While pocahontas was a real person that existed, the rest of the story. Pocahontas was meant to be a disney movie for kids to. Before marrying john rolfe, pocahontas was baptized and took the christian name rebecca. John smith is the deuteragonist of disneys 1995 animated feature film, pocahontas and a supporting character in its 1998 sequel. I took a course in the history of film animation and i remember. The real story of pocahontas is much darker than the disney movie. The true story of pocahontas history smithsonian magazine. Feb 26, 2020 pocahontas, powhatan indian woman who fostered peace between english colonists and native americans by befriending the settlers at the jamestown colony in virginia and eventually marrying one of them. Reel vs real the disney version of pocahontas and the real story have many differences such as the romance, pocahontas personality, and how the story ended. Pocahontas would even leap from the peak of a tall waterfall. The disney movies that chronicle the life of pocahontas may be the most famous contemporary iterations of her history, but they are also, unfortunately, some of the most historically inaccurate. I believe that disney just wanted to make more of a profit on their untrue movie rather than the old boring story.
The new world movie the new world2005, tells the real pocahontas story, at a slow, dreamlike pace, with lovely cinematography. In real life, matoaka, better known as pocahontas, was the daughter of chief powhatan, in the territory now known. Produced in england and virginia, pocahontas is the true story of an amazing young woman who became an ambassador between two nations. Another difference is that john smith did not have the same physical appearance as he did in the movie. The disney animated film pocahontas was released in 1995. Pocahontas was a nickname, her real name was matoaka. My teacher wants me to compare and contrast the disneys version of pocahontas and the real pocahontas. However, the life of this native american princess was anything but a fairytale. Mar 25, 2019 despite what many people believe due to longstanding and inaccurate accounts in history books and movies such as disneys pocahontas, the true story of pocahontas is not one of a young native.
No, its repulsive and offensive to the real story of a real person who suffered greatly. Pocahontas is a 1995 american animated musical romancedrama film released by walt disney animation studios and the thirtythird fulllength animated feature film in the disney animated canon. However, the movie was very different from what actually happened because the creators were more interested in telling a good story. Pocahontas met john smith as an adult in the movie while pocahontas was 11 and smith was 28. Disneys pocahontas in real life pocahontas and john smith were both young adults when they met. John smith pocahontas chief powhatan john rolfe thanks.
Floating down the river in their canoe, they were in awe of the untouched beauty around them. Pocahontas was a nickname given to her father meaning playful one. What is the difference between the disney pocahontas movie. How the young native american, the daughter of chief powhatan, put her own life at risk to rescue the captured captain john smith from certain execution, turning her back on her own people to save an. The truth behind 5 disney movies that are based on real histories. Captain john smith himself is the sole source for this tale, in a book he wrote several years afterwards. Jul 20, 2018 a respected settler and planter, john rolfe played a crucial role in the survival of englands first permanent american colony at jamestown, though his own accomplishments have ultimately been overshadowed by the historic legacy of his wife, pocahontas. The story of pocahontas is one we have all heard and it was made popular by the 1995 disney movie but is the story true. Pocahontas was an indian girl who met and fell in love with handsome explorer john smith and the two were married. Nevertheless, theres more to the story of john rolfe and pocahontas than you might realize. Apr 06, 2014 the real story of pocahontas is much darker than the disney movie. The new world is great but flawed and it is dishonest for anyone to pretend otherwise such behaviour is deceitful and pretentious. But here are all the ways that disney changed the real story. Native american history is difficult to study because of the relative paucity of primary sources.
Pocahontas might be a household name, but the true story of her short but powerful life has been buried in myths that have persisted since the 17th century. Pocahontas is remembered as the native american powhatan princess who saved the life of englishman john smith, married john rolfe and fostered peace between english settlers and native americans. The true story of pocahontas is sadder and less romantic. She loved running free throughout the land she called home. Jun 30, 2015 does disneys pocahontas do more harm than good. I will always love the film pocahontas and sing pocahontass songs whenever i see a. Disney has romanticized the tragic story of pocahontas into not one, but two cartoons, with a target audience of children. Many of us grew up watching disney movies and their tales of fairy princesses and evil. The true story of pocahontas is sadder and less romantic than the enduring myths jun 21, 2018 e. Conspiracy theories abound regarding the assassination of u. After allegedly being saved from death by pocahontas, he. Pocahontas born around 1595 buried on 21 march 1617 was an american indian. This is the disney animated tale of the romance between a young native american woman named pocahontas irene bedard and captain john smith mel gibson, who journeyed to the new world with other settlers to begin fresh lives. Wikimedia the real story of pocahontas would make a greater movie than the one produced by disney, as her tragic life.
