This July 4, we will celebrate the 240th birthday of the United States. The U.S. was created under rather unique circumstances, giving us a special place in the world. As Americans, we should never forget both the good and the bad that have happened over our history. These events have shaped who we are as a nation.
Beginning in 1585, England had tried and failed to establish a colony in the New World. In May 1607, a group of English adventurers formed the first permanent English colony in what is now Virginia. They named their settlement Jamestown in honor of King James I. Due to bad luck and mismanagement, the colony was nearly starved out of existence the first winter. Relations with the local Native American tribes, the Powhatan Confederacy, were rocky, but without the help of tribal members, the Englishmen would have died.
In the winter of 1609-10, the relationship between the Native Americans and the English became so bad that the colonists were in a state of war, and over four-fifths of them died of illness and starvation. Conditions eventually improved, but the future of the colony was still in doubt.
The leader of the Powhatan Confederacy was titled Chief Powhatan. In 1613, one of the colonial leaders kidnapped Chief Powhatan’s daughter Pocahontas. Despite negotiations for her return, the two sides couldn’t come to an agreement, so Pocahontas remained a prisoner of the English.
During her captivity, Pocahontas converted to Christianity. She married an English tobacco planter named John Rolfe on April 5, 1614 and they had a son, Thomas Rolfe, born Jan. 30, 1615. Because of this marriage, the colonists and the Powhatans were at peace for almost eight years, allowing Jamestown to prosper. During a trip to England in 1616-1617, Pocahontas died. Her son Thomas became a leader in Virginia, and several members of Virginia’s First Families trace their roots back to him. First Lady Edith Wilson was one of these descendants of Pocahontas and John Rolfe.
Pocahontas was a real woman, not a Disney cartoon character. She lived a real life, and because of her, the English were able to gain a foothold in Virginia and beyond. Whether that was a good or bad thing, it happened, and Pocahontas was a major reason. It would not be a stretch to say that Pocahontas had a vital part in the creation of the United States.
Now the presumptive Republican candidate for president, Donald Trump, has decided that the name Pocahontas is a derogatory term, to be used as an insult. He seems to enjoy calling Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., by that name, apparently believing he’s scoring points with his followers. By doing this, he not only shows his mean streak, he exposes his complete ignorance of our country’s history. Trump is so breathtakingly ignorant, I don’t know if he even realizes Pocahontas was a real person. I’m positive he has no idea how she influenced our country’s formation.
Trump promises his followers simplistic solutions to serious problems. This is the classic behavior of a cult leader. His followers are so enraptured, they don’t seem to care anything about truth, integrity, civility, or what’s best for America; all they care about is adoring Trump. Even when Trump contradicts himself, which he sometimes does in the space of one sentence, they believe him, not noticing or caring about the impossibility of everything contradictory he says being true.
On this Independence Day, we should remember that there are no instant answers, no matter who promises them. At a naturalization ceremony on July 4, 2012, President Obama said this about the new citizens: “It has taken these men and women — these Americans — years, even decades, to realize their dream. And this, too, reminds us of a lesson of the Fourth. On that July day, our Founders declared their independence. But they only declared it; it would take another seven years to win the war. Fifteen years to forge a Constitution and a Bill of Rights. Nearly 90 years, and a great Civil War, to abolish slavery. Nearly 150 years for women to win the right to vote. Nearly 190 years to enshrine voting rights. And even now, we’re still perfecting our union, still extending the promise of America.”
Those are the words we should live by. We have a wonderful country, and we need to keep working to make it even better. Simplistic answers and snake oil won’t do it. Happy Birthday, America! May we have many more!
Jeanette Strong, whose column appears every other week, is a Nevada Press Association award-winning columnist. She may be reached at news@lahontanvalleynews.com.