Rough Draft - 1 views
started by jacksonm465 pds on 06 May 11
started by jacksonm465 pds on 06 May 11
started by jacksonm465 pds on 06 May 11
started by jacksonm465 pds on 06 May 11
Before we dive into the specifics, though, we must know the history of the war. To do that, we must start at the beginning. When the pilgrims arrived, Massasoit helped them greatly and was responsible for their surviving the first winter. The first Thanksgiving came and installed a treaty of peace between the colonists and natives. There was one problem, however. According to Daniel R. Mandell, the colonist and native leaders both jostled for power and land. On top of that, the colonists abused land use. The pigs and cattle that they brought over reproduced quickly and needed a large amount of land. To make things even worse, the colonists frequently dug into the native's food storage pits. They reshaped the ecology by introduced new ways of tending the land as well. This forced the leaders of the Native Americans to chose sides whether they liked it or not and was the last straw. (pg. 3) A war of terror and destruction broke over the land, brought on especially by Massasoit's son, Metacom, sometimes called King Phillip by the colonists. The infraction of the first Thanksgiving lasted for fourteen terrible months. Now we can finally understand enough to probe the labeling of this war.
Merriam Webster's online dictionary defines civil war as "a war between opposing groups of citizens of the same country" (www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary). The colonists and natives weren't officially citizens, but were residents, the closest thing at that time. The loyalties were split right down the middle, and natives often found each other fighting previously friendly tribes who were of the opposite viewpoint. In his book King Philip's War: Civil War in New England, 1675-1676, James David Drake puts it well. "Looking closely at the political culture of the Indians and the English, we see that Philip sought to preserve the people's sovereignty by incorporating them into the English political system. The English, in turn, viewed Philip and his followers as subjects, traitorous ones after they waged war in 1675. Thus King Philip's War was not just an "Indian Civil War" but, more broadly, a civil war." These were subjects under England, whatever Massasoit might have thought when he signed the treaty. When the two subjects got into it, it created an unstoppable whirlwind of anger of the worst kind- a civil war.
So enough of the squabbles over labeling and history; let's get down to the real foundation- statistics. According to Nathaniel Philbrick, the percentage of adult male losses for the pilgrims in King Philip's War was incredibly high at 8 percent. In comparison, the adult male losses of the United States were 4 to 5 percent in the Civil War and 1 percent in World War 2. (pg. 305) Other wars that hog the spotlight don't even stack up against this kill zone. The pilgrims, however, didn't even have the shortest end of the stick. The Natives lost 60 to 80 percent of their population to war, disease, starvation, and slavery (Philbrick pg. 306). Destruction that usually consisted of a wild attack and burning of the town decimating a huge number of villages. Nathaniel Philbrick pins down an estimate of about one-third of all towns in New England (pg. xii of The Mayflower and the Pilgrim's New World). With such high consequences, it is hard to see why King Philip's War isn't recognized in numerous history books.
Even after the war the effect was still great and appears in numerous places. One of the most important facets in wake of the war is the treatment of Native Americans. Feelings toward them grew ugly due to some of their barbaric acts during King Philip's War. From the Indian wars out west, to the banishment from native lands in the east, it is easy to see the results. Also, the destruction of the towns took years to rebuild. Recovering from the scar in history would not be so easy. Even more long lasting was the feeling of independence. The freedom felt during King Philip's War was in part responsible for the uprising a century later that would mold the birth of a new country. We cannot just forget about this war; it would leave a blank spot in history just as if you deleted a whole quarter in a recording of a basketball game.
King Philip's War is not as widely recognized as it should be. How will anyone learn of something left out of the history books? We cannot force other people to know it, but we can keep it in the back of our minds so we do not leave an empty space in history. Just remember that this is not just a war; it is a civil war. We cannot let such an important event escape our attention. Don't argue with the statistics. They show the real story and don't let you get off track. Our current culture and foundation is based off this war, before even the American Revolution. Ingrained in us is King Philip's War, whether we acknowledge it or not. Our everyday life requires and sustains the story; we just have to let it out.