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Why did the Virginia Company of London bring Pocahontas to England?
One goal of the Virginia Company of London was to convert Native Americans to Christianity, and the company saw an opportunity to promote further investment with the conversion of Pocahontas and her marriage to Rolfe, all of which also helped end the First Anglo-Powhatan War. The company decided to bring Pocahontas to England as a symbol of the tamed New World "savage" and the success of the Virginia colony, and the Rolfes arrived at the port of Plymouth on June 12, 1616. They journeyed to London by coach, accompanied by 11 other Powhatans including a holy man named Tomocomo. John Smith was living in London at the time while Pocahontas was in Plymouth, and she learned that he was still alive. Smith did not meet Pocahontas, but he wrote to Queen Anne of Denmark, the wife of King James, urging that Pocahontas be treated with respect as a royal visitor. He suggested that, if she were treated badly, her "present love to us and Christianity might turn to… scorn and fury", and England might lose the chance to "rightly have a Kingdom by her means".
Why was the marriage of Pocahontas controversial?
In 1615, Ralph Hamor wrote, "Since the wedding we have had friendly commerce and trade not only with Powhatan but also with his subjects round about us." The marriage was controversial in the British court at the time because "a commoner" had "the audacity" to marry a "princess".
What does Pocahontas mean?
According to colonist William Strachey, "Pocahontas" was a childhood nickname meaning "little wanton"; some interpret the meaning as "playful one." In his account, Strachey describes her as a child visiting the fort at Jamestown and playing with the young boys; she would "get the boys forth with her into the marketplace and make them wheel, falling on their hands, turning up their heels upwards, whom she would follow and wheel so herself, naked as she was, all the fort over."
Why did the Indians change the name of Pocahontas?
Historian William Stith claimed that "her real name, it seems, was originally Matoax, which the Indians carefully concealed from the English and changed it to Pocahontas, out of a superstitious fear, lest they, by the knowledge of her true name, should be enabled to do her some hurt." According to anthropologist Helen C. Rountree, Pocahontas revealed her secret name to the colonists "only after she had taken another religious—baptismal—name" of Rebecca.
When did Pocahontas meet Smith?
In A True Relation of Virginia (1608), Smith described meeting Pocahontas in the spring of 1608 when she was "a child of ten years old.". In a 1616 letter, he again described her as she was in 1608, but this time as "a child of twelve or thirteen years of age.".
Where is Pocahontas buried?
She was buried in St George's Church, Gravesend, in England, but her grave's exact location is unknown because the church was rebuilt after a fire destroyed it.
What was the cause of Pocahontas' capture?
Pocahontas's capture occurred in the context of the First Anglo-Powhatan War, a conflict between the Jamestown settlers and the Indians which began late in the summer of 1609. In the first years of war, the colonists took control of the James River, both at its mouth and at the falls.
What tribe was Pocahontas?
Pocahontas' tribe, the Pamunkey of Virginia, finally recognized by U.S. - Los Angeles Times. Facebook.
How far is Pamunkey Reservation from the nearest supermarket?
The Pamunkey reservation is 17 miles from the nearest chain supermarket. Only about a fourth of the 208 members live here, many of them retirees, because nearby jobs are scarce. The white clapboard one-room schoolhouse has not been used to teach children since 1947. It’s now a tribal office.
What did tribal leaders say about Virginia's racist past?
Tribal leaders said the laws pertaining to African Americans were a reflection of Virginia’s racist past that included a ban on interracial marriages — context also noted in the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ acknowledgment report — and were in part a defense against losing their status as a state tribe and being stripped of their land amid racial purity laws.
Where does Mikayla Deacy swim?
Mikayla Deacy, 4, swims with her dog Dakota in the Pamunkey River. As a member of the tribe, Mikayla will be eligible for scholarships and other benefits now that the Pamunkey have received federal recognition.
How many acres are there in the Pamunkey?
The Pamunkey have lived on and around these 1,200 acres for centuries, since before their most famous ancestor, Pocahontas, made contact with English colonists in 1607. “We call this downtown Pamunkey,” said Kim Cook, the 50-year-old granddaughter of Chief Tecumseh Deerfoot Cook. Advertisement.
