The Powhatan Confederacy, led by Chief Powhatan, initially had complex interactions with the English settlers at Jamestown that involved both cooperation and conflict. At first, the Powhatan people welcomed the settlers and helped them survive by teaching them how to grow food and by trading supplies such as corn, meat, and furs in exchange for European goods like metal tools and cloth. Pocahontas, Chief Powhatan's daughter, played a significant role as an intermediary between the two groups, even marrying the English settler John Rolfe, which temporarily improved relations. However, tensions arose as the English settlers expanded their tobacco cultivation, encroaching on Powhatan lands and straining resources. The settlers' search for wealth often led to neglect of self-sufficiency and reliance on Native American food, which worsened relations. Conflicts escalated with periods of warfare, raids, and reprisals lasting more than a decade. The differing cultural views on land ownership, religious beliefs, and governance fueled ongoing antagonism between the Powhatan and settlers. In summary, the Powhatan interacted with the settlers through initial trade and cooperation, significant cultural exchange, and eventual warfare due to territorial and resource pressures, culminating in a volatile and changing relationship marked by both moments of peace and violence.