Conflict between the Native Americans and the first English settlers started when the Englishmen first arrived at Cape Henry, at the mouth of Chesapeake Bay, in 1607. As stated in Edmund Morgan’s book, American Slavery American Freedom, “the Indians of the Cape Henry Region, when they found a party of twenty or thirty strangers walking about on their territory, drove them back to the ships they came on.”(p.71) With conflict setting the tone in this new land, future struggles between the English and the Natives were unavoidable yet beneficial to the English.
In the initial years of the Jamestown settlement, most conflict was limited to the occasional raid on both sides, yet even these little raids had a large impact. The earliest of raids done by the Natives was before the fall of 1607, which prevented the settlers from being able to harvest crops. (Morgan, p.75) Though not the worst of the winters, the lack of harvest led to the first of the hard winters to come where the English would suffer from lack of food. During this time, the Natives had the upper hand since the only change they were experiencing was these strangers on their land, though, they did not like the fact that these strangers were trying to force a new culture of religion and society upon them. Finally in 1608 the settlers and the Natives discovered a mostly peaceful time, where the Englishmen traded weapons and tools for food, since they continued to have trouble farming. (Morgan, p.76) The weapons and tools that the Natives had received quickly became integrated into their society and helped their agriculture by changing the way they hunted and cooked. (Foner, p.55) While they traded, the Natives experienced power over the English because of the food they possessed; however, Powhatan, leader of the Natives, still felt threatened because of the rapid growth of the English. Slowly, the peace became unstable due to this and their encroachment onto the Natives’ land.
The next conflict they encountered had a larger impact than others. The conflict started when John Smith left to England. John Smith was the main bargainer with Powhatan and their strict rules with each other kept conflict from arising; but, when the new governor took over and caused frustration by blaming the natives for harboring runaway Englishmen, he was killed and the English wanted revenge. (Morgan, p. 74) They took their revenge on the tribes closest to their settlement and killed their families and corn. (Morgan, p.74) This led to what is now called “The Starving Time”. This conflict changed the Englishmen’s daily lives in the winter drastically. They experienced over 300 deaths due to starvation. (Foner, p.57) They were so desperate for food that some even resorted to cannibalism on the, dead or alive, remaining settlers. (Smith, Vol.1:203-05) For four years after that horrific winter, there was nothing but tension. The English now relied on their raids of food taken from the Natives, but continued to massacre the Natives and kill their crops. (Foner, p.59) The more they relied on conflict with the Natives to get food, the stricter their laws became in the Jamestown settlement. (Morgan, p.89) Eventually, peace came between the Natives and the settlers in 1614, which was sealed by the marriage between John Rolfe, and English settler, and Pocahontas, one of Powhatan’s daughters. This was a huge cultural change because for both the settlers and the Natives this was the first Anglo-Indian marriage. This peace led to the first years where the English were not starving since they desperately relied on the Natives’ harvest. These years gave them the time they needed to get organized and on their feet to start supplying themselves. (Foner, p.59) However, this peace only lasted until 1622. In 1618, Powhatan died and his brother, Opechancanough, took over as leader. Once he realized that the English were growing rapidly and did not intend to stop, he wanted to act. Him and his tribe felt threatened; not only were the English settling all over his land, but they were also changing the culture and world around him. Opechancanough and his tribe decided to plan a “surprise attack that in a single day wiped out one-quarter of the Virginia’s settler population of 1,200.” (Foner, p.59) This ended all chances at peace with the Natives and the English attacked relentlessly. The period of peace before the massacre allowed both sides to become militarliy organized. The English broke into military bands and continually massacred the Natives, brilliantly revenged this attack. (Foner, p.60) The English were raided no longer and the Natives succumbed to the rules that the English enforced. Both cultures were permanently changed; the Natives had no power and the English had a permanent and well-organized colony.
Foner, Eric. Give Me Liberty! : An American History. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2014. 55--60. Print.
Morgan, Edmund S. "The Jamestown Fiasco and the Persistent Vision." American Slavery, American Freedom. 1st ed. New York: W.W. Norton &
Company, Inc., 1975. 72--99. Print.
Smith, John. The Generall Historie of Virginia, New England & The Summer Isles (Glasgow, Scotland: James MacLehose and Sons, 1907), Vol. 1:
203–05.
In the initial years of the Jamestown settlement, most conflict was limited to the occasional raid on both sides, yet even these little raids had a large impact. The earliest of raids done by the Natives was before the fall of 1607, which prevented the settlers from being able to harvest crops. (Morgan, p.75) Though not the worst of the winters, the lack of harvest led to the first of the hard winters to come where the English would suffer from lack of food. During this time, the Natives had the upper hand since the only change they were experiencing was these strangers on their land, though, they did not like the fact that these strangers were trying to force a new culture of religion and society upon them. Finally in 1608 the settlers and the Natives discovered a mostly peaceful time, where the Englishmen traded weapons and tools for food, since they continued to have trouble farming. (Morgan, p.76) The weapons and tools that the Natives had received quickly became integrated into their society and helped their agriculture by changing the way they hunted and cooked. (Foner, p.55) While they traded, the Natives experienced power over the English because of the food they possessed; however, Powhatan, leader of the Natives, still felt threatened because of the rapid growth of the English. Slowly, the peace became unstable due to this and their encroachment onto the Natives’ land.
The next conflict they encountered had a larger impact than others. The conflict started when John Smith left to England. John Smith was the main bargainer with Powhatan and their strict rules with each other kept conflict from arising; but, when the new governor took over and caused frustration by blaming the natives for harboring runaway Englishmen, he was killed and the English wanted revenge. (Morgan, p. 74) They took their revenge on the tribes closest to their settlement and killed their families and corn. (Morgan, p.74) This led to what is now called “The Starving Time”. This conflict changed the Englishmen’s daily lives in the winter drastically. They experienced over 300 deaths due to starvation. (Foner, p.57) They were so desperate for food that some even resorted to cannibalism on the, dead or alive, remaining settlers. (Smith, Vol.1:203-05) For four years after that horrific winter, there was nothing but tension. The English now relied on their raids of food taken from the Natives, but continued to massacre the Natives and kill their crops. (Foner, p.59) The more they relied on conflict with the Natives to get food, the stricter their laws became in the Jamestown settlement. (Morgan, p.89) Eventually, peace came between the Natives and the settlers in 1614, which was sealed by the marriage between John Rolfe, and English settler, and Pocahontas, one of Powhatan’s daughters. This was a huge cultural change because for both the settlers and the Natives this was the first Anglo-Indian marriage. This peace led to the first years where the English were not starving since they desperately relied on the Natives’ harvest. These years gave them the time they needed to get organized and on their feet to start supplying themselves. (Foner, p.59) However, this peace only lasted until 1622. In 1618, Powhatan died and his brother, Opechancanough, took over as leader. Once he realized that the English were growing rapidly and did not intend to stop, he wanted to act. Him and his tribe felt threatened; not only were the English settling all over his land, but they were also changing the culture and world around him. Opechancanough and his tribe decided to plan a “surprise attack that in a single day wiped out one-quarter of the Virginia’s settler population of 1,200.” (Foner, p.59) This ended all chances at peace with the Natives and the English attacked relentlessly. The period of peace before the massacre allowed both sides to become militarliy organized. The English broke into military bands and continually massacred the Natives, brilliantly revenged this attack. (Foner, p.60) The English were raided no longer and the Natives succumbed to the rules that the English enforced. Both cultures were permanently changed; the Natives had no power and the English had a permanent and well-organized colony.
Foner, Eric. Give Me Liberty! : An American History. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2014. 55--60. Print.
Morgan, Edmund S. "The Jamestown Fiasco and the Persistent Vision." American Slavery, American Freedom. 1st ed. New York: W.W. Norton &
Company, Inc., 1975. 72--99. Print.
Smith, John. The Generall Historie of Virginia, New England & The Summer Isles (Glasgow, Scotland: James MacLehose and Sons, 1907), Vol. 1:
203–05.