Schoolchildren learn the story of Squanto, a Patuxet brave who helped the Pilgrims survive their first New England winter. But few Americans know the details of Squanto's life.

In 1605, a young Patuxet boy named Tisquantum, later known as Squanto, spotted an English merchant ship anchored off of the coast of Plymouth, Massachusetts. Captain George Weymouth invited Squanto and four other tribesmen aboard. The boys were kidnapped and taken to England to allow Weymouth's financial backers to meet some Indians. 

There Squanto was forced to live with Sir Ferdinand Gorges, owner of the Plymouth Company. Gorges taught Squanto to speak English to negotiate trade deals for the English.

In 1614 Squanto returned to America to assist in mapping the New England coast, but in a twist of fate, Squanto was kidnapped again, along with 27 other Natives. They were taken to Spain and sold as slaves. Local priests freed the young Indians, and Squanto found his way back to England. He bargained for his passage home, where he returned in 1618.

Once back in Massachusetts, Squanto was recognized by one of Gorges' captains, captured a third time, and sent back to England. Gorges promised Squanto his freedom in exchange for returning to New England to finish mapping the coast. In 1619 Squanto returned and found his village deserted. His entire tribe had been wiped out by disease during his absence.

After gaining his freedom, Squanto moved in with the nearby Wampanoag tribe, ruled by Chief Massasoit. While there, the Pilgrims made their voyage to the coast of Plymouth in November of 1620, and founded a new settlement. On March 22, 1621, Chief Massasoit sent Squanto to the Pilgrims' settlement to negotiate a peace treaty between the Wampanoag Confederation of tribes and the Pilgrims. A year and a half later, Squanto succumbed to smallpox during a trading expedition.

Indians didn't just change history with Squanto's generosity. Indians have also given through their contributions in horticulture, medicine, and science. It is easy to forget about the gifts the Indians made in the earliest years of our country. There was conflict, but there were also relationships that helped lay America's foundations. That is the legacy of the Indian people–one that we can all enjoy.

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