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Pocahontas


            John Rolfe, an English colonist of Jamestown, Virginia sailed to Jamestown in 1609. Rolfe was on an expedition led by Captain Christopher Newport to transport colonists. Rolfe and fellow shipmates encountered many obstacles. An obstacle they come across were the Native Americans. Posing no threat, the Native Americans paid little consideration to the English but this thought was not long lived. "The English considered themselves a superior people" (Davidson, Gienapp, Heyrman, Lytle, Stoff 34) because they believed in only one God but the Native Americans believed in many. As a result there was conflict. Rolfe played a tremendous role in establishing the little peace that the English and Native Americans had. That role was marrying Pocahontas, daughter of Pamunkeys Chief, Powhatan. Due to the marriage Rolfe tries to justify his marriage to Pocahontas, to Governor, Sir Thomas Dale. In the letter Rolfe states several reasons for the marriage, for the good of the colony, religion, and possibly love.
             Rolfe first states "at the dreadfull day of judgement to condemne me herein, if my chiefest intent and minde, in the undertaking of so mightie a matter, no way led with the unbridled desire of carnall affection: but for the good of the plantation (Rolfe 1)". He is saying that his marriage with Pocahontas was not made for the purposes for self gratitude .
             but for the good of the colony, even though he was saying that he could not control his affections. His marriage with Pocahontas did affect the colony. The English and the .
             Native Americans had peace for eight years. This peace was important for the English because they were still trying to establish a stable colony and with many men falling ill the English could not afford to go to war with the Native Americans. Another reason that the marriage was able to be successful was because Powhatan knew that if he can get the English to unite with the Native Americans they would be a very powerful in a sense that if the English joined, their weapons would also follow.


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