The story of Pocahontas is one of the most enduring legends of America’s early colonial period. Her relationship with the Englishman John Smith would become the inspiration for everything from cheesy romance novels to Disney films. However, the reality behind this beloved story is far more grim. Should the story of Pocahontas be written off as a romantic fable, or is there some truth to be found? Tune in and find out how international men of mystery, legitimate piracy, and three severed heads all play a role in the story.

Works Cited

Gleach, Frederic W. Powhatan’s World and Colonial Virginia. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1997.

Lang, Andrew. Custom and Myth. New York: AMS, 1968. Print.

Lemay, J.A. Leo. Did Pocahontas Save Captain John Smith? Athens, Georgia: The University of Georgia Press, 1992. Print.

Mossiker, Frances. Pocahontas: The Life and the Legend. New York: Knopf, 1976. Print.

Price, David A. Love and Hate in Jamestown. New York: Vintage, 2003.

Shapiro, Laurie Gwen. “The True Story of Pocahontas—At Least, Today’s True Story.” Slate Magazine. N.p., 22 June 2014. Web. 29 Jan. 2017.

Smith, John, and Philip L. Barbour. The Complete Works of Captain John Smith (1580-1631). Chapel Hill: Published for the Institute of Early American History and Culture, Williamsburg, Va. by the U of North Carolina, 1986. Print