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Why Did Powhatan Tolerate Captain John Smith and the Jamestown Settlers?

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Why Did Powhatan Tolerate Captain John Smith and the Jamestown Settlers?

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There is no doubt that Powhatan could have easily wiped out the Jamestown colony in its first years. There is sometimes speculation by scholars on why he did not do so. When the English arrived, tribes to the north and west were challenging Powhatan’s rule. Some people think that Powhatan may have seen these as a greater threat than the English. Perhaps he saw Captain John Smith as a new sub-chief who could provide useful weapons. Or perhaps, he simply believed that the English were just a harmless nuisance who would leave soon. Those knowledgeable on Algonquian cultures point out that it would have gone against custom for Powhatan to have destroyed a visiting group of people. From the Indian perspective, the English showed some talents and knowledge that would have been useful if they could be brought under Powhatan’s leadership or if they remained as allies.

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