- Joined
- Jun 15, 2013
- Messages
- 1,829
- Reaction score
- 40
- Points
- 48
We return to 1677 to discuss the end of King Philip's War.
Although forgotten by most Americans, the colonial victory in King Philip's War changed the course of world history. As usual, more civilians died than soldiers, and most deaths were from disease, starvation, and cold, rather than from weapons.
Three closely-related events resulted from the war:
1) Alarmed at the strength, ability, and organization of the colonists, England began curtailing their rights. When the colonists resisted, the British curtailed them even more (which they had intended to do anyway). A century later, these colonists will successfully revolt.
2) Mistreated by Britain, located on a different continent, and having cities of their own, the colonists come to a major realization--they are not Europeans. They aren't united, and they don't live in states, but out of King Philips's War emerge the "Americans."
3) Incredibly, the English fail to learn from the War, but the Americans do.
Correctly using European military tactics, the colonists had held to close formation as they traveled along forest roads. This made it easy for the Indians to ambush them. Meanwhile, the Indians had traveled through the woods while spread out, making ambush nearly impossible.
Europeans used standing armies--well-trained and well-equipped. The Indians used militia--every able-bodied man was taught how to fight. The Americans used both.
Armed with a bow, a brave could reload much faster than a paleface. But once loaded, a musket was far more powerful and accurate than an arrow. Although mostly used against Indians, the Americans realized the value of a well-trained, well-regulated female militia that could rapidly reload single-shot muskets during a battle.
Stressing well-formed military forces, the British continued their successful European method of having their soldiers tightly-bunched together in bright red uniforms. The Indians used hit-and-run tactics. Which is better in the woodlands of America? On a man-per-man basis, the Indians had badly outfought the colonists, losing only because they ran out of manpower. The Americans learned to use cover during a battle and to "melt away" into the woods if their enemy was too strong.
Although forgotten by most Americans, the colonial victory in King Philip's War changed the course of world history. As usual, more civilians died than soldiers, and most deaths were from disease, starvation, and cold, rather than from weapons.
Three closely-related events resulted from the war:
1) Alarmed at the strength, ability, and organization of the colonists, England began curtailing their rights. When the colonists resisted, the British curtailed them even more (which they had intended to do anyway). A century later, these colonists will successfully revolt.
2) Mistreated by Britain, located on a different continent, and having cities of their own, the colonists come to a major realization--they are not Europeans. They aren't united, and they don't live in states, but out of King Philips's War emerge the "Americans."
3) Incredibly, the English fail to learn from the War, but the Americans do.
Correctly using European military tactics, the colonists had held to close formation as they traveled along forest roads. This made it easy for the Indians to ambush them. Meanwhile, the Indians had traveled through the woods while spread out, making ambush nearly impossible.
Europeans used standing armies--well-trained and well-equipped. The Indians used militia--every able-bodied man was taught how to fight. The Americans used both.
Armed with a bow, a brave could reload much faster than a paleface. But once loaded, a musket was far more powerful and accurate than an arrow. Although mostly used against Indians, the Americans realized the value of a well-trained, well-regulated female militia that could rapidly reload single-shot muskets during a battle.
Stressing well-formed military forces, the British continued their successful European method of having their soldiers tightly-bunched together in bright red uniforms. The Indians used hit-and-run tactics. Which is better in the woodlands of America? On a man-per-man basis, the Indians had badly outfought the colonists, losing only because they ran out of manpower. The Americans learned to use cover during a battle and to "melt away" into the woods if their enemy was too strong.