Before 1621, a numerous amount of events had occurred. But perhaps the most important was the arrival of the Pilgrims in Massachusetts, 1620.
The Pilgrim's arrival changed the Native American's way of life completely. The Native Americans seldom had encounters with the Europeans, and they were mainly unpleasant ones. When Europeans came, they often kidnapped Native Americans. For example, in 1561, Portugese explorer Gaspar Corte Real had kidnapped 4 natives nearby in Newfoundland, to name only one. .
But then, a group of Seperatists arrived in their territory, having been driven out of Cape Cod by the Nausets. They were called Pilgrims.
The Pilgrims and the Native Americans had made no contact until 3 months later, on March 22, 1621. On that fateful day, 2 Indians, Samoset and Tisquantum brought the message to the Pilgrims that their chief, Massasoit, wished to speak with them. From there, Governor John Carver and Massasoit worked out a peace treaty, making them allies.
The relations between the Pilgrims and the Native Americans remained peaceful. The pilgrims relied on the Indians for help and the Native Americans were glad to have European allies. So why did the relationship between the settlers and the Indians break down? The breakdown had been influenced by many factors such as the many different ward, the death of the peacemakers, and further expansion of the colonies. The Pequot War, Paxton Boys, King Phillip's War, Massachusetts Bay Colony, and the Wessagusset Colony are all included too.
One of the factors that influenced the breakdown was the death of the Peacemakers, such as Massasoit and Powhatan. When the leaders died, the new generation came in, and it did not seem like their successors trusted the Europeans so much any more. Powhatan was in charge of the 30-tribe Powhatan confederacy, which helped the Jamestown settlers by giving them food. Thus, the relationship between the English and the Native Americans were friendly with peaceful trade and outright warfare.
