1. Captain John Smith Jamestown, Virginia
Created by:
Carolyn Busalacchi
“Every story has more than one side, and Smith was a many-sided man.” Dennis Montgomery, CW Journal 1994

2. Who Was John Smith?
Captain John Smith is thought of as one of the first American heroes by many, and as the man who saved Jamestown, Virginia and made it the first successful American settlement. However, it is a challenge for us to know which parts of his life are fact and which are fiction. Many believe he was a liar. Others believe the events in his life were, indeed, what he claimed them to be in his many publications. Let’s explore; who was Captain John Smith?
On the left, a 1609 sketch of Captain Smith as viewed by his admirers.
On the right, a cartoon version of Smith created by Disney for the movie Pocahontas.
What do you think of these illustrations? Why do they look so different?
Credits: Walt Disney Company, Williamstown Historical Society

3. Captain John Smith, the Explorer
What you may not know is that Smith's adventures started even before Jamestown. John Smith’s adventures and travels reach from Europe to Africa and America, and were said to be bold adventures that only the most courageous sailors attempted at the time. He was an eager explorer, and was said to be one of the first to navigate New England’s coast. Prior to the settlement of Jamestown, Smith was curious and optimistic about the colonization of America.
Credit:
Captain John Smith is memorialized in this 1616 Simon van de Passe engraving.

4. Landing in Jamestown
In England, Smith became involved with plans to colonize Virginia for profit. King James I granted a charter for this colonization. On December 20, 1606, the three small ships set sail for Virginia. On May 13, 1607, 104 settlers landed at Jamestown ready to begin the task of surviving in a new environment. Captain Smith was on the King’s list to lead the charter, and so the adventure at Jamestown began.
Here are three ships commemorating the 400th anniversary of the Jamestown settlement. Do you think the original ships looked similar to these? Why or why not?

5. Hardships in Jamestown
During the first winter, there was a lack of fresh water in the colony. The spread of disease made life in Jamestown very hard for the new settlers. It is said Algonquian Indians attacked and made life almost impossible. The Indians were fearful of the settlers, and by raiding their camps they hoped they would give up and leave. Many say John Smith became leader of the colonists and did his best to fight off the Indians. However, Smith would soon be captured! Do you think the Indians attacked the settlers unprovoked? Is it possible that the settlers were also harsh towards the Indians?

6. John Smith, Chief Powhatan and Pocahontas: What happened?
In December 1607, it is said that Smith and some companions met up with Indians while hunting in the woods. The Indians captured Smith and brought him back to their powerful chief, Powhatan, to decide his fate.
Powhatan thought Smith was intelligent and powerful, and he was very interested in the items he carried with him such as a compass and some ivory.
The Indians held a ceremony in which Smith did not know his fate. He felt threatened and was unsure if they were going to kill him.
Powhatan's 11 year old daughter, Pocahontas, took part in the ceremony.
John Smith was convinced afterward that Pocahontas had saved his life during that ceremony, but Smith did not retell this story until years later.
Smith was released in friendship after about four weeks of captivity and returned to Jamestown, guided by Indians.
Basically, this is the story we have heard about John Smith, Chief Powhatan and Pocahontas. We have read it in books and seen it in movies such as Disney’s Pocahontas.
Why didn’t Smith know what was really going on in the ceremony? Why would young Pocahontas want to save Smith’s life?

7. Below is an artist’s depiction of the events that occurred in December, Let’s look closer at this painting and discuss what we see.

8. Problems are Growing! Did Captain John Smith Save Jamestown?
Meanwhile, problems were strengthening within Jamestown due to the laziness of some colonists and lack of supplies. Personal conflicts among Smith and various leaders, as well as disagreements over new policies being formulated in London, added to the unease.
Therefore, Smith left Jamestown to explore and map the Chesapeake Bay region and search for food.
Soon after, he instituted a policy of rigid discipline with this rule: "He who does not work, will not eat."
Because of his strong leadership, the settlement survived and grew during the next year. Unfortunately, Smith was accidentally injured and had to return to England to get treatment. He never returned to Jamestown, but the colony survived without his leadership.

