Powhatan facts for kids

The Coronation of Powhatan, a painting from 1835 by John Gadsby Chapman.

The Powhatan are a group of Algonquian people who originally lived in eastern Virginia. They are the descendants of the Powhatan Confederacy. Sometimes, the name "Powhatan" also refers to a famous leader of these people. This is often seen in old writings by the English.

These people are also known as the Virginia Algonquians. This is because their language, Powhatan, is an eastern-Algonquian language. Experts believe that between 14,000 and 21,000 Powhatan people lived in eastern Virginia. This was around the year 1607, when the English first came to live in Jamestown.

Powhatan Life and Culture

A reconstructed Powhatan village at the Jamestown Settlement museum.

How the Powhatan Were Organized

Powhatan families who were related to each other formed tribes. Each tribe had a leader called a weroance (say: WUH-ro-ance). The most important leader over all the tribes was called the mamanatowick (say: mah-mah-NAH-toh-wick). This great chief was also known as Powhatan.

Where the Powhatan Lived

The Powhatan people lived on a large area of land in Virginia. To the north, their land was bordered by the Potomac River. The Fall Line was their border to the west. To the south, their land reached the Virginia-North Carolina border. The Atlantic Ocean was to their east.

Daily Life and Culture

In Powhatan society, men were usually the warriors and hunters. Women were in charge of everything at home. This included gardening, cooking, and making things. They also built the homes. Women often worked together in "work parties" to get more done. When men went on long hunting trips, women would go ahead to set up the hunting camps.

Powhatan Homes

The Powhatan people built their homes, called yehakins (say: YEH-hah-kins), in villages. Powhatan women would bend young, thin trees (saplings) to make the frame. Then, they covered the frame with woven mats or bark. They used fires inside to keep their homes warm. Any bedding they needed was easy to put away during the day.

What the Powhatan Ate

The Powhatan people used the land around them very well. They grew crops, mostly maize (corn). They also went fishing and hunted animals in the big forests. When an area of land became less rich, they would move. This allowed the soil to recover and plants and animals to grow back.

History of the Powhatan

In the late 1500s and early 1600s, a powerful chief named Wahunsenacawh (say: Wah-hun-sen-ah-kaw) brought 30 tribes together. They formed a strong group in eastern Virginia. They called this area Tsenacommacah (say: Tsen-ah-KOM-ah-kah), which meant "densely inhabited Land." Each tribe had its own weroance, but they all answered to Wahunsenacawh. The English called him "The Powhatan (Chief)."

Over time, problems grew between the English settlers and the Powhatan. But Wahunsenacawh was able to keep the peace until he died in 1618. After his death, his brother Opechancanough became chief. He attacked the English settlers. Many fights with the English, along with new sicknesses like measles and smallpox brought by Europeans, caused the Powhatan population to drop greatly.

By the mid-1600s, the English leaders needed more people to work on their farms. Many people came from England and Europe to work for a set time. Later, people were also brought from Africa to work. Some workers who escaped went to live with the Powhatan.

Today, eight Native tribes in Virginia are officially recognized. They have family ties to the Powhatan Confederacy. The Pamunkey and Mattaponi are the only two groups who have kept their original reservation lands since the 1600s. Over time, some Powhatan and English people married each other. The most famous marriage was between Pocahontas and John Rolfe. Their son, Thomas Rolfe, has many descendants in Virginia today. Many of the old Virginia families have both English and Virginia Algonquian ancestors.

Interesting Facts About the Powhatan

• The name Powhatan can be pronounced "Pow-HAT-un" or "POW-hat-un."
• In the Virginia Algonquian language, Powhatan meant "waterfall."
• Bear fat was very important to the Powhatan. In summer, they rubbed it on their bodies to keep mosquitoes away. In winter, they used it to stay warm.
• The area ruled by Chief Powhatan (Wahunsenacawh) was called Tsenacommacah.
• When the English settlers first arrived, Chief Wahunsenacawh sent them food.
• The Powhatan created fun activities to help them run quickly. This skill was important for hunting and fighting.
• In 1609, Powhatan left his main area because the English settlers wanted to make his tribe follow England's rules.
• Many stories told about Pocahontas are not completely true.

Images for kids

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  The red line shows the border between the Virginia Colony and Native American tribes after the Treaty of 1646. The red dot shows Jamestown.

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  John Smith's map from 1624 shows the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers. It also shows where many Powhatan villages were located.

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  This image shows 'John Smith taking the King of Pamunkey prisoner' from Smith's General History of Virginia (1624). The image of Opechancanough is based on an older painting.

See also

In Spanish: Powhatan para niños