Give Me Liberty Summary

As we look at our history, it is clear that it was not easy. Being where we are today it is hard to grasp the concept that things were so different than how we know now. As we read the primary source Narratives of early Virginia By Captain John Smith and also our history book Give me Liberty by Eric Foner it is evident the role that the Native Americans played in the colonization of Jamestown, Virginia. The Native Americans were a vital part of Jamestowns success. Even though there was a great deal of conflict, there was also of peace present for the vital years of the colony.

When John Smith and the settlers that accompanied him to the Chesapeake Bay arrived, it is known to be that there was already 15,000-25,000 Natives already living in

For two years, peacefully, the colony and natives traded. For the colonists to now have access to food, was a new beginning for them. There was a lot less death (even though there was still the presence of diseases), a lot more people were surviving. With instruction from Smith the colony was getting along, not as well as it could have been, but surviving just enough. Smith is the one that that creates a bond with Powhatan that was easy to see in Narratives of early Virginia, so when Smith was injured in an accident and had to return to England in 1609, the two groups started with conflict again. (Foner 59-61)

The conflict didn 't stop until late 1644, but a great deal happened in those 43 years. The Uprising of 1622, left its toll on both Jamestown and the natives. When over a thousand Indians and colonists had been killed from these brutal outrages, a settlement of peace was signed into action between the two groups. When you think of the past, do you think of the influence the Indians had on the colonies of New America? I was not aware of the vital help of the natives to the Jamestown colony to make sure they were successful. At the time they probably were not aware of this assistance to successfulness, but as we know now it was