"The New World," is a 2005 drama and romance film based on the historical time of the Jamestown settlement and the tale of Pocahontas (1607-1617). In the story, an English expedition was off in search of land for settlement. After landing in Virginia, Captain John Smith was captured by the Powhatan Indians. He was saved from execution by the Chief's youngest daughter, Pocahontas. John Smith and Pocahontas fell in love, but Smith was eventually sent away to start his own expedition and his death was falsely reported to Pocahontas. The princess was later baptized and changed her name to Rebecca. She married settler John Rolfe and had a son. After a visit with the king and queen of England, Pocahontas died in 1617.
In many ways this film accurately portrays actual events of Jamestown in 1607. For example, the expedition led by Captain Newport to Jamestown was accurate. King James I of England granted the Virginia Company a charter to establish colonies in Virginia. The colonists arrived at Jamestown on May 13, 1607. Also, John Smith did report being rescued by the princess after being captured by the Powhattan tribe, although it all could have been just a part of an "elaborate adoption ceremony". A theory that smith's life was never really in danger, just an initiation basically to be accepted into the tribe. Lastly, Pocahontas did convert to Christianity and was baptized, "Rebecca." In April 1614, she and John Rolfe married and had a son named Thomas.
Unfortunately, there were quite a few inaccuracies to this film. Such as, Pocahontas's age of course, she was about eleven years old when she met twenty-seven year old, according to the National Park Service, and the film chose to overlook that. Which brings me to my second point, Pocahontas and John Smith were not romantically involved. In the movie the two fall in love and spend a lot of time making out in the woods. There are many historic sources that suggest that the princess and Smith were most likely just good friends.
