The War

        King Philip’s War (1675-1676) was the last attempt by Native Americans living in modern southern New England to drive out the English settlers from their homeland. It is the bloodiest conflict in American history, on a per capita basis. Almost half of all settlements in the area were attacked, 12 were fully destroyed, and nearly one tenth of men available for military service were lost. Aggressive expansion by the colonist in both physical land and in cultural & mental facets, along with failure of trade deals promoted a bloody uprising lead by Wampanoag leader Metacomet. Metacomet, known by the English as [King] Philip, was sachem, or the leader, of the Wampanoag tribe since 1662. It is ironic that Philip’s father, Massasoit, was one of the crucial Natives who had helped the colonist of Plymouth Colony survive the initial winters. But in the 55 years between the landing of the Mayflower and the war, tensions between the English colonist and Native Americans had grown, and relationships weakened. While the English had prospered, multiplied and expanded their settlements, the Native Americas were seeing themselves in a gradual state of decline. Native tribes saw themselves reduced by loss of land, new diseases introduced by the settlers, and were seeing their native culture attacked by the English looking for the Natives to assimilate into their society.

        The death and subsequent trial of a Native American who had converted to Christianity, John Sassamon, was the spark that lead to the war. Despite a lack of clear evidence, Three Wampanoag members were tried and convicted, and on June 8, 1675 the three were executed by hanging in Plymouth. Believing their sovereignty had been compromised, the Wampanoags began the uprising. They were joined by Nipmuck, Narragansett, Nashaway, and Ponduck tribes. Metacomet had stated to the colonist: "I am determined not to live until I have no country." The war lasted until August 1766, when Metacomet was captured at Mount Hope in Rhode Island and was beheaded. The English had interrupted their victory as a sign of God’s will, and symbolic of their cultural purge.