John Ratcliffe (governor) facts for kids

John Ratcliffe (born John Sicklemore; 1549 – December 1609) was an early English colonist and sailor. He helped found the Jamestown colony in Virginia. Ratcliffe was the captain of the Discovery. This was the smallest of three ships that sailed from England in 1606. They arrived in Virginia in April 1607. He later became the second president of the Jamestown colony. Native Americans from the Pamunkey tribe killed him in late 1609.

Life of John Ratcliffe

John Sicklemore was born in Lancashire, England. When he was young, he changed his name to Ratcliffe. He worked as a sailor before traveling to Virginia.

Journey to Jamestown

In December 1606, John Ratcliffe sailed from England to Virginia. He was captain of the Discovery. This ship was the smallest of three that made the journey. The other two ships were the Susan Constant and the Godspeed. They arrived in Virginia in April 1607. Their goal was to start an English colony.

Leading the Colony

Ratcliffe became a leader, or councillor, in the Jamestown Colony. He took charge of the colony after Edward Maria Wingfield was removed on September 10, 1607. This made Ratcliffe the second president of Jamestown.

However, many colonists were not happy with his leadership. They disagreed with how he traded with the Native Americans. They also disliked his decisions during times when food was scarce. Ratcliffe also asked the colonists to build a governor's house. This made many people angry, especially when they were sick and dying. They called this project "Ratcliffe's Palace."

In July 1608, Ratcliffe was removed from his role as president. Matthew Scrivener took over from him.

Working with John Smith

John Ratcliffe worked with explorer John Smith. Together, they helped remove Edward Wingfield from his position as president. Ratcliffe then became president and asked Smith to organize work for the colonists. Smith also led trips to trade with Native Americans.

By January 1608, only 38 colonists were still alive. Ratcliffe and the other leaders thought about returning to England. In May 1609, Ratcliffe commanded another ship called Diamond. This ship was part of a group of ships bringing more supplies to Jamestown.

Death of John Ratcliffe

In late 1609, Jamestown faced a very difficult time. It was known as The Starving Time. During this period, Ratcliffe and 25 other colonists were invited to meet with a large group of Powhatan Native Americans. The Powhatan people promised them corn in exchange for copper.

However, this was a trap. The colonists received almost empty food baskets. Then, the Powhatan Indians attacked them. Only two colonists managed to escape. Ratcliffe was captured and taken to the village. He was killed there. Because of this event, he was sometimes called "Luckless Captain Ratcliffe."

John Ratcliffe in Popular Culture

John Ratcliffe is a character in Disney's animated movie Pocahontas (1995). In the film, he is shown as a very greedy and ambitious person. He is the main villain of the story. His character believes that the Powhatan tribe is savage. He also thinks they have hidden gold in Virginia. He wants to fight the Native Americans to get this gold, even though there was no gold in Virginia.

In the movie, David Ogden Stiers provided the voice for Ratcliffe. Ratcliffe is also shown with his pet pug dog, Percy. Percy's name comes from the English colonist George Percy. Ratcliffe's servant, Wiggins, is also in the film.

Ratcliffe also appears in the sequel, Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World (1998). In this movie, he tries to trick King James I. He wants the king to let him send a large navy to attack the Powhatan people. He tries to ruin the meetings between Pocahontas and the king. However, his plans are discovered. King James then has him imprisoned for his actions.