John Smith & Pocahontas P2

Pocahontas befriended the colonists from the beginning, causing John Smith, who would later become governor of the Virginia Colony, to state that it was the “ordinance of God thus to make her His instrument.” But Smith’s first meeting with her was certainly unplanned.

According to Smith, while he and a small group explored the area around their settlement, they encountered a native hunting party. The Indians attacked and killed everyone except Smith. They made him a prisoner displaying him in various villages as a trophy of war. When they tired of this, they finally brought him to Chief Powhatan’s village. Smith was held captive for several weeks until the chief ordered his execution.

CONTENT SOURCE: "The American Story, the beginnings" by David Barton and Tim Barton