1. What was the Powhatan Confederacy and how did this group interact with the British settlers?

Federation of Indian tribes of North America from the Algonquian language family living in the area of today's state of Virginia. The federation numbering in the seventeenth century, from 9 to 14 000 people

Powhatan (or later tribes belonging to the federation) for the first time established contacts with Europeans in 1570 when the Spaniards attempted to colonize the coast of North America. Contacts intensified when, in the heart of the lands Powhatan English founded Jamestown colony, which soon developed into a colony called Virginia. The Natives initially treated the colonists with the friendly distrust, trying to achieve commercial benefits, in particular to gain result of trade in goods unknown to them earlier like hardware. When it became clear to them that the settlers intend to stay in the colony permanently, they began to increased hostility. The result were three wars, the effect of which was the collapse of the federation. In 1677 the authorities of Virginia concluded treaties with Powhatan. The Treaty created two small reserves, where some of their descendants live today.