The Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony, led by governor John Carver, sign a peace treaty with Massasoit, sachem of the Wampanoags; Squanto serves as an interpreter between the two sides.
The peace treaty lasted 54 years—longer than most modern alliances. When Governor John Carver sat down with Massasoit in March 1621, both men knew their people were desperate. The Pilgrims had lost half their number over winter. The Wampanoags needed allies against rival tribes. Squanto, who'd been kidnapped to England years before and spoke perfect English, brokered six specific terms: no weapons when visiting, return of stolen tools, mutual defense. It worked. The Wampanoags and Pilgrims didn't fight until 1675, after both original signers were dead. That's longer than America has kept most of its treaties with Native nations.
March 22, 1621
405 years ago
Key Figures & Places
Pilgrim Fathers
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Plymouth Colony
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John Carver
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peace treaty
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Massasoit
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sachem
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Wampanoag
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Squanto
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Pilgrims (Plymouth Colony)
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Plymouth Colony
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Massasoit
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Wampanoag
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Plymouth, Massachusetts
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Narragansett people
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English people
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North America
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