Where did Pamunkey live?
Many Pamunkey moved to a small neighborhood in north Philadelphia in the early 20th century to find work in factories and police departments and as nurses and mechanics. Yet they stayed connected, attending the same local church and often leaving Philadelphia to follow the shad run up the East Coast. Advertisement.
When did the Pamunkey Indians get recognized?
And although the tribe is one of the most storied in history, it was not until last month, more than 450 years after signing their first treaty with the king of England, that the Pamunkey Indians were recognized by the U.S. government.
Why did Pocahontas get kidnapped?
With tensions rising between the Powhatan and the English, rumors spread that Pocahontas was a prime target for kidnapping. Hoping to prevent future attacks by Native Americans, English Captain Samuel Argall made those rumors a reality and took the Chief's beloved daughter away with him after threatening violence against her village.
What tribe was Pocahontas from?
Devastated by his wife's death, Pocahontas' father, Chief Powhatan Wahunseneca of the Pamunkey tribe of Virginia, called his little daughter Pocahontas as a nickname, which meant "playful one" or "ill-behaved child.".
Why did Rolfe take Pocahontas and his son Thomas to England?
To help further fund the tobacco business in the colonies, Rolfe took Pocahontas and son Thomas with him to England to show the court the "goodwill" between the colonists and Native Americans. Thus, Pocahontas was used as a prop, paraded around as an Indian princess who embraced western culture.
How old was Pocahontas when John Smith arrived?
There was no romance between Pocahontas and John Smith. By the time 27-year-old Smith and the rest of the English colonists arrived on Native American lands in 1607, Pocahontas was probably around 10 years old.
What happened to Pocahontas when she was captured in Jamestown?
While captive in Jamestown, Pocahontas was raped by possibly more than one colonist — an act that was incomprehensible to Native Americans.
Why didn't Powhatan attend Rolfe's wedding?
Out of fear of being kidnapped himself , Chief Powhatan didn't attend Rolfe and Pocahontas' wedding ceremony and instead, offered a pearl necklace as a gift. He'd never see his daughter again.
What role did Powhatan give Smith?
In 1607 the chief decided to offer Smith a "werowance" role, which was the tribe's way of acknowledging him as an official leader of the colonies, giving him access to coveted resources such as food and better land.
What does it mean to recognize the Pamunkey tribe?
The decision to formally recognise the Pamunkey means that for the first time in their long history, the tribe has an official relationship with the American government.
How many acres are there in the Pamunkey tribe?
Despite them having lived on the same 1,200 acre stretch of land in Virginia for centuries longer than the U.S. has even existed, the federal government has long overlooked the Pamunkey tribe.
Why did the Chief's daughter lay her head on the explorer's head?
The story goes that just as the great chief lifted his war club to carry out the execution of English explorer Captain John Smith, the powerful chief's young daughter laid her head on his in order to protect him.
When did Pocahontas become a movie?
Tale: Disney turned the story of Pocahontas into a hit animated movie in 1995. It grossed $346 million at the worldwide box office and won two Academy Awards for Best Original Score and Best Original Song
Is the Pamunkey tribe recognized?
Despite the Pamunkey being one of the best known tribes in the U.S., it was repeatedly over looked for federal recognition status in the 20th Century.
Who directs the Pamunkey Museum?
'We were not providing any resistance to the United States government, like we did the English government 100 years earlier,' added Ashley Atkins Spivey , a tribe member who directs the Pamunkey museum and is writing her doctoral thesis on her tribe.
Who is the most famous name in Pamunkey?
Of course, Pocahontas remains one of the most famous names in Pamunkey history.
What is the book The Other Side of Pocahontas about?
In The True Story of Pocahontas: The Other Side of History, authors Custalow and Daniel offer a revised his/herstory of the life of Pocahontas and her family, the Powhatan Nation, and contemporary persons of Mattaponi and Pamunkey descent. Their book is a reminder that oral history should be as respected as much as the written word. After all, written words originate from oral history that somebody eventually put to paper.
Why did Pocahontas become depressed?
