Which Native American tribe aided the Pilgrims during their first winter?

• A. The Wampanoag tribe
• B. The Cherokee tribe
• C. The Sioux tribe
• D. The Iroquois tribe

Answer: (A)

Survival in a new land often depended on forming alliances with local Native peoples who understood the land and how to live in it. The Wampanoag, who lived near Plymouth, offered crucial help to the Pilgrims during their first winter. Leaders like Massasoit worked to create a peaceful relationship, and through Squanto, a Patuxet who had learned English, the settlers learned how to plant crops, fish, and use local resources to stay alive. This assistance allowed the Pilgrims to endure the harsh winter and begin a lasting presence in the region, leading to the harvest gathering later that year. The other tribes—the Cherokee, Sioux, and Iroquois—were located in different areas and did not provide the aid to the Pilgrims during that initial winter.