Questions

1. How does Captain John Smith characterize Powhatan, Nantaquaus, and Pocahontas?

   Question

   Questions: - How does Captain John Smith characterize Powhatan, Nantaquaus, and Pocahontas?
2. Were you surprised by the brevity of Smith’s account of his supposed rescue by Pocahontas? How does Smith’s account as delivered here match your understanding of his interaction with Pocahontas, based on your familiarity with the legend and your reading of Richter (p. 306)?

   Question

   Questions: - Were you surprised by the brevity of Smith’s account of his supposed rescue by Pocahontas? How does Smith’s account as delivered here match your understanding of his interaction with Pocahontas, based on your familiarity with the legend and your reading of Richter (p. 306)?
3. What is Smith’s tone in the final sentence of the letter?

   Question

   Questions: - What is Smith’s tone in the final sentence of the letter?
4. What are Smith’s motives? What is the purpose of his letter to the queen?

   Question

   Questions: - What are Smith’s motives? What is the purpose of his letter to the queen?
5. In Smith’s 1608 account, which contains no mention of a rescue, he describes Pocahontas as a “child of ten years old.” Eight years later, in this 1616 letter to Queen Anne of Great Britain, he writes, “at the minute of my execution, she hazarded the beating out of her own brains to save mine” (par. 2). Then in 1624, he elaborates on the event in this account:

   At his entrance before the king, all the people gave a great shout. The queen of Appamatuck was appointed to bring him water to wash his hands, and another brought him a bunch of feathers, instead of a towel to dry them: having feasted him after their best barbarous manner they could, a long consultation was held, but the conclusion was, two great stones were brought before Powhatan: then as many as could laid hands on him, dragged him to them, and thereon laid his head, and being ready with their clubs, to beat out his brains, Pocahontas the king’s dearest daughter, when no entreaty could prevail, got his head in her arms, and laid her own upon his to save him from death: whereat the Emperor was contented he should live to make him hatchets, and her bells, beads, and copper; for they thought him as well of all occupations as themselves.

   Finally, six years after that, in a 1630 account, Smith tells a similar story of having been rescued by a young girl in Hungary in 1602. What do Smith’s different versions suggest to you about the story?

   Question

   Questions: - In Smith’s 1608 account, which contains no mention of a rescue, he describes Pocahontas as a “child of ten years old.” Eight years later, in this 1616 letter to Queen Anne of Great Britain, he writes, “at the minute of my execution, she hazarded the beating out of her own brains to save mine” (par. 2). Then in 1624, he elaborates on the event in this account:At his entrance before the king, all the people gave a great shout. The queen of Appamatuck was appointed to bring him water to wash his hands, and another brought him a bunch of feathers, instead of a towel to dry them: having feasted him after their best barbarous manner they could, a long consultation was held, but the conclusion was, two great stones were brought before Powhatan: then as many as could laid hands on him, dragged him to them, and thereon laid his head, and being ready with their clubs, to beat out his brains, Pocahontas the king’s dearest daughter, when no entreaty could prevail, got his head in her arms, and laid her own upon his to save him from death: whereat the Emperor was contented he should live to make him hatchets, and her bells, beads, and copper; for they thought him as well of all occupations as themselves.Finally, six years after that, in a 1630 account, Smith tells a similar story of having been rescued by a young girl in Hungary in 1602. What do Smith’s different versions suggest to you about the story?