Henry Woodward was an early colonist of South Carolina who was instrumental in establishing contact with Native Americans and setting up a trading system.
Woodward first arrived in Charleston, SC in 1671, when the settlement was still known as Charles Towne. He was part of a group of settlers who were seeking religious freedom and economic opportunity, but he quickly realized that he needed to find a way to maintain good relations with the local Native Americans if he wanted to stay alive.
Woodward's first step was to learn their language. He began by teaching himself how to speak it, and then he taught other colonists so that they could communicate with Native Americans as well.
His second step was establishing trade between the two groups by creating a currency system based on wampum beads—made from seashells found along the South Carolina coast—and tobacco leaves. This system allowed colonists and Native Americans alike to exchange goods for items they needed or wanted without having to rely on bartering or hunting for food (which could be dangerous).