1. BE A HISTORICAL DETECTIVE!
INVESTIGATING AND INTERPRETING AN HISTORICAL SOURCE

2. What do you see in this piece of the picture?
Is there anything you recognize?

3. Where in the colonies do you think this picture might be taking place?
What is your evidence?

4. Who do you think is in this picture? Can you HYPOTHESIZE who they are?

5. What kind of event do you think might be taking place
What kind of event do you think might be taking place? What clues led you to this hypothesis?

6. Does this slide change support your hypothesis about what kind of event is taking place? Why or why not?

7. Now you know this is the wedding of Pocahontas and John Rolfe
Now you know this is the wedding of Pocahontas and John Rolfe! Do you think that this marriage was more historically significant than other weddings of colonial times? Why or why not?

8. When do you think this picture might have been drawn
When do you think this picture might have been drawn? Do you believe this is a primary source (drawn by an eyewitness) or a secondary source (drawn by someone not present)?

9. This picture was actually drawn in 1867, so it is a secondary source.

10. What does the picture say about relations between colonists and Native Americans?
Was the artist trying to portray CONFLICT, COOPERATION or some COMBINATION of both between the two groups? What do you think?

11. For more information about this historical source and other historical sources related to Colonial America, please visit the following site:
Spohni, G. (1867). The wedding of Pocahontas with John Rolfe. Philadelphia: Joseph Hoover. Retrieved on August 17, 2006 at: