Biography of Squanto
Squanto was a Native American who was born about 1592. He was the member of the Patuxet group, which was part of the larger Wampanoag tribe. The tribe lived in what is now Massachusetts and Rhode Island. In 1614, Squanto was kidnapped by an English lieutenant, Thomas Hunt, who planned to sell him into slavery. Hunt took Squanto and the other captured Native Americans by ship to Spain. Once there, some Spanish friars stopped Hunt from selling Squanto. Instead, they took him in and taught him about Christianity.
Squanto wanted to return to his home. He convinced the friars to let him try to get back to North America. He traveled from Spain to England. He had learned some English on Hunt’s ship. He learned more while living in England for several years.
In 1619, Squanto traveled with explorers back to his home. When he arrived, he found that all the Patuxet, along with many other Native Americans, had died from disease. The Pilgrims arrived from England in late 1620 and settled in the area where Squanto was living. Since he could speak English, he began to help them by teaching them how to grow corn and how to fish. He also helped them with the Wampanoag tribe living nearby. When the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag had meetings, Squanto would translate what each group said. Squanto died in 1622. Historians believe the help Squanto gave the Pilgrims helped them survive in the New World.
1. Where did Squanto’s tribe live?