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Primary sourceBook1616

A Description of New England

John Smith · 1616

John Smith's account of his 1614 voyage, the same expedition on which Thomas Hunt seized Squanto, describing the Patuxet coast before disease devastated its people.

Describes the 1614 voyage on which Hunt kidnapped Squanto, and the Patuxet coast before epidemic devastated it.

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Title page of 'A Description of New England' printed in London in 1616 by Humfrey Lownes for Robert Clerke. The title mentions Captain John Smith, Admirall of that Country, the year 1614, five ships, and French men of warre. A decorative ornamental band appears in the middle, and the imprint at the bottom reads 'At London' and 'Lodge in Chancery lane, ouer against Lincolnes Inne. 1616.'
John Smith, A Description of New England, London, 1616.

About this source

What it is

A Description of New England is a book by John Smith, published in 1616, describing his 1614 voyage and promoting English settlement in the region.

Why it matters

This is an account of the very voyage during which Thomas Hunt kidnapped Squanto and other Patuxet and Nauset people. Smith describes the coast and its Native inhabitants before an epidemic later devastated the Patuxet population, context that helps explain the world Squanto came from and lost.

Look closer

  • What does Smith's description tell us about the land and people before major change came to the region?
  • Why was Smith eager to promote this land to English readers?
  • What might such a promotional account leave out about the people living there?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Tisquantum (Squanto) on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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