Jamestown Summary

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In 1607, Captain John Smith and hundreds of settlers sailed across the atlantic ocean and founded the first New England colony, Jamestown. They landed in modern-day Virginia and established a profit colony for the Virginia Company. However, the colonist had only temporary housing and minimal food supplies, plus a swampy environment on the James River caused disease and malnutrition killing someone almost everyday. The colonists also had encounters of the native indians near the settlement; some were hostile to the "invaders", but some had been friendly as well to the Englishmen. With more and more colonists arriving at Jamestown, the indians began to try to starve the English out as the were expanding and disrupting indian hunting and picking …show more content…
Chief Powhatan stopped trade with the English and with increasing the population lead to increase demand for food. The English were burning tribes and killing natives to get the food. Captain Argall saw a opportunity in Pocahontas seeing how she was Chief Powhatan 's favorite daughter. Captain Argall invited Chief Lopassus, chief of the Indian of Passapatanzy, and his wife and Pocahontas aboard his ship. Pocahontas suspected something but the next morning she was held captive for ransom. The English made many demands and Powhatan agreed to most them, but there was a need for a negotiations. Reverend Alexander Whittaker was put in charger of Pocahontas and taught her English customs, language, and religion. While the Reverend was teaching Pocahontas Christianity, she meet John Rolfe, introduced tobacco to Virginian settlers, and the two fell in love. Word was sent to Chief Powhatan and he consented to their wedding. In 1614, Pocahontas was converted to Christianity and changed her name to "Rebecca" and married John Rolfe in April creating Peace between the Native Indians and Virginia colony. Chief Powhatan accepted a truce that lasted for eight years. Word then quickly spread of the interracial marriage to the Virginia Company and saw great propaganda for support in the colony and prosperous relationships with the natives. Looking to attract new settlers and opportunities, the Virginia Company brought Pocahontas and John Rolfe and their son to England 1616 as well as many Indians. Pocahontas met many major figures during that time and was entertained at many parties and lived in a rich part of England with John Rolfe. John Smith never met Pocahontas while in England, he urged Queen Anne to treat Pocahontas as a Indian princess by writing a letter to her. Pocahontas was treated well in England and became a celebrity in England and left in March

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