On December 21, 1620, pilgrims from Britain arrived in what is today called Plymouth, Massachusetts. The plans to build houses and other settlements were slightly delayed due to the bad weather, but after two weeks, the first house was finally built. Only seven residences and four common houses were built during that winter because it was so bad.
Many colonists suffered from the disease, scurvy, and others succumbed to the very harsh winter and the lack of shelter. 45 of the 102 emigrants died over the winter. By the end of January, some of the pilgrims were able to live in the settlement. In February, the first contact was made with the Native Americans.
The pilgrims figured out that many Native Americans had died of smallpox. Many of them were very apprehensive towards the English settlers. In an earlier expedition, the English had massacred many Native Americans. Many corn stores were stolen by the English in order to feed their own people. A famous Native American by the name of Squanto had been taken to Europe six years before and enslaved.
Squanto and the other leaders of the nearby tribes came to Plymouth bearing gifts and organized a peace treaty with the English settlers. The first Thanksgiving happened later that year.
No comments:
Post a Comment