King Phillips War

The war from 1675 - 1676 in the English colony in the present day New England between the colonists and the Native Americans was termed as King Philips War. It is also called as called Metacom's War or Metacom's Rebellion after the name of the leader of the American Natives, Metacomet .He was popular as King Philip by the English people. On the sudden mysterious death of his brother, the Grand Sachem Wamsutta, in 1662, he took over the charge of the Wampanoag Confederacy. One of the causes for the war was the encroachment upon the Native American lands by the colonists. Besides, ,trade was obstructed as the Native Americans found a shortage of Iron Age goods due to large inflow of whites and their land was literarily squeezed up by the colonists in their territories. Moreover, disease and epidemics smallpox, spotted fever, typhoid and measles brought by the outsiders had reduced their number to a large extent. In addition, Puritans converted the Native Americans into Christianity turning away the beliefs of the Native Americans. The number of native American coverts began to increase and eventually the Native Americans area became Praying Towns. Here besides, religious instruction, Native Americans were These were towns where the inhabitants were all Christian Native Americans were even taught customs and trades .The cause for the war the mysterious death of John Sassomon, a Native American who is believed to have told the Plymouth officials about the plan of King Philip to arrange an uprising of the Native Americans against the colonists. Immediately, Plymouth Colony arrested and the execution of three Wampanoags, one of them being Metacom's counselor. This was seen as a humiliation of the Indian sovereignty and as such on June 20, a band of Pokanoket, caused a lot atrocities in the colony of Plymouth.. It was however, suppressed by the militia. King Phillips war continued in spite of the death of the leader until a peace treaty was signed at Casco Bay in April 1678.Large number of Native Americans and English colonists lost their life in this war and was consider to most expensive and the bloodiest battle found during that time.