Native Americans and Jamestown
Using primary sources, students will investigate the role of Native Americans in the successes and failures of Jamestown. Students will identify and analyze inaccurate portrayals of Pocahontas and Powhatan by comparing historical facts with literary fiction.
A lesson plan for grades 9 and 11–12 Social Studies
Learn more
- The Pocahontas Myth By Chief Roy Crazy Horse
Related pages
- Native American music: Two North Carolina tribes: In this lesson plan, students will listen to songs from two North Carolina tribes. Students will learn about the music through listening, analyzing, singing, moving, and playing instruments.
- Language families: Students will identify and locate the three language families of contact period North Carolina and calculate the physical area covered by each language family.
- Shadows of North Carolina's past: Students will infer past Native American lifeways based on observation, construct a timeline of four major culture periods in Native American history, and compare these lifeways and discuss how they are different and alike.
Related topics
- Learn more about American Indians, American history, Jamestown, history, and social studies.
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Learning outcomes
Students will:
- compare and contrast life for Native Americans before and after Jamestown was colonized
- identify problems encountered by the settlers of Jamestown
- analyze primary sources and identify bias
Teacher planning
Time required for lesson
90 minutes
Materials/resources
- copies of both Pocahontas portraits: 1 | 2
- copies of Lawson’s Biographical Information
- copies of an excerpt from Lawson’s book (see relevant websites)
- copies of Chief Roy Crazy Horse’s “The Pocahontas Myth”
Technology resources
internet connectivity
Pre-activities
Introduce students, briefly, to the history of Jamestown.
Activities
Read excerpts from John Lawson’s, “A New Voyage to Carolina” and his biography. Describe his attitude towards the Native Americans. How does he view them? What prejudices does he exhibit? Why did he write this book? Who was the intended audience?
Compare and contrast the portrait of Pocahontas, copied from an engraving made in 1616, with Disney’s version of the princess.
Read and respond to Chief Roy Crazy Horse’s “The Pocahontas Myth.”
Assessment
Students will respond to the Chief Crazy Horse article by writing a one page essay. The well written essay will refute or deny his claims by providing supporting details.
Supplemental information
Comments
None
North Carolina Curriculum Alignment
Social Studies (2003)
Grade 11–12 — American Indian Studies
- Goal 2: The learner will analyze the historical developments that characterize Native American life in the period prior to the Civil War.
- Objective 2.01: Explain the effects of contact and conflict between American Indians and Europeans.
- Objective 2.02: Assess the impact of exploration and colonization of the Americas by Spain, France, England, and other European powers.
Grade 9
- Goal 2: Emerging Civilizations - The learner will analyze the development of early civilizations in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
- Objective 2.08: Evaluate the achievements of the major civilizations of the Americas during the pre-Columbian epoch including, but not limited to, the Aztecs, Incas, and Mayas.