The true story of pocahontas as not told by disney ancient origins. But written accounts and native american oral history show she lived a brief yet significant life. Pocahontas and her friend nakoma spent many hours exploring together. The story of pocahontas is based on the true story of a sailor named john smith and an indian called matoaka at which known as pocahontas by her long hair, which occurred in the year 1608. Sep 08, 2017 the disney movie story is very far from the real story and what really happened. She was around 11 years of age when she met john smith, who was 28. It captures the spirit of pocahontas, her people and the early days of jamestown.
Pocahontas, which means playful or illbehaved, was a nickname. Misrepresenting that story is a disservice, and an attempt to whitewash history. There is plenty of disagreement and very little source material on the true story of pocahontas, but it is believed that in 1607, when she first. Aug 29, 2011 what is the difference between the disney pocahontas movie and the historical story. The true story of pocahontas is a tale of tragedy and heartbreak. In the movie, we show captain ratcliffe as a villain, but in real life, ratcliffe had nothing to do with pocahontas.
John smiths relations can be helpful, but as weve seen trust in sources can only go so far. The real pocahontas was married off to a white man old enough to be her father when she was a teenager. Pocahontas is one of the few disney movies that is actually based on a nonfiction story instead of the classic fairytales. So enough must be known about the real story of pocahontas to. She was the daughter of the powerful chief powhatan, the ruler of the powhatan tribal nation, which at. John ratcliffe 1549 december 1609 was captain of the discovery, one of three ships that sailed from england on 19 december 1606 to virginia to found a colony, arriving 26 april 1607. Pocahontas might be a household name, but the true story of her short.
Nov 28, 2017 pocahontas might be a household name, but the true story of her short but powerful life has been buried in myths that have persisted since the 17th century. Heres the story of captain john smith you didnt get from. In truth, pocahontas and her father didnt meet any british people for a few. There is no account of grandmother willow, meeko, flit, kocoum, or nakoma in the real story, or what we know of the real story. Disneys dark secrets about pocahontas tooned up s3 e36. Born about 1596, her real name was amonute, and she also had the more private name matoaka. Thought number two is that although the film is equal parts challenging and rewarding as great movies should be it is especially important in the case of the new world to see it in the theatre. Difference and similarities between the movie and the real life of pocahontas similarities the setting jamestown, virginia started to look for gold when the colonists arrived to jamestown. The story of pocahontas disneyfied, or disney tried.
In the movie, pocahontas is seen as a very strong individual, but in the real story was not as brave or noble. He is a renowned english explorer that took part in governor ratcliffes expedition to virginia, where he would meet and fall in love with pocahontas. In the movie pocahontas was the same age as john smith, but in reality john smith was as old as pocahontas father. Despite what many people believe due to longstanding and inaccurate accounts in history books and movies such as disneys pocahontas, the. Dec 18, 2017 more than the incredible achievement that was pocahontas life, her story shows the careful line to tread between fact and fiction.
Learn more about pocahontass life and her legacy, including her portrayal in popular culture. Finally, in conclusion, we can all say that this movie had the characterization right but they changed the story, which made the movie from fictional from the historical characters. Despite what many people believe due to longstanding and inaccurate accounts in history books and movies such as disneys pocahontas, the true story of pocahontas is. Pocahontas biography the real story of pocahontas summary. Disney has romanticized the tragic story of pocahontas into not one, but two cartoons, with a. Both pocahontas and john smith were young when they met, although in real life, pocahontas was 11 and john smith was 28. The story of pocahontas has been passed down through the centuries. In the opening of chapter three of the people we read the true story of pocahontas, and its safe to say that what we read was a far cry from what we get in the disney version. Its official debut in the united states was the 16 june of 1995. Journey to a new world which i totally rented at a video store as a child, but that movie also appears to be. Similarities between pocahontas the movie and real life. If you want to watch their new movie, download this instead. Pocahontas was a native american woman born around 1595. Oct 19, 2015 they mainly made the movie about the love story between pocahontas and john smith, in reality, her love was john rolfe they left out many other details, they may have gotten many facts incorrect, but pocahontas is just like any other disney movie, just changed around from the real story.
Disney actually approached her as a consultant on the film, an offer she. Pocahontas often brought food to the jamestown colonists and may have saved many of them from starvation. It portrays a fictionalized account of her historical encounter with englishman john smith and the jamestown settlers that arrived from the virginia company. In the movie, there is romance between john smith and pocahontas. Statue of pocahontas in historic jamestowne, virginia, usa. She maintained relations between the indians of virginia and the colonists who built a fort and settlement on the james river called jamestown in 1607. Pocahontas is a 1995 american animated musical romantic drama film loosely based on the life of the native american woman pocahontas. What is the difference between the disney pocahontas movie and the historical story. She did not say that in real life, but she did saved smiths life in order to avoid problems with the settlers. Jamestown is a shoddy, bedraggled, muddy deathtrap. After some discussion of the disney version, the children will be sho nwn the live action movie, pocahontas.
