Dutch and English sailors and adventurers began visiting New England, although the first permanent settlements in the region began after the settling of Plymouth Colony in 1620.
 These early seafarers introduced several diseases to which the Native Americans had no prior contact, resulting in epidemics with mortality rates as high as 90%.
 Smallpox wiped out many of the Native Americans from 1617–1619, 1633, 1648–1649 and 1666.
 Influenza, typhus, and measles also afflicted the Native Americans throughout the period.
 The colonists, such as the writings of Increase Mather, attributed the decimation of the Native Americans to God's providence in clearing the new lands for settlement.
 The Nipmuc at the time of contact were a fairly large grouping, subject to their more powerful neighbours who provided protection, especially against the Pequot, Mohawk and Abenaki tribes that raided the area.
 The colonists depended initially on the Native Americans for survival in the New World, and the Native Americans rapidly began to trade their foodstuffs, furs and wampum for the copper kettles, arms and metal tools of the colonists.
 Puritan settlers arrived in large numbers from 1620–1640, the 'Great Migration' which increased pressure to procure more land.
 Since the colonists had conflicting colonial and royal grants, the settlers quickly depended on Indian names on land deeds to mark legitimacy.
 This backfired, as John Wampas deeded off many lands to the colonists to curry favour, many of which were not even his.
Dutch and English sailors and adventurers began visiting New England, although the first permanent settlements in the region began after the settling of Plymouth Colony in 1620.  These early seafarers introduced several diseases to which the Native Americans had no prior contact, resulting in epidemics with mortality rates as high as 90%.  Smallpox wiped out many of the Native Americans from 1617–1619, 1633, 1648–1649 and 1666.  Influenza, typhus, and measles also afflicted the Native Americans throughout the period.  The colonists, such as the writings of Increase Mather, attributed the decimation of the Native Americans to God's providence in clearing the new lands for settlement.  The Nipmuc at the time of contact were a fairly large grouping, subject to their more powerful neighbours who provided protection, especially against the Pequot, Mohawk and Abenaki tribes that raided the area.  The colonists depended initially on the Native Americans for survival in the New World, and the Native Americans rapidly began to trade their foodstuffs, furs and wampum for the copper kettles, arms and metal tools of the colonists.  Puritan settlers arrived in large numbers from 1620–1640, the 'Great Migration' which increased pressure to procure more land.  Since the colonists had conflicting colonial and royal grants, the settlers quickly depended on Indian names on land deeds to mark legitimacy.  This backfired, as John Wampas deeded off many lands to the colonists to curry favour, many of which were not even his.
Nipmuc