The movie Pocahontas is exciting as well as educational. However Disney's use of creativity ion this movie outnumbers the facts.
The movie is accurate in a few ways. The traditions of the Indian tribes depicted in the movie accurately reflects how they lived in the colonial times. Powhatan actually was the leader of a tribe and Pocahontas was his daughter. Also the Indian village of Pohatan and James Fortdid exist and is accurately described in the movie. London and the Virginia colony were drawn very well geographically in the movie also. During this time period, John Ratcliff was in charge of the colony. John Smith also is accurately played out. He was indeed saved from execution by Pocahontas. Along with these specifics, the gerneral drift of the colonial times is captured and portrayed nicely.
However, although historically accurate in some respects, this movie also contains inaccuracies. Pocahontas did not actually look as tall and thin asin the movie. John Smith also looked nothing like he did in the movie. He followed the colonial conformity and had a beard under his chin. Also in the movie, John and Pocahontas seem to be the same age. Pocahontas, however, was merely thirteen or fourteen while John was in his twenties. The story of JOhn Smith being rescued by Pocahontas was made into fact in the movie while iot is unclear if he was truley rescued by her. Also Johns execution was to take place outside while history holds it in a longhouse. Sir Ratcliffe was not the "boss" of any of the ships to Jamestown, nor was he a governor. He was however the second president of the clolony. Finally we can safely say that the friends of Smith and Pocahontas are made up though the names of the people fit the time period. .
History remains history and although research into the topic is done, movie makers will always be movie makers and Disney will always find a way to add a creative and appealing touch to it.