Puritans vs. Pilgrims: Contrasting Approaches to Native Americans in 17th-Century New England

The popular conflation of "Pilgrims" (Plymouth, 1620) and "Puritans" (Massachusetts Bay, 1630) obscures sharply different Indian policies.

Puritans (Massachusetts Bay Colony)

• Theological rigidity: Viewed Native spirituality as idolatry; active conversion efforts (Praying Towns).
• Land appropriation: Vacuum domicilium doctrine—"unimproved" land could be taken. Expanding settlements displaced tribes.
• King Philip's War (1675–76): Cataclysmic conflict; ~40% of New England's Native population killed or enslaved; Puritan expansion secured.

Pilgrims (Plymouth Colony)

• Survival-driven diplomacy: Dependent on Wampanoag alliance (Massasoit).
• Mayflower Compact precedent: Consent-based governance extended to inter-group agreements.
• Squanto (Tisquantum): Critical interpreter, agricultural teacher, diplomat.
• First Thanksgiving (1621): Symbolic three-day harvest celebration with Wampanoag.

Nuance & Divergence

Plymouth's peace lasted ~50 years; Massachusetts Bay's expansionism made conflict inevitable. Both groups ultimately participated in Native displacement, but the pace, justification, and scale differed markedly. By 1691, Plymouth was absorbed into Massachusetts Bay—ending the experiment in coexistence.