The+Powahatan+War



** The Powhatan War was a fight for land and power between the Powhatan Indian confederacy and settlers. The struggle took place in Virginia up to southern Maryland from 1622-1644. The Jamestown settlers started out with a strong need for corn and other necessities that they struggled to come up with, so they kept the peace between the Indians and themselves in order to get the help they needed from the Indians. The Powhatans were a strong ally, because they occupied about 100 villages around Jamestown, run by the chief named Powhatan, and his daughter, Pocahontas. ** ** On August 10, 1610, a band of Englishmen entered a Powhatan village and killed many of its inhabitants, including the wife and children of a chief named Wowinchopunch.Powhatan still refused to fight even after the murder of those close to him. He believed that it wasn't right for the Englishmen to fight to take what the Indians would freely give to them. ** ** In the year of 1613, Samuel Argall and an Indian named Iopassus captured Pocahontas and brought her to the English, much to Powhatan's despair. They had her baptized and her name changed to Rebecca. In 1614, Pocahontas and a settler named John Rolfe fell in love and got married. Their marriage provided a few years of peace between the Indians and the Settlers. Pocahontas and John Rolfe then moved back to England, leaving behind the Indians and Settlers. Pocahontas was a hit in England. Her //strange// ways attracted many people to her, but at the age of 22 her health began to fail her. Pocahontas died in 1618, just before she was to sail home to America. Not long after that, Powhatan passed away as well. ** ** Powhatan's brother, Opitchanpan took over leadership shortly after his death. After a few months of being chief however, Opitchanpan stepped down and allowed Opechancanough to assume control. Unlike his two precedents, Opechancanough wanted to get rid of the settlers with all of his might. On March 22, 1622, the Powhatans attacked an unsuspecting English Settlement. During the attack, they had killed 347 settlers, killed livestock, and destroyed many houses. ** ** Instead of retreating, the English did what they always do; call in for reinforcements. Over the course of 10 years, the English settlements grew incredibly while they destroyed the Powhatans. On April 17, 1644, Opechancanough hoped to finally end the English and attacked a settlement. The Indians did kill many settlers, but Opechancanough was captured and murdered, his head staked on a pole to demoralize the Indians, finally ending the long struggle for land and power at the cost of many settlers and even more Indians. **

Information Citations:

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/473425/Powhatan-War, [|www.britannica.com]

www.marinersmusem.org

Picture Citation: Indians with Bows, http://www.fiestalife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Conflict-at-the-Jamestown-Anglo-Powhatan-Wars.jpg

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