According to Custalow and Daniel’s account, Pocahontas became so depressed and withdrawn during her captivity that her captors feared for her life. The possibility that she did not want to live meant that ransom demands on Powhatan would not be successful. Word of the situation was sent to the paramount Chief Powhatan Wahunseneca, who then dispatched Pocahontas’s older sister Mattachanna and her husband Uttamattamakin to help care for Pocahontas.
What is Pocahontas' mother's name?
According to Mattaponi oral history Pocahontas’s mother was Mattaponi. This claim is based on the fact that Pocahontas’s oldest full sister, having the same mother, was named Mattachanna. Names with “Matta” incorporated in them indicate association with the Mattaponi tribe.
What is the Stockholm syndrome?
As Custalow argues in his book, kidnapped people held hostage for long periods often identify with their kidnappers for survival, a phenomenon now labeled the Stockholm Syndrome. Any wife and mother who is kidnapped and held in captivity for over a year would experience psychological trauma.
How old was Pocahontas when she was kidnapped?
Their book provides oral and written historical documentation that Pocahontas, at the age of 15 or 16, was considered a young adult by Native customs of that time and was already a wife and mother when she was kidnapped, converted to Christianity and married John Rolfe.
Where did Pocahontas live before marriage?
Prior to her celebrated marriage with Rolfe, Pocahontas and her husband Kocoum, the younger brother of Chief Japazaw of the Potowomac (Potomac) tribe, initially lived in the Werowocomoco Village. They later moved to Kocoum’s home village, the Potowomac, along the Potomac river.
Did Pocahontas tell Mattachanna she was pregnant?
Custalow continues that Pocahontas also told Mattachanna “that she believed she was pregnant.”. Mattaponi oral traditions hold that Pocahontas’s mixed-blood son Thomas was born out of wedlock, prior to the marriage ceremony between Pocahontas and Rolfe.
Why are the Pamunkey Indians important?
The Pamunkey Indians long defended their rights as unique citizens of the United States, with treaty and legal privileges that date back more than four hundred years. The Pamunkey Indian Tribe played a vital role in England’s early settlements in North America , and documents preserved in the archives of the United States and England show the existence of the Pamunkey Indian Tribe since the first visit of Captain John Smith in 1607 when the English settled Jamestown.
What is the name of the tribe that first met Europeans?
The Pamunkey Indian Tribe is one of the most prominent Indian tribes to first meet Europeans on the East Coast of North America. This status is due in part to the prominence of Pamunkey Indians, especially Powhatan and Pocahontas, whose activities were integral to American history.
Who administers the affairs of the Pamunkey Indian Tribe?
The Pamunkey Indian Tribal Government administers the affairs of the Pamunkey Indian Tribe.
What were the Pamunkey homes called?
Pamunkey homes, called yihakans (or yehakins ), were long and narrow; they were described as " longhouses " by English colonists. They were structures made from bent saplings lashed together at the top to make a barrel shape. Indians covered the saplings with woven mats or bark. The 17th-century historian William Strachey thought that bark was harder to acquire, as he noticed that only higher-status families owned bark-covered houses. In summer, when the heat and humidity increased, the mats could be rolled up or removed to allow more air circulation.
What was the Pamunkey way of life?
The traditional Pamunkey way of life was subsistence living. They lived through a combination of fishing, trapping, hunting, and farming. The latter was developed in the late Woodland Period of culture, roughly the years 900 to 1600. The peoples used the Pamunkey River as a main mode of transportation and food source.
What is the Pamunkey Indian Reservation?
The Pamunkey Indian Tribe is one of 11 Virginia Indian tribes recognized by the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the state's first federally recognized tribe, receiving its status in January 2016. Six other Virginia tribes, the Chickahominy, the Eastern Chickahominy, the Upper Mattaponi, the Rappahannock, ...
Why did the Pamunkey survive?
The Pamunkey have been able to survive because of their ability to adapt as a tribe. Withstanding pressure to give up their reservation lands has helped them maintain traditional ways. Men use some of the old methods for fishing, part of the tribe's traditional heritage. They also continue to hunt and trap on reservation lands.
How many tribes were there in the Powhatan?
