Pequot War

Definition

The Pequot War was a violent conflict that took place in 1636-1637 between the Pequot tribe and the English colonists of New England, as well as their Native American allies. The war was a significant event in the development of the English settlements in America and the religious upheavals in the Atlantic world during this time period.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Pequot War was triggered by the murder of an English trader, which led the English to seek retribution against the Pequot tribe.
2. The English colonists were supported by their Native American allies, the Mohegan and Narragansett tribes, who were rivals of the Pequot.
3. The Pequot were defeated in a series of battles, including the Mystic Massacre, where English and Native American forces burned a Pequot village, killing hundreds of men, women, and children.
4. The Pequot War resulted in the near-destruction of the Pequot tribe, with many survivors sold into slavery or absorbed into other tribes.
5. The Pequot War was a significant victory for the English colonists, who were able to expand their settlements and solidify their control over the region.

Review Questions

• Explain how the Pequot War was connected to the religious upheavals in the developing Atlantic world.
  • The Pequot War was closely tied to the religious beliefs and practices of the Puritans, who were the dominant religious group in the New England colonies. The Puritans saw the conflict with the Pequot as a battle between their strict, biblically-based form of Christianity and the 'heathen' practices of the Native Americans. The war was also influenced by the Puritans' belief in divine providence, as they saw their victory as a sign of God's favor and their righteous cause.
• Describe the role of the Pequot War in the development of English settlements in America.
  • The Pequot War was a significant event in the expansion of English colonial power in North America. The English colonists' victory over the Pequot tribe allowed them to secure control over the Connecticut River valley and the surrounding region, paving the way for further settlement and the establishment of additional English colonies. The war also demonstrated the military might of the English colonists and their ability to forge alliances with Native American tribes, which would prove crucial in their ongoing efforts to establish a permanent presence in the Americas.
• Analyze the long-term impact of the Pequot War on the relationship between the English colonists and Native American tribes in the region.
  • The Pequot War had a lasting impact on the relationships between the English colonists and the Native American tribes in the region. The English victory over the Pequot tribe sent a clear message to other tribes about the consequences of resisting the colonial expansion. This, in turn, led many tribes to seek alliances with the English in order to avoid a similar fate. However, the war also sowed seeds of distrust and resentment among the Native American populations, who saw the English as a threat to their way of life and their sovereignty. This tension would continue to simmer in the years and decades following the Pequot War, ultimately leading to further conflicts, such as King Philip's War, that would further erode the relationship between the English colonists and the indigenous peoples of the region.

Related terms

Pequot Tribe: A Native American tribe that inhabited parts of what is now Connecticut and Rhode Island prior to the arrival of English settlers.

King Philip's War:

A later conflict that erupted in 1675 between English colonists and a coalition of Native American tribes, including the Wampanoag, led by the Wampanoag chief Metacomet, also known as King Philip.

Puritan Theology: The religious beliefs and practices of the Puritans, a group of English Protestants who sought to 'purify' the Church of England of Catholic practices and establish a more strict, biblically-based form of Christianity.