Document 1:
“True Relation”
Source: Smith’s own words, from A True Relation of such occurrences
and accidents of note as hath happened in Virginia Since the First
Planting of that Colony, published in 1608.
“Arriving in Werowocomoco, their Emperor [was] proudly lying upon a
bedstead a foot high upon ten or twelve mats…he had such a grave and
magical manner, as drove me into admiration.
He kindly welcomed me with good words, and great platters of food. He
promised me his friendship and my liberty within four days. . .
He asked me the cause of our coming and demanded why we went
further with our boat. . . . He promised to give me what I wanted and to
feed us if we made him hatchets and copper. This request I promised to
perform. And thus having all the kindness he could devise, he sent me
home.”
Document 2:
“A General History”
Source: From Smith’s version of the story in General History of
Virginia, New England and the Summer Isles, published in 1624.
“At last they brought him [Smith] to Weramocomoco, where was
Powhatan their Emperor…At my entrance all the people gave a great
shout.
Two great stones were brought before Powhatan: then as many as
could laid hands on me, dragged me to them, and laid my head, and
being ready with their clubs, to beat out my brains. Pocahontas, the
Kings dearest daughter, when no entreaty could prevail, got my head in
her arms, and laid her own upon mine to save me from death: whereat
the Emperor [decided] he should live....”
Belur—US History
Document 3:
Historian Interpretation A
Source: Excerpt from The Great Rogue: A Biography of Captain John Smith,
written by the historian Paul Lewis in 1966.
“Why is it that none of the other members of the Virginia Company who kept diaries ever wrote about
Pocahontas saving John Smith’s life? (Ten fellow Virginia Company members kept journals in 1608.)
Surely someone would have written about it if Smith came back to Jamestown with his story.
Initially, no one in England had heard of Pocahontas…but in 1617, Pocahontas became a big media
event in London. She was a “princess” (daughter of “king” Powhatan), and the first Indian woman to
visit England. Because she converted to Christianity, people high in the church, as well as the King and
Queen, paid attention to her.
While all this was going on, John Smith published a new version of True Relation, adding footnotes that
say that Pocahontas threw herself on Smith to save him. Smith even takes credit for introducing
Pocahontas to the English language and the Bible.
Then, in 1624, Smith expands his story in General History. He adds details to the story, and says that
Pocahontas risked her life to save his. Why would a chief who had been so friendly before, suddenly
decide to kill John Smith?”
Document 4:
Historian Interpretation B
Source: Excerpt from The American Dream of Captain John Smith, written in 1991 by historian J.A.
Leo Lemay.
“No one in Smith’s day ever expressed doubt about the episode, and may persons who must have
known the truth—including John Rolfe, Pocahontas, her sister, and brother-in-law—were in London in
1616 when Smith publicized the story in a letter to the queen. As for the exact nature of the event, it
seems probable that Smith was being ritualistically killed. Reborn, he was adopted into the tribe, with
Pocahontas as his sponsor. But Smith, of course, did not realize the nature of the initiation ceremony.”