What Caused The Pequot War

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The Pequot War officially began on May 1st, 1637, although tension had been building between the English and the Pequot since the English arrived in the early 1630s. The conflict was fueled by both Pequot and English desire to control trade. During the 1620s, the Pequot and Dutch had dominated fur trade, which the English intended to break. As the Pequot struggled to maintain control of the region, disputes between the English and the Pequot escalated, leading up to a full-fledged war. One notable clashing is the murders of trader John Stone and his crew by the Pequot during the summer of 1634, as John Stone sailed along the Connecticut River. Circumstances of the attack are not known for certain, and although the Pequot attempted to justify their actions, the English felt that Pequot deserved punishment.…show more content…
The Massachusetts Bay colony organized a force of 90 men under the command of John Endicott, governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.. Endicott and his men sailed to Block Island, home to the Manisses tribe, the likely killers of John Oldman. The English searched the island for the Manisses, who had fled into the swamps for safety. The English then proceeded to Saybrook Fort, where Endicott discussed action with Lieutenant Lion Gardiner. Gardiner’s and Endicott’s forces sailed together up the Thames into Pequot territory, where the English attempted negotiations with the Pequot. The negotiations were not successful and the English burned Pequot crops and

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