The Pequot War is best understood by inspecting wider cultural, political, and economic changes that happened following the arrival of the Dutch in 1611, and the English in the 1630s. For a time, the Dutch and Pequot controlled all trade in the region, which resulted in short term stability as many Native tribes were irritated of their subordinate status to the Pequot. The arrival of English traders in the early 1630s switched it up and resulted in intense competition and disputes for control of trade or tribes wrenched themselves from Pequot enslavement, resulting in the outbreak of the Pequot War.
The main cause of the Pequot War was the struggle for control. The English efforts to end Dutch and Pequot control of fur and wampum trade, while the Pequot attempted to uphold theor political and economic dominance in the region. Specific events which have often been said to be the cause of the Pequot War are the murders of English traders. However, these deaths were the climax of decades of squabbling between Native tribes in the region further intensified by the arrival of the Dutch and English. The English felt they could not afford to let any English deaths in the hands of the Natives go …show more content…
This group launched a severe expedition against the Manisses of Block Island in revenge for the murder of John Oldham, which was just a month earlier. The group sailed from Boston on August 24, 1636 bound for Block Island with orders to kill all the men and take away all the women and children. Negotiations were not successful and the English landed and burned the village. A Native guide who was with the English killed a Pequot, which started the war between the Indians and the English. The Pequot saw this action as a needless attack and automatically began military action against the English outpost at Saybrook Fort at the mouth of the Connecticut
The main cause of the Pequot War was the struggle for control. The English efforts to end Dutch and Pequot control of fur and wampum trade, while the Pequot attempted to uphold theor political and economic dominance in the region. Specific events which have often been said to be the cause of the Pequot War are the murders of English traders. However, these deaths were the climax of decades of squabbling between Native tribes in the region further intensified by the arrival of the Dutch and English. The English felt they could not afford to let any English deaths in the hands of the Natives go …show more content…
This group launched a severe expedition against the Manisses of Block Island in revenge for the murder of John Oldham, which was just a month earlier. The group sailed from Boston on August 24, 1636 bound for Block Island with orders to kill all the men and take away all the women and children. Negotiations were not successful and the English landed and burned the village. A Native guide who was with the English killed a Pequot, which started the war between the Indians and the English. The Pequot saw this action as a needless attack and automatically began military action against the English outpost at Saybrook Fort at the mouth of the Connecticut