Pocahontas (US: / ˌpoʊkəˈhɒntəs /, UK: / ˌpɒk -/; born Amonute, [1] also known as Matoaka and Rebecca Rolfe; c. 1596 – March 1617) was a Native American woman belonging to the Powhatan people, notable for her association with the colonial settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. She was the daughter of Wahunsenacawh, the paramount chief [2] of a network of tributary tribes in the ...
Pocahontas, Powhatan woman who fostered peace between English colonists and Native Americans by befriending the settlers at the Jamestown Colony in Virginia and eventually marrying one of them. Learn more about Pocahontas’s life and her legacy, including her portrayal in popular culture.
Pocahontas was born about 1596 and named "Amonute," though she also had a more private name of Matoaka. She was called "Pocahontas" as a nickname, which meant "playful one," because of her frolicsome and curious nature. She was the daughter of Wahunsenaca (Chief Powhatan), the mamanatowick (paramount chief) of the Powhatan Chiefdom.
Pocahontas might be a household name, but the true story of her short, powerful life is buried in myths that have persisted since the 17th century. First, Pocahontas wasn’t her actual name.
The True Story of Pocahontas Is More Complicated Than You Might Think
A portrait of Pocahontas, 1616. We all think we know Pocahontas, but her real story is very different from the popular image. Pocahontas was an extremely talented and lively 10-year-old girl when ...
The Real Story of Pocahontas: Her Life, Death and Meaning - TIME
Pocahontas was the daughter of Powhatan, paramount chief of an alliance of Virginia Indians in Tidewater Virginia. An iconic figure in American history, Pocahontas is largely known for saving the life of the Jamestown colonist John Smith and then romancing him—although both events are unlikely to be true. She did meet Smith several times, sometimes serving as Powhatan’s silent figurehead ...