How did Squanto help the colonists in New England
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How did Squanto help the colonists I New England
Squanto, also known as Tisquantum, played a crucial role in helping the colonists in New England, particularly the Pilgrims who settled in Plymouth. To understand how Squanto aided the colonists, we need to delve into history and the events surrounding the early colonial period in America.
1. Background: In 1620, the Pilgrims arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts, seeking religious freedom. They were ill-prepared for surviving in the unfamiliar land and had limited supplies.
2. Meeting Squanto: Squanto, a Patuxet Native American, had previously been captured and taken to Europe. Eventually, he returned to America and found his tribe completely wiped out by diseases brought by European explorers. Squanto encountered the struggling Pilgrims and became their interpreter, guide, and mentor.
3. Teaching Survival Skills: Squanto taught the Pilgrims crucial survival skills to thrive in the New England environment. He taught them how to cultivate native crops like corn, beans, and pumpkins and how to fish and hunt in the region. These skills were vital for their survival during the challenging early years.
4. Negotiating With Local Tribes: Squanto also served as a crucial intermediary between the colonists and several local Native American tribes, including the Wampanoag Confederacy led by Chief Massasoit. He helped negotiate treaties and establish alliances, ensuring a more peaceful coexistence between the settlers and the indigenous people.
5. Facilitating Trade: Squanto played a key role in helping the colonists establish trade relationships with other Native American tribes in the region. Through his networks and knowledge of the local customs, he helped the Pilgrims establish valuable trade partnerships, which contributed to their economic stability.
6. Providing Diplomatic Assistance: Squanto served as a diplomat for the Pilgrims, helping to bridge cultural and linguistic gaps between the colonists and the Native Americans. His language skills and cultural understanding allowed for communication and mutual understanding to develop between the two groups.
In summary, Squanto's assistance to the colonists in New England was multi-faceted. He taught them essential survival skills, facilitated trade and alliances, and acted as a mediator between the settlers and Native American tribes. His contributions were instrumental in helping the Pilgrims establish themselves in the New World.