the Jamestown Massacre the Jamestown Massacre was a conflict between the English colonists and the powatan Confederacy of Native Americans that happened in 1622 in Virginia the powan Confederacy was a political social and Marshal entity of over 30 Algonquin speaking Native American tribes of the region of modern day Virginia Maryland and part of North Carolina the start of this na Confederacy can be traced back to when Chief powatan whose proper name was wansik was made leader of the powatan tribe by his mother initially he had six tribes under his control the atic the aoac the chisk the mataponi the pom Mon and the powatan tribe beginning with six tribes powatan expanded his Reign from his village of Waco throughout the region by bringing other tribes under his control he accomplished this through attacks on other tribes killed their Chief and Elders later replacing these with poan sons trusted family members or responsible members of the Confederacy he also used diplomacy making clear to tribal Chiefs the benefit of joining the Confederacy and bribery by 1607 the powatan Confederacy had at least 30 tribes each tribe had its own Chief under powatan and paid tribute that was later redistributed with others the tribe's economy was based on agriculture and trade as well as prizes taken in battles from other native groups especially the iaqua Confederacy with whom they were at War the Jamestown Colony and first conflicts at first the English established the Rowan Oak colony in 1585 and again in 1587 in Virginia but it did not survive past 15 1990 the Jamestown Colony of Virginia was established by the English in 1607 the natives therefore were already acquainted with Europeans and the experiences had been far from Pleasant the powtan Confederacy did not mind the English at first because they had chosen a swamp of unusable land for their settlement and thought the English might serve as allies against the Spanish and other hostile tribes Chief powatan ordered his people to supply the ill equipped colonists with food and supplies the English were used to receiving gifts from the natives and trading instead of tending for themselves this would turn up as a problem later on with time the English took more food and occupied more land outside of Jamestown these actions led Chief powatan to order them inside their settlement and to give his Warriors leave to kill anyone found outside the fortifications potin Choice contributed to what is known as the starving time in jamestown's history during which over 80% of the colonists died also an English Captain named John Smith was captured by the natives and brought to powatan his daughter Pocahontas arguably negotiated his release the first powatan war 1610 to 1614 in 1610 the English instituted a policy of no compromise which set off the first Power in war a series of Guerilla strikes and counter strikes killing many on both sides on one side the natives were more successful in the Guerilla Warfare using their bows and arrows against the English musket that needed more time to reload on the other side the English launched raids against native Villages killing the population and stealing supplies they also received fresh fighting men from Europe as Reserves a luxury the natives didn't have while the war raged on Colonial settlements were established further Inland in 1610 a man arrived named John Rolf he came with hybrid tobacco seeds which he planted and by 1614 he was a wealthy man with a large Plantation across the river from The henrikus Colony north of Jamestown that same year the English kidnapped Pocahontas daughter of Chief powtan holding her for ransom at henrikus Chief powtan agreed to the terms of her release and sent the colonists the tools weapons and prisoners requested but the English kept Pocahontas she converted to Christianity taking the name Rebecca and married John Rolf in 1614 Chief powtan and the colonial authorities both approved of the union and so ended the first powatan war Pocahontas rol their young son Thomas Rolf and a number of powatan family and tribal members including tamoko who was Pocahontas's brother-in-law set for England in 1617 tomoko's task was to gather information and make a report on the English on the way back Pocahontas fell ill and died when he returned tamoko criticized the English harshly before a Council of Elders and Chiefs but was shamed into to Silence by a colonial delegation which counted his claims that the English could not be trusted while his grandson Thomas was left in the care of rol's brother in England Chief powatan kept the peace but stepped down as chief after his daughter's death he died shortly after in 1618 the new Chief with the death of powatan it was time to choose a new chief his stepbrother opan canu was ch chosen as Chief opan canu believed tamoko and kept his statements as true in 1611 the English had founded the settlement of henrikus the first college in North America was founded close by for the purpose of educating Native American Youth in Christian faith and European culture since in 1619 the newly formed pece was in order Pocahontas's conversion had encouraged the hope that more natives would follow her examp example opian canu believed this was a good way to maintain good relations so he encouraged his people to do so in fact he led by example which led the colonists to believe further in the peaceful intentions of the tribes John Rolf remarried and advocated for fair treatment with the natives in 1621 opon Cano's war chief neatu was killed by the colonists because he killed a colonist and took his clothes opian canu took no Revenge saying he deserved it but it's debated if he really meant it at about that same time he and his brother opap took War names in preparation for the attack and called on the tribes to participate in a ceremony honoring the life of powatan they celebrated his life and took intelligence about the English working routines and so on the massacre the morning of March 22nd 1622 began as any other with the colonists going to work on their farms and in their shops early that morning the natives slipped into European settlements knocking on doors and asking to be let in most were familiar visitors they came unarmed many accepted a meal or a drink Then They seized whatever weapons came to hand kitchen knives heavy stew pots the colonists own guns and killed everyone in the houses the assault was brutal widespread and well planned the blows were so Swift that many Englishmen died without knowing they were under attack entire families fell and their houses burned across the land the number killed is hard to determine but is usually given as 347 the college hospital and colony of henrikus were completely destroyed and all the inhabitant killed including John Ral settlements were burned all across the region aftermath after the attack the pans could have easily finished the survivors off those outside of Jamestown would have been easy enough to kill as they had no defenses and Jamestown could have been set on fire with fleeing colonists then killed as they tried to escape instead the natives did nothing but wait for a response they believed the English would leave as native tribes would do in case of such defeat however the English did not leave and the war went on this attack marked the beginning of the second powatan war the war continued until opian Cano sued for peace in 1626 but hostilities went on through 1629 and into the 1630s in some areas later on the third potin War started in 1644 and lasted until 1646 will cover conflicts after the Jamestown massacre in detail in other videos thank you for watching if you like the content please consider subscribing