History Comes Alive

Building wealth and trade relationships requires at least two parties and a common currency and exchange. Once found, it is usually beneficial to at least one party to keep the relationship exclusive. This can be tricky. It can take discipline and a strategy to keep the primary goal or focus in sight. What happens when another party threatens to disrupt the arrangement? In this episode we examine the cause of English involvement in the Wampum trade. How they got involved. What they did. How the Dutch inadvertently handed them their golden ticket. We will see the shrewdness of the Dutch. After identifying the English threat and assessing the fortifications of Plymouth they employed a strategy of providing the English with wampum and pointing them away from the Dutch interests. We'll see the beginning of true English dominance and how they quickly targeted the heart of the Dutch enterprise. The Dutchmen; Jaques Elekes, Peter Minuit, and Isaak de Raisiers were shrewd and capable. Quick to capitalize on opportunities others may have missed. In the end they would be victims of the English population explosion for more than their own negligence. We won't finish the narrative today, but we'll introduce it.

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In order to achieve high level, wealth building trade between peoples you must have a system in place that benefits all parties. Everybody must be able to provide a product or service that is of value to the others. Everyone brings something with the expectation of receiving something. In Colonial New England and farther into the interior there was a European need for furs. They were not always readily available near the coast. The Europeans were not necessarily the hunters. The natives were. The Europeans were the buyers in this exchange. From the start it was a difficult process to trade. European items were hard to transport and often had little value after the initial purchase. They would only need so many pots and pans... There was also the issue of navigation. How could one get to the potential customers and various groups for trade? The answer was found in the intermediary tribes who often acted as trade organizers. The last hurdle was currency. If many groups were to come together to rally around the European desire for fur, there would have to be a currency that appealed to all parties. A currency that was measurable and transportable. A currency that had continued and sustained value among the natives. That currency was wampum. It's "discovery" by Dutchmen Joques Elekes would change the course of everyone's history... everyone's.

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The native tribes of contemporary Massachusetts and Rhode Island had organized societies and complex geo-political relationships at the dawn of English Colonialism. The arrival of the Pilgrims changed the dynamics dramatically. Massasoit, Sachem of the Wampanoag Tribe quickly realized the benefit of friendship with Plymouth Colony. He pledged his loyalty and helped them to get established. He offered the services of Squanto and Hobomock to make sure they learned the necessary skills to survive in their new land. History remembers Squanto. It has been kind to him. History has largely forgotten the contributions of Massasoit and his very faithful servant, Hobomock. As we more closely consider the events of those early years at Plymouth we may find that the popular, romanticized image of a friendly and humble Squanto may be just that, a popular, romanticized image. What was the tension that existed between Squanto and Massasoit? Why was Squanto such a thorn in the side of his own sachem? What role did Hobomock play at Plymouth? Why has history been so kind to Squanto and neglectful, dismissive of Massasoit and Hobomock? In this episode we attempt to work through these questions as we explore the events surrounding Squanto's service at Plymouth. It was a service that divided tribes and people alike. It divided Massasoit and the Pilgrims. The narrative reads like a cheap dime store novel with all the imagery of a big budget Hollywood movie. It's a fascinating tale that you won't soon forget.

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What role did religion play in Native American life? The religion or religious practice of the Natives along the Eastern Coast was much debated and observed. Some like Thomas Morton challenged the idea of organized Native religion. Others believed the Native worship and belief bore a resemblance to ancient Judaism. In this "bonus" episode (and precursor to our final look at Massasoit and his life), we'll discuss some of the pivotal activities and beliefs that drove the culture. It is just a snapshot of a much larger discussion. As we pare down our narrative we'll consider the power and prestige that a name can bring. As we pare down our narrative we'll consider the importance and the societal standing, how their native contemporaries may have perceived both Squanto and Hobomock. This consideration may lead us to rethink and reexamine the narrative that we have always enjoyed. Massasoit was a shrewd man. He was calculating. He was operating within the norms of his society. A society contemporary culture seldom really considers from the native perspective. We should.