The Powhatan paramount chiefdom was made up of over 30 tribes, estimated to total about 10,000–15,000 people at the time the English arrived in 1607. The Pamunkey tribe made up about one-tenth to one-fifteenth of the total, as they numbered about 1,000 persons in 1607.
What were the Pamunkey tribes' techniques?
Like other native tribes, they had techniques, such as controlled burning, to clear land for cultivation or hunting. The land belonged to the group as a whole.
How many words are in Pamunkey?
The Pamunkey language is generally assumed to have been Algonquian, but only fourteen words have been preserved, not enough to determine that the language actually was Algonquian. The words, which were recorded in 1844 by Reverend E.A. Dalrymple S.T.D., are,
Overview
Interactions with the colonists
Pocahontas is most famously linked to colonist Captain John Smith, who arrived in Virginia with 100 other settlers in April 1607 where they built a fort on a marshy peninsula on the James River. The colonists had numerous encounters over the next several months with the people of Tsenacommacah—some of them friendly, some hostile. A hunting party led by Powhatan's close relative O…
Early life
Pocahontas's birth year is unknown, but some historians estimate it to have been around 1596. In A True Relation of Virginia (1608), Smith described meeting Pocahontas in the spring of 1608 when she was "a child of ten years old." In a 1616 letter, he again described her as she was in 1608, but this time as "a child of twelve or thirteen years of age."
Pocahontas was the daughter of Chief Powhatan, paramount chief of Tsenacommacah, an allian…
Death
In March 1617, Rolfe and Pocahontas boarded a ship to return to Virginia, but they had sailed only as far as Gravesend on the river Thames when Pocahontas became gravely ill. She was taken ashore, where she died from unknown causes, aged approximately 21 and "much lamented." According to Rolfe, she declared that "all must die"; for her, it was enough that her child lived. Speculat…
Legacy
Pocahontas and John Rolfe had a son, Thomas Rolfe, born in January 1615. Thomas Rolfe and his wife, Jane Poythress, had a daughter, Jane Rolfe, who was born in Varina, Henrico County, Virginia, on October 10, 1650. Jane Rolfe married Robert Bolling of Prince George County, Virginia. Their son, John Bolling, was born in 1676. John Bolling married Mary Kennon and had six surviving children, each of whom married and had surviving children.
Cultural representations
After her death, increasingly fanciful and romanticized representations were produced about Pocahontas, in which she and Smith are frequently portrayed as romantically involved. Contemporaneous sources substantiate claims of their friendship but not romance. The first claim of their romantic involvement was in John Davis' Travels in the United States of America (1803).
See also
• La Malinche – a Nahua woman from the Mexican Gulf Coast, who played a major role in the Spanish-Aztec War as an interpreter for the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés
• Mary Kittamaquund – daughter of a Piscataway chief in colonial Maryland
• Sedgeford Hall Portrait – once thought to represent Pocahontas and Thomas Rolfe but now believed to depict the wife (Pe-o-ka) and son of Seminole Chief Osceola
Bibliography
• Argall, Samuel. Letter to Nicholas Hawes. June 1613. Repr. in Jamestown Narratives, ed. Edward Wright Haile. Champlain, VA: Roundhouse, 1998.
• Bulla, Clyde Robert. "Little Nantaquas." In "Pocahontas and The Strangers", ed Scholastic inc., 730 Broadway, New York, NY 10003. 1971.
• Custalow, Linwood "Little Bear" and Daniel, Angela L. "Silver Star." The True Story of Pocahontas, Fulcrum Publishing, Golden, Colorado 2007, ISBN 978-1-55591-6…
• Argall, Samuel. Letter to Nicholas Hawes. June 1613. Repr. in Jamestown Narratives, ed. Edward Wright Haile. Champlain, VA: Roundhouse, 1998.
• Bulla, Clyde Robert. "Little Nantaquas." In "Pocahontas and The Strangers", ed Scholastic inc., 730 Broadway, New York, NY 10003. 1971.
• Custalow, Linwood "Little Bear" and Daniel, Angela L. "Silver Star." The True Story of Pocahontas, Fulcrum Publishing, Golden, Colorado 2007, ISBN 978-1-55591-632-9.