AP US History in 1 Minute Daily: Metacom's War (Day 30/309)

Welcome to today’s explanation of Metacom’s War in my series- APUSH in 1 Minute Daily!

Plymouth Colony, 1620-1691 Wikimedia Commons

After years of relative peace and cultural accommodations in New England, conflict between American Indians and English colonists erupted in 1675 due to continual land encroachments and efforts at forced assimilation.

Metacom/King Philip, Wikimedia Commons

After Puritans hanged 3 Wampanoag for murder of a fellow Wampanoag, Metacom, also known as King Philip, had enough of what he saw as English interference in their affairs. He and other allied tribes, began to attack English settlements in what became known as Metacom’s or King Philip’s War.

Capture of the Indian Fortress, Wikimedia Commons

In the horrific Great Swamp Fight, the neutral Narragansett were attacked by the English. ~300 men were killed and then another 300 women, children and elderly were burnt alive. 

King Philip’s War, Sowams Heritage Area

As the war went on, alliances shifted and American Indians ran low on supplies and food due to English attacks. Eventually, Metacom was captured and killed and the war officially came to an end.

Metacom’s War, by proportion, is the bloodiest war in American history. As a result, almost all American Indians in the region were either killed, sold into slavery, or expelled from New England.

Join me tomorrow as I explain Mercantilism in our next APUSH in 1 Minute Daily!