Image credit: Image of Mayflower II courtesy of Plimoth Patuxet.

Before New England was New England, it was the Dawnland. A region that remains the homeland of numerous Native American peoples, including the Wampanoag.
When the English colonists arrived at Patuxet 400 years ago, they arrived at a confusing time. The World of the Wampanoag people had changed in the wake of a destabilizing epidemic.
This episode is part of a two-episode series about the World of the Wampanoag. In Episode 290, we investigated the life, cultures, and trade of the Wampanoag and their neighbors, the Narragansett, up to December 16, 1620, the day the Mayflower made its way into Plymouth Harbor.
In this episode, our focus will be on the World of the Wampanoag in 1620 and beyond.
This two-episode “World of the Wampanoag” series is made possible through support from Mass Humanities.
Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
About the Show
Ben Franklin’s World is a podcast about early American history.
It is a show for people who love history and for those who want to know more about the historical people and events that have impacted and shaped our present-day world.
Ben Franklin’s World is a production of the Omohundro Institute.
Episode Summary
On December 16, 1620, the ship Mayflower carried approximately 100 English colonists into the Dawnland and into the World of the Wampanoag.
In this episode we speak with Darius Coombs, Director of Wampanoag and Algonquin Interpretive Training at the Plimoth Patuxet Museums and a citizen of the Mashpee-Wampanoag nation; Carla Pestana, author of The World of Plymouth Plantation; Jade Luiz, Curator of Collections at Plimoth Patuxet Museums and a historical archaeologist; and Andrew Lipman, an Associate Professor of History at Barnard College and the author of the forthcoming book The Death and Life of Squanto.
What You’ll Discover
- The world of the Wampanoag in December 1620
- Epidemic of 1616-1619 and its impact on the Wampanoag
- The members of John Robinson’s Leiden Church
- Why the members of the Leiden Church chose to migrate to North America
- How English colonists came to settle in the world of the Wampanoag
- First contact between the Wampanoag and the Mayflower colonists
- Ousamequin, the Massasoit, and his strategic governance
- Tisquantum and his translation work on behalf of the Wampanoag
- Wampanoag diplomacy and diplomatic strategy
- The Wampanoag-English Treaty of 1621
- Wampanoag-English trade
- Archaeology of historic Patuxet and Plymouth
- Relations between the Wampanoag and English
- 400th anniversary commemoration of the arrival of the Mayflower
- The persistence of Wampanoag life and culture
Links to People, Places, and Publications
- Plimoth Patuxet Museums
- History in a New Light exhibit
- Historic Patuxet
- Tomaquag Museum
- Project 400
- Andrew Lipman, The Saltwater Frontier: Indians and the Contest for the American Coast
- Carla Pestana, The World of Plymouth Plantation
- World of the Wampanoag Series Resource Guide
- Transcription
Series Music
The original music you heard throughout this episode was composed by Joel Roston, in collaboration with Wampanoag musician Durwood Vanderhoop, with additional music by Narragansett musicians Sherenté Harris, Lynsea Montanari, and Nkéke Harris.
The Wampanoag and Narragansett songs included in the score, and arranged throughout the episode, were composed by Durwood Vanderhoop, Sherenté Harris, and Nkéke Harris.
We'd also like to thank Dr. Charles Shadle, Senior Lecturer at MIT for sharing thoughts on the general Native American musical landscape. Dr. David Hildebrand, Specialist in Early American Music, for a consultation on Pilgrim music. Sara Schneider, Author of The Eagle and the Songbird and host of KMFA's “Early Music Now,” for Florentine music consultation. Rob Jaret, Composer, for emergency music notation services. And, Adam Mazo, Director of the Upstander Project, Michelle Mizner, Filmaker, and Farhad Ebrahimi, Founder and President of the Chorus Foundation, for general consultation.
Sponsor Links
- Omohundro Institute
- Library of America, Plymouth Colony: Narratives of English Settlement and Native Resistance from the Mayflower to King Philip’s War
- Mass Humanities
- National Endowment of the Humanities
- Get 3 weeks of EveryPlate meals for only $2.99 per meal, use code BFW3
Support Ben Franklin's World
Complementary Episodes
- Episode 104: Andrew Lipman, The Saltwater Frontier: Native Americans and Colonists on the Northeastern Coast
- Episode 132: Coll Thrush, Indigenous London: Native Travelers at the Heart of Empire
- Episode 184: David J. Silverman, Thundersticks: Firearms and the Violent Transformation of Native America
- Episode 220: Margaret Ellen Newell, New England Indians, Colonists, and Origins of Slavery
- Episode 235: Jenny Hale Pulsipher, A 17th-Century Native American Life
- Episode 267: Thomas Wickman, Snowshoe Country
Questions, Comments, Suggestions
Do you have a question, comment, or suggestion?
Get in Touch! Send me an e-mail, tweet, or leave a comment.
Listen!
Enjoy the Podcast?
Why Not Listen regularly through one of these apps?
Ratings & Reviews
If you enjoy this podcast, please give it a rating and review.
Positive ratings and reviews help bring Ben Franklin's World to the attention of other history lovers who may not be aware of our show
Click here to rate & review on iTunes | Click here to rate & review on Stitcher