Native American Women
Native American women held important roles in the history of making America, as well as providing a strong factor in their own cultures as well. These women were brave and were true heroines and diserve to take their place among the famouse historians we recognize more frequently.
Sacajawea
(1788-1812)
Sacajawea a Shoshone Indian went with Captain Meriwether Lewis and Captain William Clark into Missouri and other territories of the Louisiana Purchase she was the only woman to accompany the expedition. She acted as an interpreter for this first U.S. exploration of a route from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean and made many valuable contributions to the success of the mission.
Links to other information reguarding Sacajawea
http://www.powersource.com/..//gallery/womansp/shoshoni.html
http://www.rochester.k12.mn.us/century/explorers/sacajaw.html
Pocohontas
Powhatan's daughter you may know her as Pocahontas, Her father knew her as "Matoaka" Still others know her by her christian name "Rebecca" given to her during her baptisim. Everyone is probably quite familiar with the story(emphasis on the word story)told by disney where Matoaka saves the life of John Smith (which may or may not be true)but there is more story to her life then portrayed in "Pocohontas"which by the way means spoiled child or naughty one. Anyway its not nearly as glamorous as Disney would have you believe.
John Rolfe was a planter who was able to create a mild hybrid tobacco plant, from seeds he had brought with him to Jamestown ,a crop which eventually helped to make the struggling colony a financial success. Matoaka married colonist John Rolfe April 1614, as a condition for her release from being held captive in the fort at Jamestown. She had became a prisnor at the young age of 17 while on a social visit. She was held captive for over a year.
In the spring of 1616, Rolfe took her to England where the Virginia Company of London used her in their propaganda campaign to support the colony.
John Rolfe and Matoaka had one child a son whom they named Thomas.
Matoaka took ill and died March 21,1617. She was just 21 years of age. She is buried in Gravesend England.
Links to other information reguarding Pocahontas "Matoaka"
