Ratcliffe: I hereby claim this land and all its riches in the name of His Majesty, King James the First and do so name this settlement...Jamestown!
Yes, Jamestown was named after King James, a simple accuracy but a rarity nonetheless in the film -Ellie Irwin
Wiggins: Bravo! Bravo! Beautifully spoken, sir! (He ducks back inside the ship where Percy sits in an ornate porcelain washbowl, taking a bubble bath. He wears a dainty little shower cap, luxuriating in the bubbles. Nearby on a table sits an elaborate array of delicate berries for him to nibble. He adds more water to the bowl) Hurry now, Percy. We must be all squeaky clean for the New World! (Wiggins continues on his road out, leaving Percy alone)
The settlers would not be this clean, especially not on the ship. Similar to their time in Jamestown, many settlers died on the voyage to the New World. Supplies dwindled, and the voyage was off course, not nearly as smooth as the film depicts -Ellie Irwin https://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/death-jamestown-background/1428/
Wiggins: Because we invaded their land and cut down their trees and dug up their earth?
Surprising amount of self-awareness, and while a funny line, I do not think a settler would say this. It's true the settler invaded the land and dug up their earth, but they also spread disease to the natives, among other horrific actions that a Disney movie would not depict -Ellie Irwin https://www.nps.gov/jame/learn/historyculture/pocahontas-her-life-and-legend.htm -Ellie Irwin
Kekata: Your return has brought much joy to the village. Look at all the smiling faces! Powhatan: Yes, but there's one smiling face I don't see. (turning to Kekata) Where is my daughter? Kekata: You know Pocahontas. She has her mother's spirit. She goes wherever the wind takes her! (As he speaks, the wind blows past them, scattering colored leaves in its wake)
Pocahontas rarely left the village in reality unless otherwise sent. She stayed around the village, helping other women with growing crops and forging. Being a child, it is unlikely she would just leave to explore on her own. The only times she would leave was to negotiate with the settlers for Powatan prisoners -Ellie Irwin https://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/death-jamestown-background/1428/
: Oh, sure, we're having loads of fun. Right? Look at us––––no gold, no food... (He turns to look at Ratcliffe's tent spacious and well-appointed, sitting on the top of a hillside) Ben: While Ratcliffe sits up in his tent all day, happy as a clam!
There is accuracy here, as the settlers did suffer the first few months, having no food. But still, the film glosses over the hardship; they were starving, and they got sick, and a lot of them died (more than half) -Ellie Irwin https://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/death-jamestown-background/1428/
The noise alarms Namontack, who recoils a bit) (In that instant, Ratcliffe looks over and sees the movement in the bushes. His eyes flare in surprise and then frustration as he yells with all his might) Ratcliffe: SAVAGES! IT'S AN AMBUSH!! (looking around in outrage) ARM YOURSELVES!!! (Pandemonium breaks out among the settlers as they scramble for their weapons and armor. Percy dives under a discarded helmet for refuge. Ratcliffe rushes to grab a weapon, revealing Wiggins behind him, clipping a topiary figure of Ratcliffe. Wiggins sees the skirmish ensuing and reacts with delight) Wiggins: Run! (He drops his she
There is accuracy in how the settlers would jump to violence, as well as their mentality toward natives. However, during first interactions, the natives helped the settlers by giving them supplies and food -Ellie Irwin https://www.nps.gov/jame/learn/historyculture/pocahontas-her-life-and-legend.htm
(A young Indian woman stands proud and tall at the top of a huge waterfall, surveying the majestic landscape before her. This is Pocahontas, a playful, free-spirited risk-taker. The wind blows all around her, ruffling her hair)
Pocahontas was not a young adult at the time. She was thought to be 10-11 years old, while Smith was a grown man -Ellie Irwin https://www.nps.gov/jame/learn/historyculture/pocahontas-her-life-and-legend.htm
) POCAHONTAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pocahontas was only a nickname meaning "playful one". Her real name was Amonute, with her private name being Matoaka -Ellie Irwin https://www.nps.gov/jame/learn/historyculture/pocahontas-her-life-and-legend.htm
(Pocahontas looks up to see Powhatan shaking his head, exasperated) Powhatan: Pocahontas.... (beat, then) Come with me. (He guides her out the door and down to the mighty river flowing past the village) You are the daughter of the chief. It is time to take your place among our people! (gesturing to the river)
Pocahontas was not the only daughter of Chief Powhatan, let alone his only child. Chief Powhatan had multiple children -Ellie Irwin (McClurken, "Pocahontas Lecture, 9/1/26 and 9/3/26)
Of course. Let's not forget what the Spanish found since they came to the New World... (He reaches into his vest and pulls out a scroll) (his voice deepening) Gold! Mountains of it! (He unfurls the scroll and shows it to the settlers. It's a map of the Americas. The settlers lean in for a better view as he points to the Spanish settlements in South America) Why, for years, they've been ravaging the New World of its most precious resources. But now... (His finger slides up to Virginia) It's our turn. (With that said, he begins singing) (sings) The gold of Cortez, the jewels of Pizarro will seem like mere trinkets by this time tomorrow. The gold we find here will dwarf them by far. Oh, with all ya have in ya, boys. Dig up Virginia, boys. (He begins to hand picks and shovels to the settlers) (singing) Mine, boys, mine every mountain. And dig, boys, dig till ya drop. Grab a pick, boys. Go, boys. Shove in a shovel, uncover these lovely pebbles that sparkle and shine. It's gold and it's mine, mine, mine...
