15 Squanto Facts for Kids

Squanto is one of the most famous Native Americans of our time. Born in Cape Cod around 1580, Squanto ended up becoming a well-known figure among the colonizing English people and Native Americans of his time. His tribe, the Pawtuxet band of the Wampanoag tribe, was considered one of the more influential in an area where English colonization grew common.

Besides being a highly influential Native American figure of early New England, Squanto played a role in the earliest known Thanksgiving celebration.

Squanto Facts for Kids ~ All About Squanto

Life
1. Squanto was a member of the well-known Pawtuxet band of the Wampanoag tribe in New England.

2. He was born during the year 1580 in Cape Cod.

3. Squanto was born as Tisquantum and is also known as Squantum throughout history.

Travels
4. Squanto was well traveled—due to kidnappings throughout his life, he ended up traveling to places in Europe, Newfoundland and through the northeast coast of the United States.

5. In 1605, he was kidnapped along with four other Native Americans by English explorer, Captain Weymouth, who took them back to England to Sir Ferdinando Gorges. It was believed that all of the captured, including Squanto, were eventually sent back home fairly safely and also knowing the English language.

6. In 1614, Squanto was kidnapped by English explorer Thomas Hunt; Squanto was eventually rescued from captivity by Spanish friars, who bought him to England. In England, he met and lived with a wealthy merchant by the name of John Slaney.

7. Likely considered a servant for Slaney, Squanto eventually traveled to Newfoundland on an expedition for the merchant.

8. Squanto returned to England by 1618; by 1619, he returned home, only to find much of his tribe wiped out by disease.

Early New England
9. A year after returning home, Squanto settled in Plymouth where he helped the Pilgrims who had arrived in the ‘New World.’

10. Squanto taught the Pilgrims how to farm and introduced them to local tribes, in addition to acting as an interpreter for tribes and the Pilgrims.

11. In 1621, Squanto played a role an interpreter and mediator when negotiating a peace treaty between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag.

12. Squanto ended up captured by the Wampanoag when sent by William Bradford, the governor of Massachusetts, to gather information about them.

13. After finding him alive, he was returned to the Plymouth colony where he remained helping the English settlers survive.

14. Massachusetts governor William Bradford recognized Squanto’s efforts in helping the Plymouth settlers survive in the New World.

15. Squanto eventually died of Indian fever at the age of 42.