Pocahantas is one of the many Disney princesses, but many fail to realize that she was actually a living person. She lived back in the early 1600s and parts of the film are based on facts from her life, while other scenes stray way off the mark. It can be hard to differentiate what is fact and fiction throughout the film due to the unique mix that made it to film.
This list outlines some of these similarities and differences that viewers will encounter throughout the movie. Disney obviously had to make some changes to the original story to make it fit with their viewers, but some things maybe went a bit too far. Keep reading to learn about some of the historical inconsistencies and similarities found in Disney's Pocahantas!
Different: She Was Welcomed At Jamestown
The movie often portrays Pocahantas and her people as unwelcome in Jamestown due to their barbaric nature, but that wasn't the case. Pocahontas often visited the settlement and was well-known among them as she brought them gifts of food that helped them settle in the new land.
She played more of a diplomatic role as she served as a sign of peace between these two groups of people. This friendship died before Smith's return to England, but a truce was realized after her marriage to John Rolfe.
Similar: John Smith Was Captured
John Smith was captured in the film by the Powhatan tribe, even if it wasn't for the same reasons that he was in real-life. However, they did stick to the story as Pocahantas threw herself upon Smith in an effort to save his life when he was supposed to be clubbed to death.
It was this moment that is remembered in all of the tales as she stuck her neck out to save a man she didn't even know.
Different: Pocahontas Wasn't An Adult
Disney sought to play the romance card between Pocahontas and John Smith, but their ages were a bit different when they first met. John Smith was around 27 years old when they first met, but Pocahantas was only 10 or 11 years old at this time.
It would have played against their romantic theme as she would have been way too young to be in love with a man as old as Smith. She eventually did marry an Englishman, but it wasn't Smith as she viewed him as more of a father figure.
Similar: John Ratcliffe Did Lead The Jamestown Colony
John Ratcliffe was the president of the colony when Pocahantas and John Smith first met, but he wasn't the villain the film made him out to be. They were in constant search of gold, as that was their mission, although, Ratcliffe faced a gruesome death.
He headed to see Chief Powhatan late in 1609 to beg for food, only to end up with most of his men dead and himself tortured to death in the process. The film made him an easy man to hate, but history tells a story that paints him as a desperate and starving man looking for handouts.
Different: They Didn't Meet Right Away
The film shows these two meeting right after the settlers reach the shore, but it actually took months for them to finally meet. Their meeting was even wrongly portrayed as the film showed them meeting near a waterfall, while history says that she saved him from death after he was captured and brought to her village.
It doesn't leave much up to the imagination which is why Disney probably changed it to keep viewers guessing as to where the story was going to go.
Similar: Chief Powhatan Was Her Father
Chief Powhatan is Pocahantas's father in the film, but he is more commonly known as Wahunsenacawh in the history books. He was also her father in real life as well and the story stayed true to the fact that her birth mom was not around.
Many theorize that she must have died during childbirth as most children, but this is still unknown as nothing was written of her whereabouts once the settlers arrived.
Different: She Did Marry Kocoum
Pocahantas can be seen running away from a marriage to Kocoum throughout the film, but history tells viewers that they actually did tie the knot. Many believe that she even loved him because he wasn't a chief and as the chief's daughter many would have expected her to choose someone with a higher status.
It is also unclear in the history books if he was a member of the Powhatan tribe, or if he belonged to the Patawomeck tribe. Fans might find it interesting how she ended up marrying an Englishman eventually despite her marriage to this man, but it is just another mystery about her life that shows no clear answer.
Similar: The Colonist's Mission Was To Find Gold
The settlers landed in Jamestown back in 1607 with a mission to find the gold that would make England rich. Unfortunately, no gold was ever found at this settlement, which the film also depicted, but they did discover tobacco.
This was the product that would make the settlement grow and thrive, but it wasn't until long after John Smith had left that this dream was realized.
Different: John Smith Wasn't Always Kind
John Smith is often portrayed as a man with a kind heart, which is why Pocahontas was so taken with him in the first place. This might have been true in the beginning but as the settlers grew hungry, they also turned violent.
The diplomacy that Smith first employed turned into the looting and burning of villages, which only increased tensions between the settlers and the Powhatan people.
Similar: Pocahantas Was Chief Powhatan's Favorite Child
The film doesn't mention Pocahantas having any other siblings, but it does showcase the intense love that Chief Powhatan had for his daughter. He often looks at her with kind eyes and seeks to give her whatever she wants within reason.
The film explores their relationship and those who know their history can see the similarities in their interactions in the film.