The settlers definitely did ravage the land for resources, so this is accurate. Though I am not entirely sure they would be this self-aware or use the term "ravish"<br /> -Ellie Irwin
(Angle on the stunned settlers, unsure of how to react. Thomas, moved by Powhatan's act of goodwill, lowers his musket. The other settlers, starting with Lon and Ben, lower their muskets as well) (The warriors see this and lower their weapons) (Ratcliffe turns back to the men and is surprised to see their muskets lowered) Ratcliffe: Now's our chance! Fire! Thomas: (firm) No. Ratcliffe: (outraged) What?! Thomas: They let him go!
Not only did this happen, but this mentality is even more inaccurate. It is asinine that these settlers, who were so ready and excited to kill natives, are suddenly no longer bloodthirsty. This would not happen -Ellie Irwin
(Ratcliffe pulls the trigger. The gun fires as John Smith knocks Powhatan out of harm's fashion, and in doing this, catches the bullet in his stomach) (John Smith goes down, critically wounded)
John Smith did not get injured this way. In reality, he was injured in a gunpowder accident that sent him back to London. He was not shot, much less by another settler -Ellie Irwin
(Pocahontas looks up at Powhatan, refusing to let go of John Smith. Her voice shatters the silence) Pocahontas: If you kill him, you'll have to kill me too. Powhatan: Daughter, stand back!
Pocahontas' rescue of John Smith never happened. John Smith was never sent to his death, and Pocahontas certainly did not rescue him either. These events were made up by the film and John Smith's friends -Ellie Irwin
Powhatan: Who did this? (From the back of the crowd, the warriors drag John Smith toward Powhatan) Warrior: Pocahontas was out in the woods. Kocoum went to find her, and this white man attacked him! (Powhatan looks John Smith dead in the eye) Powhatan: (to Smith) Your weapons are strong. But now, our anger is stronger. (to the crowd) At sunrise, he will be the first to die!
This is also fictitious. John Smith was never accused of murder, nor was he sentenced to death by the Powhatans -Ellie Irwin
(Kocoum is hit in the chest, the impact of the bullet throwing him over John Smith and onto the pond, pulling Pocahontas's necklace from around her neck. The beads scatter across the ground) (Pocahontas gasps and rushes to him, falling to the ground among his body. John Smith looks over, seeing Thomas, and reacts with shock)
This is completely fictitious; Kocoum was not murdered, much less by a settler. Furthermore, as Pocahontas was a child during Smith's visit, it is unlikely she was yet married at the time -Ellie Irwin
Pocahontas: What's gold? (Meeko jumps out of the pouch, as Smith follows Pocahontas up onto the stump in front of Grandmother Willow) John Smith: You know, it's... (trying to describe it) ...it's yellow, comes out of the ground, really valuable..... Pocahontas: Oh... (She reaches into her satchel and pulls out an ear of corn) Here. We have lots of it. (She pulls off the husk, revealing the golden kernels) Gold. John Smith: No, no, gold is... (He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a gold coin)...this. (Pocahontas stares at the coin, perplexed. Meeko takes the coin and bites it) Pocahontas: Hmm. There's nothing like that around here. John Smith: (surprised) No gold? Pocahontas: Not that I've seen. John Smith: (chuckles) All this way for nothing. (lies back on the stump) These boys are in for a big surprise.
It is true that the Powhatans grew corn, but as shown in our class discussion (September 3rd, 2026), the corn they grew was a red corn rather than a yellow corn -Ellie Irwin
John Smith: Yes. We'll build roads and decent houses–– Pocahontas: (cold) Our houses are fine. John Smith: You think that, only because you don't know any better. (Close on Pocahontas as she reacts, insulted. Then she strides away toward her canoe) John Smith: Look, wait a minute. (starting after her) Don't take it that–––– (Flit buzzes around his head) Hey, wait! (He goes around the tree to head over Pocahontas, who is already in her canoe. He sloshes into the river and blocks the canoe's path) There's so much we can teach you. We've improved the lives of savages all over the world. Pocahontas: (frowns) Savages?! John Smith: (fumbles) Uh, not that you're a savage......
