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Is the movie The New World (2005) based on a true story?

Emily Rodriguez Emily Rodriguez Sep 21, 2018 · 2 mins read
Is the movie The New World (2005) based on a true story?
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Yes, The New World (2005) is based on historical events and characters. The story portrays the encounters between English explorer John Smith and Powhatan princess Pocahontas during the early years of the colonization of Virginia in the 1600s. However, the film takes artistic liberties with some of the details and the portrayal of the relationships between the characters.

What is the true story behind the movie The New World (2005)?

The New World is a historical drama film directed by Terrence Malick, released in 2005. It depicts the story of the Jamestown settlement in Virginia and the relationships that developed between English explorer John Smith and Native American princess Pocahontas.

The film is based on historical events, but it also takes some liberties with the story. Here are a few key details:

  • John Smith did arrive in Virginia in 1607 as part of the Jamestown settlement. He was captured by the Powhatan Confederacy, which was led by Chief Powhatan, Pocahontas’s father. It’s unclear whether Smith and Pocahontas had a romantic relationship, although they did interact and Pocahontas famously saved Smith from being executed.
  • Pocahontas did marry an Englishman named John Rolfe, who introduced tobacco as a cash crop to the Jamestown colony. Pocahontas and Rolfe had a son named Thomas. However, Pocahontas died in England in 1617, possibly from smallpox.
  • The movie depicts the Native Americans as peaceful and in harmony with nature, while the English are shown as violent and destructive. While it’s true that the English colonizers did bring disease and destruction to the Native American population, it’s also true that there was violence on both sides.

Overall, while The New World takes some liberties with the history, it remains a compelling portrayal of the interactions between the Native Americans and the English settlers in the early years of the Jamestown colony.

Are there any books about the true story behind the movie The New World (2005)?

Yes, there are books about the true story behind the movie The New World (2005). Some of the books are:

  1. The Jamestown Adventure: Accounts of the Virginia Colony, 1605-1614 by Ed Southern
  2. Captain John Smith: A Select Edition of His Writings edited by Karen Kupperman
  3. Powhatan’s World and Colonial Virginia: A Conflict of Cultures by Frederic W. Gleach
  4. The Powhatan Indians of Virginia: Their Traditional Culture by Helen Rountree
  5. Pocahontas and the Powhatan Dilemma: The American Portraits Series by Camilla Townsend.

You can try an audible free trial and search for audiobook versions of those

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Emily Rodriguez
Written by Emily Rodriguez
Making waves wherever I go