9. John Smith- The Cartographer
Here is an example of a map created by John Smith. He created many maps of the areas he explored.

10. Did You Know?
Of the first 104 English settlers at Jamestown in 1607, four were boys. Several boys were sent to live with the Powhatans so they could learn the language and customs and then return to the English to become interpreters. What other reasons do you think the English had to send their children to live with the Indians?

11. What We Know…. John Smith was known to be a brave and boastful man.
To many, he is considered to be one of the first American heroes.
He wrote many publications about himself and his adventures.
Some of his writings discussed major events that occurred years before. The story of Pocahontas saving his life is one of them.
Watercolor Painting Of Captain John Smith based on 17th Century Portraits

12. Let’s Skip to 1616: Nine Years Later
In 1616, Captain John Smith learned that Pocahontas was coming to visit England with her husband, John Rolfe. (Smith was back in England by this time)
Smith was worried that people would not treat her well when she arrived, so he wrote a letter to Queen Anne to tell her about heroic events that occurred nine years earlier
In the letter, he reveals for the first time that Pocahontas saved his life and the lives of many others at Jamestown.
Keep in mind that Smith was a well-respected explorer in England, so his word carried a lot of weight.
Credit:
Why do you think Smith waited so long to tell the story of Pocahontas saving his life?

13. Excerpt from Letter to Queen Anne: 1616
…“So it is, that some ten years ago being in Virginia, and taken prisoner by the power of Powhatan their chief King, I received from this great Salvage exceeding great courtesy, especially from his son Nantaquaus, the most manliest, comeliest, boldest spirit, I ever saw in a Salvage, and his sister Pocahontas, the Kings most dear and well-beloved daughter, being but a child of twelve or thirteen years of age, whose compassionate pitiful heart, of my desperate estate, gave me much cause to respect her: I being the first Christian this proud King and his grim attendants ever saw: and thus enthralled in their barbarous power, I cannot say I felt the least occasion of want that was in the power of those my mortal foes to prevent, notwithstanding all their threats. After some six weeks fatting amongst those Salvage courtiers, at the minute of my execution, she hazarded the beating out of her own brains to save mine; and not only that, but so prevailed with her father, that I was safely conducted to Jamestown: where I found about eight and thirty miserable poor and sick creatures, to keep possession of all those large territories of Virginia; such was the weakness of this poor commonwealth, as had the salvages not fed us, we directly had starved. And this relief, most gracious Queen, was commonly brought us by this Lady Pocahontas.”…
Captain John Smith, 1616
Read this excerpt together; discuss each part and what it means. Observe the use of powerful language. Does he convey himself as a hero? DO you belive this was the truth? Why or why not?

14. Disney’s Pocahontas
Here are the lyrics to a song from the movie Pocahontas. Do you think the English really felt this way about the Indians they encountered when they arrived in America? Remember, John Smith speaks so highly of Pocahontas in his letter to Queen Anne and they sent their only four boys to live with the tribe. Let’s discuss our thoughts on this. “Savages, Savages” What can you expect From filthy little heathens? Their whole disgusting race is like a curse Their skin's a hellish red They're only good when dead They're vermin, as I said And worse. They're savages! Savages! Barely even human. Savages! Savages! Drive them from our shore! They're not like you and me Which means they must be evil. We must sound the drums of war!
This will lead into a discussion about the false depictions of Native American “princesses”, which may have began with the Pocahontas tale. Further discussion may lead deeper into the Disney movie and the vast differences it portrays.

15. Did You Know?
In 1614, Smith returned to America in a voyage to explore the coasts of Maine and Massachusetts. During this voyage he names the region New England with the approval of the King.
Captain John Smith named New England!

16. John Smith’s Map of New England- How does it compare to a modern map of the area?

17. The Later Days of Captain Smith
While in London, Smith continued to help in the settlement of Jamestown by supporting and promoting it. After his voyage to New England, he was denied any other opportunities to return to America due to his independent nature. He spent the rest of his life writing his memoirs and advice until his death in 1631 at age 51. It seems John Smith accomplished a lot in his 51 years. There is a lot more to learn about John Smith: The man of debate, legend and mystery.
A postage stamp from 1907 commemorating Smith. It was worth one cent.