King Philip's War: The Most Important American War You've Never Heard Of

A generation after the first Thanksgiving, the sachem of the Wampanoag led a coalition of Native American tribes to battle against the ever-encroaching European colonists of New England.

[AtunSheiFilms]

TL;DW: Metacomet didn't go to Harvard, "Wampanoag" is consistently mispronounced, the video's portrayal of Native war aims is Eurocentric and misleading, and the Battle of Turner's Falls could be better described as a massacre of non-combatants, the strategic importance of which is somewhat exaggerated here.

[shesaknitter]

I am descended from some of the Wampanoags who were sent to Bermuda to be enslaved after the defeat in King Philip's War. There is a unification celebration every couple of years or so where modern Wampanoags get together in Bermuda with Bermudian descendants, who settled in a part of Bermuda called St. David's. Fascinating history.

[magmasajerk]

It's kinda fucked up that I've done a history minor in a US university and still only know about this war because of you. Never stop, Mr. Atun-Shei, your work matters.

[gcarraig]

If you have not read Jill Lepore’s most excellent “The Name of War”, please do so. This singular book not only sheds so much light on King Philips War, but also serves as an important primer for all readings about the struggles between European Americans and native peoples.

[ateram]

I went to high school in Boston. My history teacher went against the given curriculum to teach us about this war.

[wargriffin]

"My name is Metacomet of the Wampanoag people..."

The English: "Right...Philip."

[apuckingfanda]

The “Battle of Turner’s Falls” was actually a massacre where a group of Connecticut militiamen massacred a fishing village of Nipmuc women and children

[Ironworthstriking]

PLEASE make more of these documentaries. These films beat anything on History Channel these days. There's only so much American Pickers a person can watch.

[BMXIX]

This is what the History channel use to be. Great job!

[MetallicaMan]

As a proud descendant of the Nipmucs and the Narragansetts, it is good to see this part of history be acknowledged rather than conveniently be forgotten. Thank you.

[jaytea]

I grew up in Massachusetts and the King Philip's War was one of the first conflicts I ever learned about in school. I never realized that much of the country has never even heard of the war. Fantastic video either way!

[jeremiahkivi]

As a patriot I'd really have liked to know about this event before now. It is clearly a very important tone setter for relations in the Americas. Not all our history is good, but we need to learn it, so as to never repeat it, and to keep others from enacting it. Thank you for making this.

[tskmaster]

"And then there's Rhode Island, the black sheep of the bunch."
Hey... we got mentioned!

[cliftons]

This isnt old history channel: I see no reference to Hitler banging the aliens who built the pyramids to aquire the Nazi secret weapons

[benclanton]

As a lover of history myself, this is excellent work. I came away a much more informed person. Especially appreciated the uncensored commentary. horrifying that men, women, children, and even livestock were slaughtered. War is not discriminant. It kills everyone in it's path. Definitely gives context to the deep seated distrust and hatred between the native tribes and the colonists throughout the 18-19 century.

[johnalexander]

From my understanding the King Philip's' War had a different result up here in Canada. In Acadia, the Indigenous peoples won and prevented any English settlement growth until the mid 1700s.

[phillipallen]

I've always thought the period of U.S. history between the arrival of Columbus up to the American Revolution to be both extremely interesting and often neglected. Almost 300 years of American history that usually gets glossed over in a chapter or two in most history text books. Thank you for these videos!

[SlinkVI]

This era if history really fascinates me. It’s basically when medieval times met the wild west.

[MattCad]

Regarding his name: Metacomet was his childhood name but the Algonquin peoples often changed their names throughout life. From the records we have, after he was given the name Philip by the English he continued to use it, signing his name with a "P". He may have used another name too, but it's unlikely he would ever have been referred to as Metacomet as an adult as that would have been like referring to him as a child.

The English gave him the name Philip and his brother the name Alexander. This was likely an intentional nod to the great Macedonian leaders. The seal of Massachusetts featured a native figure saying "come over and help us, " a reference to a biblical dream of St. Paul's in which the Greeks beseeched him to come to Macedonia for their salvation.

[vamos_a_la_panda]

I haven't seen a good documentary like this since before the History channel started showing pawnstars and ice road truckers.