Eearly Virginia

Wahunsunacock.

In 1607, after early attempts to es-tablish English colonies in Virginia failed, the Pow-hatans and other native peoples of the Chesapeake re-gion helped the settlement at Jamestown to survive, pro-viding food and helping colonists find hunting and fish-ing spots. Even with their help the English suffered from high mortality and endured periods of starvation. When Capt. John Smith paid a visit to the Powhatan leader, or werowance, known as Wahunsunacock, the Indians en-gaged in a welcoming ritual in which the chief's daugh-ter, Pocahontas, played a role. Smith interpreted this ceremony as an attempt to kill him, thwarted by Poca-hontas's "rescue." Powhatan Confederacy. Wahunsunacock used the British to enhance his position in native politics signifi-cantly. With British support he transformed what had been a loose confederacy of native peoples into a para-mount chiefdom. The alliance was peaceful until 1609, when the English attempted to...