Samoset

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Samoset (ca. 1590 – 1653) was the first Native American to make contact with the Pilgrims. On March 16, 1621 the settlers were more than surprised when Samoset strolled straight through the middle of the encampment at Plymouth Colony and greeted them in English and asked whether they had any beer for him^[1]. He was a member of an Abenaki sachem tribe that resided at that time in Maine. He was a sagamore (subordinate chief) of his tribe and was visiting Chief Massasoit. He had learned his broken English from the English fishermen that came to fish off Monhegan Island. After spending the night with the Pilgrims, he came back two days later with Squanto.

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