The true story of pocahontas as not told by disney ancient. In the infamous movie pocahontas 1995, the disney franchise has a way of covering the truth behind the real story and person of pocahontas by creating fictional animals, an untrue love story, and an unrealistic ending in order to gain childrens interest. While the second movie introduced her real husband, john rolfe, matoakas short life ended in tragedy. He later became the second president of the colony which later became jamestown. Dec 05, 2014 the story of pocahontas is one we have all heard and it was made popular by the 1995 disney movie but is the story true.
Learn more about the indian woman and her relationship with john smith. Whether you learned about the native american princess in school, from your parents or watching a disney movie, you may not know the truth about the life, loves and death of pocahontas. It is time to bust up the misconceptions perpetuated over 400 years regarding the young daughter of powhatan chief wahunsenaca. Mar 02, 2019 statue of pocahontas in historic jamestowne, virginia, usa. Jun 21, 2018 for starters, pocahontas wasnt even her real name, according to a biography published on the national park services historic jamestowne site.
Difference and similarities between the movie and the real l. The true story of pocahontas is sadder and less romantic than. While the focus of this unit is to correct the misinformation about indians, the movie pocahontas. To start with, pocahontas wasnt even her actual name.
Like in the movie, she was a part of the powhatan tribe and was the chiefs daughter. Pocahontas s story was continued by disney in the straighttovideo pocahontas ii. Join us as we look beyond the fiction and reveal the real story of pocahontas, a tale of kidnapping, conflict, starvation. I need a 12 sentence summary for each of these characters. Pocahontas had an amazing figure, and wore a leather minidress with one shoulder strap. With expert interviews and historical reenactments, this movie brings the story of pocahontas capture, christian faith, and legacy to life. Pocahontas has no romantic relationship with john smith in the original story unlike in the movie. Reality the stories of disneys pocahontas and the real pocahontas are not the same. In the movie there was a happy ending but in the real life it isnt. English soldier john smith eventually made his way to america to help govern the british colony of jamestown.
Pocahontas there are many differences between the real story of pocahontas and disneys interpretation of pocahontas. Mulan clever mulan disguises herself as a male soldier named ping to bravely take her fathers place in the imperial army. Hamilton nearly every american of a certain age grew up with the story of pocahontas. By comparing the disneys pocahontas to her reallife counterpart using four symbolic criteria.
Pocahontas and her friends find adventure at home and abroad in these sweeping stories from the earliest days of american history. The true story of pocahontas as not told by disney. Despite what many people believe due to longstanding and inaccurate accounts in history books and movies such as disneys pocahontas, the true story of pocahontas is not one of a young native powhatan woman with a raccoon friend who dove off of mountainlike cliffs off the coasts of virginia. Difference and similarities between the movie and the real. One for pocahontas movie and one for the real pocahontas story. In this story, her intervention saved his life and convinced chief powhatan to return john smith to jamestown. Apparently, john smith wasnt actually as great as everyone thinks. Much of pocahontas life has been romanticized and sensationalized in movies and books. Pocahontas even starts a romance with smith, and the two almost sail away to britain together at the end of the film. Then, in the new world, another movie based on the untruths of the pocahontas story, our class was. But does the commemorative statue honor her real life. The traditional story of his rescue by pocahontas includes a description of how her father was poised to have him killed by clubs only to be stopped by pocahontas risking her own life to save him. Once there lived an adventurous young princess named pocahontas. Jfk 10 historically inaccurate movies howstuffworks.
Although it may be true, as smith later said, that pocahontas intervened to save his life, she was only 10 or 11 years old when she made the gesture the film depicts them both as adults. Captain john smith did not actually fall in love with pocahontas, but his real story is even more amazing than the disney version. The heartbreaking story of the reallife pocahontas youtube. In the disney movie pocahontas married john smith, which is not true. She was a child who was kidnapped, raped, and had her whole family murdered before being taken to a foreign country into a forced marriage, where she died. The story of pocahontas in 1995, disneys pocahontas showed the world their version of what it was like to be a young native american girl in the early 1600s.
Pocahontas is much younger in the original story than she is in the movie. The film is the first animated feature disney film to be based on a real historic character, the known. Disneys brazen disregard for the truth immediately irked those familiar with the wellknown story in u. Governor ratcliffe and chief powhatan where a good representation. He was killed by the pamunkey native americans when he was going to trade with them in 1609. Pocahontas true name was matoaka, which means naughty one or spoiled one. The disney movie pocahontas centers on the most famous incident in the lives of all involved, in which pocahontas rescued john smith from execution by her father, powhatan.
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