Introduction

Think of a time when a new family moved into your neighborhood. Was the family from a different town, state, or even another country? Did you or your parents try to make your new neighbors feel welcome? Did you end up becoming friends?

When the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1620, Native American Indians had already been living in America for quite some time (for thousands of years, in fact!). The Wampanoag Indians welcomed their new neighbors, showing them how to grow crops, hunt for food, build warm homes, and survive the harsh winters. The Wampanoag philosophy of shared resources meant that they reached out to help their new neighbors.

Later, other neighbors began to move in. The Puritans were the next group to arrive. Like the Pilgrims, the Puritans came here to stay. The Puritans wanted land to build homes, churches, farms and roads. Still later, even more colonists came to live and work here. As a result, the land was becoming a bit crowded!

How did all of these new neighbors and the Native Americans get along? Find out by exploring this virtual field trip, which will help you travel back in time to the late 1600s (that’s more than 300 years ago!). Good Background Information!

Before you begin this virtual field trip, here’s something to think about:

• What was life like for Native Americans before the colonists moved in?

Need some help? Go to Mrs. Colarusso’s Native American Resources lesson.

As you explore, keep these essential questions in mind:

• How did the lives of Native Americans change after the colonists arrived? (Did their lives get better or worse? In what ways?)
• Did Native Americans have the same freedoms once their neighbors moved in?
• Were Native Americans and colonists considered “equals”?

Task