The war started from 1609-1614. The Indians of Tsenacomoco had met with Europeans in the past. In 1570, Don Luís de Velasco, an Indian who had left home on a Spanish ship, transferred his race to Catholicism, and changed his name, returned to the Chesapeake with a party of Jesuit people,Several months later, he led Indians on a raid that killed all the Spaniards except for a young boy. When the Englishmen built a fort in may 1607,they chose their site based on how best to defend themselves from the Spanish, not the Indians. 

Powhatan wanted to learn about the colonists so he sent an attack to see how much fire power they had, and to see if they would have a chance in battle.In December 1607, a communal hunting party led by Powhatan's younger brother Opechancanough took John Smith, eventually sending him to Werowocomoco, on the York River. At the York river according to the rumors,Pocahontas saved his life. But many people that study him now believe that Smith instead may have been an adoption ritual when Powhatan attempted to convince the colonists into his chiefdom. Offering Smith the title of werowance, or chief, of the village of Cappahosic,near Werowocomoco, Powhatan hoped to place the Englishman where he could closely watch him. Smith did not want to be chief, declaring his allegiance to King James I, but later that year he attempted, more or less, to adopt Powhatan. 

In September 1608, Smith and Captain Christopher Newport awkwardly crowned the mamanatowick in order to make him subject to the English king. Powhatan accepted their gifts but soon after cut off trade with the English.. John Smith told 2 groups of soldiers to go live off the land they tried to go and talk to an indian tribe but their messengers disappeared and they attacked the town and took their copper and glass beads. In november a boy told them that powhatan invited them to the new capital at oparox and the group that went was led by john ratcliffe but instead of a bunch of stuff to trade it was an ambush and john ratcliffe was skinned alive by women with mussel shells. Again powhatan was cutting off trade and access to the surrounding woods because that's where the colonists got their food. The colonists had to eat mice, rats, dogs, cats , musk turtles and sometimes each other. 

The Indians' desire to take prisoners acted as a restraint. At present-day West Point, where the York and Mattaponi rivers meet, the Englishmen disembarked and faced down several hundred Indians. When, after two days, neither side was willing to fire first, the colonists returned to Jamestown. Pocahontas got married to a man named John Rolfe and the english and the Indians both agreed that the marriage could bring peace.  This is when the war ended. Eight years later the 2nd anglo-powhatan war started. Thank you.