== Right: ==

== Right: ==

After today's lecture, and watching the movie tonight, I have to say that Disney did get some things correct.  For instance, in the beginning of the movie, they showed the women gathering the crops, and the men were fishing, gender divisions of labor that we talked about in class.  Also, towards the end of the movie, John Smith was about to have his head bashed in with a club, we discussed this event in class today as well.  This is not to say that Disney got everything right, but they did get a few things about Pocahontas correct.  ~Katherine Stinson~

After today's lecture, and watching the movie tonight, I have to say that Disney did get some things correct.  For instance, in the beginning of the movie, they showed the '''women gathering the crops, and the men were fishing''', gender divisions of labor that we talked about in class.  Also, towards the end of the movie, John Smith was about to have his head bashed in with a club, we discussed this event in class today as well.  This is not to say that Disney got everything right, but they did get a few things about Pocahontas correct.  ~Katherine Stinson~

While as a movie it is entertaining and not the most historically accurate, it did have some truth to it. As we learned yesterday, women would work in the fields gathering food as a community which is portrayed in the movie. Also, the men are shown fishing which was an important source of nutrition for the Native Americans. -- Mallory C.  

While as a movie it is entertaining and not the most historically accurate, it did have some truth to it. As we learned yesterday, women would work in the fields gathering food as a community which is portrayed in the movie. Also, the men are shown fishing which was an important source of nutrition for the Native Americans. -- Mallory C.  

In class on Tuesday, we discussed the gendered division of labor among the Powhatan Indians establishing that the women were in charge of agriculture and the men in charge of fishing and hunting.  We concluded that because agriculture was a large part of the diet, women must be valued and have some degree of power.  This is not necessarily true.  While certainly possible, and I do not know about the Powhatan in particular but, there are many societies where the women do a large portion of the work but are not valued for either because what the women produce is not considered important or the men view the product of the women’s labor as belonging to them e.g. a man’s wife farms pigs but the pigs are owned by the man.  – Wesley Weeks

In class on Tuesday, we discussed the gendered division of labor among the Powhatan Indians establishing that the women were in charge of agriculture and the men in charge of fishing and hunting.  '''We concluded that because agriculture was a large part of the diet, women must be valued and have some degree of power.  This is not necessarily true.''' While certainly possible, and I do not know about the Powhatan in particular but, there are many societies where the women do a large portion of the work but are not valued for either because what the women produce is not considered important or the men view the product of the women’s labor as belonging to them e.g. a man’s wife farms pigs but the pigs are owned by the man.  – Wesley Weeks

It is disappointing to see how Disney portrays the stories of John Smith and Pocahontas, as history shows that there were no feelings of love between the two.  It is clear from the tone of Pocahontas that the movie was intended for young audiences, as the Disney story is much happier and portrays the lives of all people involved to be much easier than was actually the case. –Ashley Scutari

It is disappointing to see how Disney portrays the stories of John Smith and Pocahontas, as history shows that '''there were no feelings of love between the two'''.  It is clear from the tone of Pocahontas that the movie was intended for young audiences, as the Disney story is much happier and portrays the lives of all people involved to be much easier than was actually the case. –Ashley Scutari

'''Dear Dr. M - I hate to admit this but once again you were right.  Determing the historical accuracy of a movie such as "Pocahontas" is indeed like shooting fish in a barrel. I'm sorry I doubted you.''' But to be fair, one has to admit that the reaction that the Native Americans had when first seeing the "pale faced ones" had to be pretty accurate.  It was a new group of people arriving on their land and they didn't know anything about them.  They were unprepared to deal with them and that was shown in the movie.  Powhatan even mentioned to Kocoum that they couldn't just immediately go fight - they didn't know enough about their enemy to ensure they would win. --Kelly Wuyscik

'''Dear Dr. M - I hate to admit this but once again you were right.  Determing the historical accuracy of a movie such as "Pocahontas" is indeed like shooting fish in a barrel. I'm sorry I doubted you.''' But to be fair, one has to admit that the reaction that the Native Americans had when first seeing the "pale faced ones" had to be pretty accurate.  It was a new group of people arriving on their land and they didn't know anything about them.  They were unprepared to deal with them and that was shown in the movie.  Powhatan even mentioned to Kocoum that they couldn't just immediately go fight - they didn't know enough about their enemy to ensure they would win. --Kelly Wuyscik

if you want to see how Disney portrays the relationship between John Rolfe and Pocahontas, you should watch Pocahontas 2.  It has been a while since I have seen the movie, but I think it was, in a way, Disney's attempt at redeeming itself.  In the sequel, Pocahontas and Rolfe get married and travel to London, where she runs into John Smith.  The first Pocahontas movie ends with a cliff hanger, with their decision to at least keep Pocahontas in Virginia.  At least in that respect, they were accurate and Pocahontas's story does not end with her love affair with the Australian, devilishly handsome John Smith.  Despite Disney's attempt to make history into an endearing romance between a 10 year old girl and a bearded 30-year old captain, Pocahontas has to be one of my favorite Disney movies. ~Juliann Boyles

'''if you want to see how Disney portrays the relationship between John Rolfe and Pocahontas, you should watch Pocahontas 2'''.  It has been a while since I have seen the movie, but I think it was, in a way, Disney's attempt at redeeming itself.  In the sequel, Pocahontas and Rolfe get married and travel to London, where she runs into John Smith.  The first Pocahontas movie ends with a cliff hanger, with their decision to at least keep Pocahontas in Virginia.  At least in that respect, they were accurate and Pocahontas's story does not end with her love affair with the Australian, devilishly handsome John Smith.  Despite Disney's attempt to make history into an endearing romance between a 10 year old girl and a bearded 30-year old captain, Pocahontas has to be one of my favorite Disney movies. ~Juliann Boyles

'''Talking Trees'''

'''Talking Trees'''