Pocahontas was a Native American woman born around 1596 in what is now Virginia. She was the daughter of Powhatan, the chief of the Powhatan Confederacy, a group of tribes in the region. Pocahontas is best known for her association with the English settler John Smith and her later marriage to John Rolfe, which helped establish a period of peace between the English settlers and the Powhatan tribes. Pocahontas played a significant role in early American history, symbolizing the potential for cooperation between Native Americans and European settlers. Her life has been romanticized in various forms of media, including the famous Disney animated film, but her true story reflects the complexities of cultural exchange and conflict during the early 17th century.