Chinese, Cantonese (Sinitic) Note: Cantonese is a tonal language. Pronunciations provided below include numbers indicating tone. Tone 1 is high and level/falling; 2 is medium and rising; 3 is medium and level; 4 is low and falling; 5 is low and rising, 6 is low and level. The characters shown are Traditional Chinese characters.
John Rolfe. John Rolfe played a pivotal role in the early development of the American colonies. His success as a farmer had significant financial impact, and his marriage to Pocahontas solidified shaky relations with local Indians for several years. While Rolfe was not a famous figure of his time, his life and work helped shape the future of the American colonies in many ways.
Rolfe is also well-known because of his marriage to Pocahontas. This marriage brought a much-needed period of peace between the Indians and the colonists. The couple toured England in 1616 - 1617 and promoted the colony at Jamestown. John Rolfe was the son of John Rolfe and Dorothea Mason. He was born in Norfolk, England and baptized on May 6, 1585. Little is known of John Rolfe's early life in England. He was married (possibly in 1608) and in 1609 he and his wife set sail for Virginia on board the Sea Adventure.