Putting Pilgrims in perspective

Cape Cod Times ^ | May 7, 2006 | ERIC GERSHON

[chapin2500]

NANTUCKET - The years 1492, 1620, and 1776 are familiar milestones in the history of the land that became the United States - Columbus, the Pilgrims, the Declaration of Independence. What about 1676?

[Reaganesque]

Just once I would like to see one of these so called historians identify one single historical example of a civilization that did not engage in slavery, brutality or just plain bad behavior of some sort. Just one.

[mtbopfuyn]

Yeah, well, the Pilgrims never were all what is taught in 1st grade. What about the Vikings? What about John Smith?

[supercat]

In other articles, I recall reading that the Pilgrims' society was originally communist in form (with shared land, shared labor, shared food, etc.) but that after a disastrous season that was replaced with an ownership society. Does anyone know any primary sources documenting that?

[eleni121]

Same old same old---Not even an attempt to tell the whole story. North American Indians were far more brutal in their behavior ---human sacrifice everywhere, enslavement and kidnapping of other tribespeople, cannibalism, torture, abandonment of the sick and elderly ----towards one another than anything those darned Euros could ever bring with them.

[chapin2500]

Rush reads that article every thanksgiving. You have to be a "subscriber" to read it and view the source, though.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Costly for both sides, King Philip's War was devastating for the Indians of Southeastern Massachusetts, who numbered about 20,000 at the start of fighting. By the end, between 60 and 80 percent were dead, sold into slavery, or run out of the region, according to Philbrick.

Doesn't it strike one as odd that the descendants of the few paltry passengers of the Mayflower were able to decimate 20,000 Indians? Of course it does - unless you understand that 20,000 Puritans fled England for New England in the decade after 1620.

[SunkenCiv]

"Putting Pilgrims in perspective"

s/b

"Putting Eric Gershon in perspective"

[SunkenCiv]

And it's called "King Philip's War" why? Many thanks go to King Philip for starting the war, tipping the hand, setting the tone, defining the relationship, and producing the conditions that led to the United States of America.