Project Report on Pocahontas by Autcharaphan Chaiyamas Student No

1.6 How did Pocahontas die?
In March 1617, the Rolfe family was ready to return to Virginia. After traveling down the Thames River, Pocahontas, seriously ill, had to be taken ashore. In the town of Gravesend, Pocahontas died of an unspecified illness. Many historians believe she suffered from an upper respiratory ailment, such as pneumonia, while others think she could have died from some form of dysentery. Pocahontas, about twenty-one, was buried at St. George's Church on March 21, 1617. John Rolfe returned to Virginia, but left the young ailing Thomas with relatives in England. Within a year, Powhatan died. The "Peace of Pocahontas" began to slowly unravel. Life for her people would never be the same.
2. Plot Summary of Pocahontas in Disney film

( Pocahontas Disney’s film)
Pocahontas is first seen atop a cliff by a waterfall when she is summoned by her best friend, Nakoma, that her beloved father, Chief Powhatan, has returned. It is revealed that she has been having an unusual dream, and she does not understand what it means. Nakoma asks if she's figured it out and, when Pocahontas answers in the negative, she counsels her to speak with Powhatan, who has recently returned from war. At the village, she meets with him and learns that Kocoum, one of his finest and fiercest warriors, has asked to marry her. As a gift, he gives her her late mother's necklace, which her mother had worn at their wedding. She doesn't feel that this is the right path for her, but Powhatan feels that Kocoum would be a fine husband for her, as he is steady and serious, as well as brave, loyal, strong and protective.

After hearing this, Pocahontas travels to Grandmother Willow in order to gain some advice. After telling Grandmother Willow about her dream and Powhatan's plans for her arranged marriage to Kocoum, Grandmother Willow tells her that her dream is pointing her down her path. When she asks how to find her path, Grandmother Willow teaches her to listen to the spirits of the Earth, by listening with her heart. She does so, and after hearing the wind tell her about the arrival of "strange clouds", is able to spot the ship carrying the Europeans. To her, its sails resemble clouds.

(Pocahontas’ first encounter with John Smith)

Pocahontas later encounters one of the settlers, John Smith. At first, she can't understand him, but somehow, after possibly listening with her heart, she is able to. Over time, they get to know each other, asking all sorts of questions about each other's people, lives, and different worlds. However, the conversation goes sour when he unintentionally reveals his prejudices toward Native Americans. She explains the beauty and importance of nature and respecting the Earth through the song "Colors of the Wind". This causes him to see the ill of his thoughts and change his ways, and they begin to strongly fall romantically in love with each other. However, after hearing drums, she is forced to return to the village.

Later, while picking corn with Nakoma, Pocahontas meets Smith again. After swearing Nakoma to secrecy, she takes him out to the woods to meet Grandmother Willow. When he reveals that the settlers had come looking for gold, Pocahontas reveals that there is none in the area. When other settlers come looking for him, he is forced to leave, but he and Pocahontas agree to meet that night at Grandmother Willow's glade. After he leaves, she worries about her actions. Grandmother Willow reminds her of her dream, and she begins to suspect that it is pointing her toward Smith.

Upon returning to the village, Pocahontas discovers that warriors from neighboring villages have arrived and are planning to fight the settlers. That night, despite Nakoma's protests, Pocahontas sneaks off to meet Smith. They reveal that their respective people are planning for war. She asks him to come to her village and speak with her father in an attempt to avoid fighting. He is reluctant at first but agrees after some advice from Grandmother Willow. When Kocoum, who had been warned about Pocahontas by Nakoma, suddenly stumbles upon her and Smith kissing in Grandmother Willow's glade, he becomes enraged and attacks him. Before she can break them up, Thomas, who had been sent to find John, shoots and kills Kocoum to protect him. As Kocoum falls, he grabs hold of Pocahontas' necklace and it shatters into pieces in the process. Enraged, she charges at Thomas, but Smith stops her, saying it won't help. He takes the blame, is taken prisoner by the Powhatan men who were alerted by the shot from Thomas' gun, and sentenced to die at sunrise.

When Kocoum's corpse is carried back to the village, Powhatan scolds Pocahontas for disobeying his orders not to leave it, shaming him and her foolishness leading to Kocoum being killed. As John is taken away, Nakoma approaches her, and she tells her that Kocoum was only trying to protect himself. Nakoma apologizes to her for her actions, and she was worried that she was trying to do the right thing by admitting that she sent Kocoum after her. She brings Pocahontas to the tent where Smith is held, she tells the two warriors guarding it that Pocahontas wants to see the eyes of Smith, and they agree, telling her to be quick and let her in. She apologizes to Smith before leaving, while he vows to "be with her forever".


(Pocahontas saves John from being wrongfully killed by Powhatan.)

Meanwhile, after Meeko gives Pocahontas Smith's compass, which she recognizes as the spinning arrow from her dream all along, she realizes that she must stop the execution that will lead to war between the Native Americans and the settlers. She runs to where it will take place, calling out to the forces of nature to help her reach them in time. She reaches Smith just in time to throw herself over him and save him from being killed by Powhatan, who was going to be his executioner and murderer, and also tells everyone on how they have been led by the path of hatred. She tells her father that this is the path she chooses and what would his be if they choose to fight. Touched by Pocahontas' love and wisdom, Powhatan then comes to his senses, puts a ceasefire on their fight and releases John.

When the enraged Governor Ratcliffe rejects the offer of peace Powhatan offers by sparing and releasing Smith, he shoots at him, only for Smith to push him out of the way and take the bullet himself. Soon after, Thomas then personally tells Pocahontas that John must return to England for medical treatment, or he will die, to which Pocahontas responds by gently putting a hand on his shoulder, indicating that she has forgiven him for killing Kocoum, knowing he had tried to save John's life. A wounded John asks Pocahontas to come with him to England, but she explains that her place is in Virginia, with her people. To comfort him, she tells him that "no matter what happens, I'll always be with you, forever." They passionately kiss, and the men carry him onto the ship.

As it is leaving, she runs as fast as she can to a cliff overlooking the ocean. Smith waves goodbye in the Powhatan fashion, and she does so the same way, as she showed to him earlier when they first met, as the ship sails away.