How did the relationship between the Pilgrims and Native Americans change during the Pilgrims' first years in the New World?
In mid March of the year 1621, the Pilgrims first met Massasoit, the sachem of the Pokanoket Native American tribe. Together with the Pilgrim's governor John Carver, they created a peace agreement made of six points. This meeting began the relationship between the Pilgrims and the Native Americans.
Why do you think signing this peace treaty was important for the Pilgrims and the Native Americans?
The famous First Thanksgiving was held in late September or early October. The meal was actually not called Thanksgiving, it was just a common harvest festival for the English! It became a big celebration with the Native Americans when Massasoit and a hundred Pokanokets came to the settlement with five deer. Here are some examples of food the Pilgrims and Native Americans shared:
Please click here to watch a short video of the true story of the First Thanksgiving and what food was served.
How is the First Thanksgiving similar to and different from your own Thanksgiving celebrations?
After the death of Massasoit and his son, Alexander, Philip became the sachem of the Pokanoket tribe. He called himself King Philip because he thought he was as powerful as the King of England! The Pilgrims had been selling the Native American's land, and he was angry. He also did not like the Pilgrim's new governor Edward Winslow.
What are your predictions about how Philip, the new leader of the Pokanokets, will change his tribe's relationship with the Pilgrims?
After months of planning, Philip and his men attacked the Pilgrims for the first time on June 24th of 1675. This caused the English to plan and attack the Indians. These fights started the King Philip's War. Philip made alliances with many other tribes, causing the war to spread across many regions. Philip and his men had bought weapons from the Pilgrims, and were skilled at using them.
Weapons were not the only things the Native Americans bought from the Pilgrims. The Pilgrims and Native Americans traded a lot of goods! Some of these other goods were:
How do you think this trading of goods helped and hurt the relationship between the Pilgrims and the Native Americans?
The Pilgrims created an alliance with the Sakonnet tribe. Just as the English helped the Native Americans fight by giving them weapons, the Sakonnets helped the Pilgrims learn how to fight in the swamps. With the help of the Sakonnets, the English were able to win the war. The war ended after death of Philip and the surrender of the Pokanoket's new chief named Annawon. The war ended on August 12th of 1676.
You now know more about the relationship between the Native Americans and the Pilgrims, and how it changed. After traveling through this timeline, do you think the relationship between the Native Americans and the Pilgrims was more positive or more negative?
*Hint- there is no correct or incorrect answer!*