Captain John Smith
By: Jordain Taylor
John Smith was the author of the first American book, A True Relation of Such Occurrences and Accidents of Note As Hath Happened in of Virginia, and the author and creator of maps that were used for 200 years after his death. Smith's second novel, A Description of New England in 1616, was like his first in that it was also based on his travels through Virginia. But what is known as Smith's most important and influential writing is A General Description of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles, which combines his earlier works with new information to give a more accurate and detailed account of America and its colonies. This book gives vivid and accurate accounts of the colonists early hardship and trials that they faced as they explored and dicovered Virginia and the New World. John Smith and his works are considered some of the most important and influential parts of American and Southern history.
In Smith's book, he describes all of the hardships and experiences that the settlers faced as they arrived in Virginia. In the book Smith talks about how he and his crew came to the New World on a charter from the King in 1607, their five month journey, and then everything from the limited food supply to the encounters with Native Americans after their arrival, and the explosion that sent him back to England. During his book he explains how the colonists' food supply dwindled quickly after their arrival, and how the food that they did live off of was almost a month old while they were eating it. Smith also tells of how it was normal to have ten people die before the end of a two week period because of the lack of food. Smith also gives a detailed description of his capture and near execution by a local Indian tribe, and he explains about how he was saved by the Chief's daughter, Pocahontas. He tells of how he was made the Chief's son after a friendship ceremony was held in his honor. After his release, Smith and the colonists and the Natives had a love hate relationship. Smith also tells of a near fatal accident where gun powder exploded and he was badly burned. This accident forces Smith to return to England to seek medical treatment that couldn't be provided in the New World. Several years later, Smith returned to America where he explored parts of New England.
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