This aligns with John Smith's beliefs. In his writings, he often saw himself and other Englishmen as racially and culturally superior to the natives. He did see them as savages, and this view did not change -Ellie Irwin
(He drops his shears and starts donning his battle regalia) (Nearby, Thomas eagerly grabs his gun and tries to aim) Ratcliffe: Shoot! (He takes aim and shoots, but in his over-emotion, he misfires, almost hitting Ratcliffe) Ratcliffe: Them, you idiot! (The settlers open fire. The warriors swiftly return the fire with a volley of arrows) (Among the topiary figures, Wiggins swiftly dons a coat resplendent with epaulets and sashes...) (...and grabs the helmet that Percy is hiding under, exposing Percy. Horrified of being in the line of fire, Percy disappears behind the topiary figure of Ratcliffe, his eyes peering out where Ratcliffe's eyes shall be) (Back to Ratcliffe who seizes a musket, takes aim and...) Ratcliffe: Where's that blasted Smith if I need him? (...and fires) (The bullet hits Namontack in the leg, giving him hard agony. He falls, toppling down into the clearing, gripping his leg in pain)
There is accuracy in the Settlers' immediate turn to violence against the natives. They did not hesitate to shoot them, believing them to be violent and dangerous. Tensions were especially high as in 1609 (the first arrival of the Virginia Company) was the beginning of the Anglo-Powhatan War-Ellie Irwin https://web.archive.org/web/20050413081941/http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/toccer-new2?id=J1007.xml&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=all
(Close on Smith, stunned to find that it's a woman who's been following him––the most breathtaking woman he's ever seen) (Back to Pocahontas equally stunned, looking straight into Smith's blue eyes. For the first time in her life, Pocahontas is speechless) (They stare at each other in confusion for longer than they realize, both more intrigued than they know they shall be) (He lowers his gun, but silently removes his helmet. He takes a step forward, but the sudden movement breaks her trance. She runs off, separate from him) John Smith: No, wait, please–– (But before he can finish, she disappears into the woods, with Meeko and Flit trailing behind) (Smith is left alone, in amazement. Who is that woman?) (Pocahontas runs to the riverbank and steps into her canoe. As she starts to push aside from the shore, she hears a voice behind her) Please... (Pocahontas turns around to discover Smith who hesitates a moment, afraid of frightening her away again) Don't run off. (He steps gingerly toward her) It's alright, I'm not going to hurt you. (Smith gently extends his hand, palm-up, toward her) Here, let me help you out of here.
This romance is completely fictitious. Again, at the time, Pocahontas was a ten-year-old girl and John Smith was a grown man. Of the few times John Smith interacted (as shown in his diaries) that was no trace of romance between the two. (https://web.archive.org/web/20050413081941/http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/toccer-new2?id=J1007.xml&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=all) -Ellie Irwin
Indians: (singing) Hega hega ya-hi-ye hega, ya-hi-ye ne-he hega. Hega hega ya-hi-ye hega, ya-hi-ye ne-he hega. Steady as the beating drum, singing to the cedar flute. Seasons go and seasons come, bring the corn and bear the fruit. (As we pan across the plains, we start to see the Indians who live in this spectacular land, fishing, hunting deer and picking corn)
This is accurate to the gender structures in tribes, as the men often hunted and the women farmed, harvested, and gathered -Ellie Irwin
Pocahontas: Marry Kocoum? (Up on the shelf, Meeko and Flit peek out from under the headdress and react to this news. Flit beams, seeing this as a grand idea. But Meeko is displeased) (Close on Powhatan mistaking Pocahontas's surprise for elation) Powhatan: (merrily) I told him it would make my heart soar. (As Powhatan begins removing his ceremonial garb, Pocahontas pauses at the door, gazing out) (Her point-of-view of Kocoum, standing stone-faced, as Indians celebrate joyously around him, singing and dancing) Pocahontas: But he's so...serious.
As stated, Pocahontas was 10 years old at the time in reality, so she would not be getting married. Furthermore, arranged marriages were not really a reality for natives, especially the Powhatans. As revealed in the lecture, marriages required the consent of everyone in the community. So even if Pocahontas did not want to marry Kokoum in real life, she would not have been forced to marry him as the film implies. -Ellie Irwin
This New World's gonna be great, John! I'm gonna get a pile of gold, build me a big house, and if any Indian tries to stop me... (sees the cannon in his hands) I'll blast him!
This is a rare accuracy in the film. I think the film, near the beginning, accurately portrays the settlers' feelings towards the Native Americans. Seeing them as savage and "needing to be dealt with." The settlers' ambitions are also accurate, as many traveled to Virginia to get rich on gold -Ellie Irwin