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Stereotyped As Indian Princesses To Appeal To The European Colonists

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Native American women were stereotyped as Indian Princesses to appeal to the European colonists.

The first colony that proved long lasting was an English colony. The colony was named Jamestown after James I. Merchants came to Virginia in 1607, eventually bringing more colonists to populate the area. Among the people to come to the new world was a man named Captain John Smith. Captain John Smith was captured by men from the Powhatan people and was to be executed. But a young girl, the Chief of the Powhatan tribe’s daughter, Pocahontas risked herself to save him. Through her life Pocahontas was stripped of her true self when the colonists began marketing her appearance. Native American women were stereotyped as Indian Princesses to appeal to …show more content…

In this book he told the tale of how he was saved by Pocahontas. Pocahontas is separated from her people with a few words that he expresses toward the other Native American women described. “On either hand did sit a young wench of sixteen or eighteen years” (John Smith, source 1-3, p. 32) Here, Captain John Smith is using the word wench as a derogatory term, but his words change when describing Pocahontas as “the king’s dearest daughter” (John Smith, source 1-3, p. 33) Pocahontas would not appeal to the European people if she was merely a wench or a squaw. She was an example that Native Americans could be converted to the European way of life. The European colonists wanted more people to join them and if they portrayed the Native Americans as people like them, the people from Europe will be more willing to come to the new …show more content…

Mary Rowlandson observed the Native American’s hunting and eating habits while she was held in captivity with them. She recalled the variety of animals and animal parts they would eat with a mocking tone. “They would eat…Dogs, Skunks, Rattle-snakes; yea, the very Bark of Trees…and provisions they plundered from the English” (Mary Rowlandson, source 2-4, p. 81). This view of the Native Americans that Mary Rowlandson presented ensured the previous thoughts toward Native Americans. The Indians are presented as mindless consuming beats, killing and eating everything, even the supplies stolen from the English. This portrayal of the Native Americans plays a role in degrading them. When a group of people is shown to others as less than human it makes it easier to regulate them. The Europeans would use the Native Americans in two ways. To the Europeans across the sea, they would demonstrate how easily Native Americans could become civilized. This is executed with the use of Pocahontas as the main mascot. She is shown in clothing similar to the Europeans, she is even painted to mimic their physical characteristics. The second way the Europeans used the Native Americans was to dehumanize them. By considering them uncivilized they are able to place themselves above the Native Americans. This made the Native Americans easier to control and to kill. The Europeans were promoting the convertible stereotype of the Indian Princess

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