Colonial New England Primary Sources

Colonial New England Primary Sources

Historical documents. What clues can you gather about the time, place, players, and culture?

King Philip Voices His People's Grievances (1675)

Metacom, or King Philip, conveyed the trials and tribulations of his Wampanoag people in 1675 during a meeting with John Easton, Attorney General of the Rhode Island colony. Easton was trying to broker a settlement, but he failed. As it turns out, his most important accomplishment was recording the King's comments for posterity.

"Such Was the Tumultation These Women Made" (1677)

Sailor Robert Roules recounts a July 1677 Indian attack on his boat at Marblehead, Massachusetts. The local Native Americans had been targeting fishing ketches in their relentless struggle against the white settlers. They were part of an Indian resistance that continued up and down the New England coast for as much as two years after Metcaom was killed and King Philip's War "officially" ended. The white settlers recaptured Roules' boat and the white women of Marblehead proceeded to exact violent revenge on their own Indian captives.

"Packed Densely, Like Herrings" (1750)

Organist and schoolmaster Gottlieb Mittelberger emigrated to Philadelphia in 1750 along with 500 of his fellow Germans. But he returned to Germany in 1754 and wrote this tract to warn people of the false promises of America.