Virginia Dejohn Anderson, “King Philip’s Herds: Indians, Colonists and the Problem of Livestock in Early New England”

482 Words2 Pages
Virginia DeJohn Anderson, “King Philip’s Herds: Indians, Colonists and the Problem of livestock in Early New England” In this article Ms. Anderson talks about how livestock (mostly swine) played a critical role toward King Philip’s War of 1675-76. How hostilities, settlers free ranging livestock wandered into native villages and affected them and how the Indians responded to theses encroachments. English colonist imported thousands of cattle, swine, sheep, and horses because they considered livestock essential to their survival. But the animals caused problems to subsistence practices, land use, property rights and political authority. Indians did not want to own domestic animals since livestock husbandry did not fit easily with native practices, the adoption of livestock would alter women’s lives by affecting the traditional division of labor since women were mainly responsible of agriculture production. And the settlers free ranging livestock (mostly pigs and hogs) were feasting on their corn farms. Animal husbandry also challenged native beliefs and practices, since their mental universe assumed no distinction between human and animal being. Instead of recognizing the incompatibility of English and Indian subsystem regimes, colonial authorities permitted joint use of land, which was doomed to fail by the problems that arose from livestock on hunting lands. In 1640 Massachusetts law required settlers to help their fellow Indian neighbors, but this friendly gesture was coupled with stern provisos. Any Indian who refused to fence his fields after such help was offered forfeited his right to sue for damages and if a beast trampled their cornfield they had to identify it. Plymouth magistrates allowed Indians to impound offending beasts, but this meant either that they drive the animals to the nearest English pound or construct one on

More about Virginia Dejohn Anderson, “King Philip’s Herds: Indians, Colonists and the Problem of Livestock in Early New England”

Open Document