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Massasoit was a tremendous friend and benefactor to the Plymouth Colony. He was a stabilizing force throughout the Bay Region for them. He also was a beneficiary of Colonial activity. As more English arrived tensions grew. In this episode we'll look at the short lived colony of Wessaguasset. The problems they created and how they impacted the Pilgrims at Plymouth. We'll pick up the narrative the previous summer and follow it through to late March (Julian Calendar) or early April (Gregorian Calendar) of 1623. Miles Standish. again, will prove his worth. Although Massasoit plays a minor role in our narrative, he plays a substantial role in the planning and execution of the final events at Wessaguasset. Finally, why is a story about Wessaguasset Colony named "The Weymouth Massacre''? Join us to find out.

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The arrival of Samoset and then Massasoit proved to be a real benefit to the Pilgrims of Plymouth. Like all political alliances there were a few hiccups along the way. There were also some personal interactions that helped to promote the relationship for another generation. In this episode we'll take a look at some of these events and realize the art of diplomacy and relationship management was alive and well in the early days of English New England. These early friendships would have a big impact on everybody. As we move forward with our own narrative we'll begin to see the dedication they could take. The risks and the rewards.

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What happened when the Pilgrims finally settled in their new homeland? What were those initial interactions with their new neighbors like? What kinds of leadership did these interactions require? Demonstrating courage in the face of danger is Leadership. Encouraging those around you to exercise discipline in the face of danger is Leadership. Exercising restraint in the present situation with a vision for the future is Leadership. Colonial America was full of leaders. Full of men with courage, discipline, and vision. Men who left a lasting legacy long after they passed from the scene. Massasoit was not just one of those men. He exemplified leadership before leaders. The influential Wampanoag leader befriended the Pilgrims early on. Through many challenges he remained true to his word toward the Pilgrims. His benevolence ensured their success. He is a man largely forgotten whose life and times were extraordinary. Over the next two weeks we will examine his impact on early colonial New England. Over the next few months we will flesh out his influence that lasted decades after his death. In Massasoit the English colonials found a benefactor whose leadership proved to be as vital as any Englishman's. The beauty of the friendship is just how determined Massasoit...in a hostile and changing world, in the face of many dangers and challenges, he stayed the course...Fifty years after he befriended the vulnerable group his son, Metacom, reminded the English leaders that in their early days, Massasoit had been "as a great man and the English as a little child". It's a great story.

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After considering the social, economic, and cultural events shaping Europe throughout the 16th and early 17th century it is easy to understand the advent of Colonialism. The parallel question is what was the environment like in North America? More specifically, the region that would become New England. What were the experiences of the native people already here? What was their initial reaction to the European arrival? How did they perceive the cross cultural interaction? Were they unified in their response? Did they see advantages or dangers? How did the environmental, social, and religious structure affect their response? In this episode, we'll begin to examine the native positions as they encountered the newcomers... the process may well leave you questioning how the Europeans were ever able to get a foothold, let alone take over... This is not only the parallel to our last episode but the launchpad to the development of English colonization in New England.

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How can we understand population migration? If one people group replaces another for numerical or physical control did they settle the land or conquer it? If a people is recognized as the conqueror then it stands to reason that someone was conquered. Often this can involve violence. What justifies these population migrations? Can they be justified? Every culture must work through their own beliefs on these questions. Often it's a matter of degrees. Often there are a variety of reasons, or explanations, that at least intellectually capture the rationale. As Europe began it's colonial period there were outside forces that caused the Pope to define what a "just war" was. As this definition was carried out to its most logical conclusion many European monarchies entered the European colonial games. There were also growing economies and a new demand for exotic and froeign goods. These new found lands, people, and markets not only expanded the economy, they caused major changes in the fabric of society. In this episode we will explore the implications for these changes. How the English understood this and what their response was.

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When you line up an all-star team, with deep pockets and ambition, you expect to win. The New Haven Colony began with a lot of promise. They had BIG dreams. They took BIG swings. They experienced BIG events. In the end, they were absorbed into the larger Connecticut Colony. Why? Who were the people that populated New Haven? What did they do? What went wrong? These are some of the questions we will answer in this episode. These tough-minded and dedicated colonists left a lasting legacy. They impacted their contemporary world. They had an interesting storyline. In this episode, we will examine their legacy. In a future episode, we will look a little closer at their most notorious and damning activity... New Haven's partisanship may have been their greatest sin. It was a partisanship that cost them everything.

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