Ep. 13: When Massachusetts Nearly Destroyed Itself

By the mid-1630s, the English and Native populations were roughly equal in number and power. Parity meant all sides had a practical interest in peaceful coexistence, at least in the real experiences of daily life. The first generation of settlers could show little more force than occasional raids on Indian villages, burning the cornfield here and there, and other small-scale acts of violence. Waves of new settlers throughout the 1630s tipped the frontier balance of power toward the Puritans. John Oldham, a wealthy local fur merchant, patiently traded while the New English settled the frontier and hedged in the natives. He did not share the Puritan missionary mentality, but his death helped inaugurate the Pequot War and consolidate Puritan control of the coast.Further Readings/References:Bourne, Russell. The Red King’s Rebellion: Racial Politics in New England, 1675-1678. New York: Oxford University Press. 1990.John Easton, A Narrative of the Causes Which Led to Philip’s Indian War, Albany: J. Munsell. 1858. Originally Published: 1675.Nash, Gary. Red, White, and Black: The People of Early North America. Upper Saddle River (NJ): Prentice-Hall. Fifth Edition. 2006. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.