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Massasoit was born in the village of Pokanoket near present-day Bristol, Rhode Island, around 1590. Also known as Ousamequin, or "yellow feather" he was a chief of the Wampanoag tribe. Massasoit signed a peace treaty with the Pilgrims on March 22,1621. It was an agreement that was never broken, and the two groups enjoyed a peaceful coexistence. His friendship with the settlers helped keep the Wampanoags neutral in the Pequot War of 1636. Massasoit remained an ally of the Pilgrims until his death in 1661.

According to Mourt's Relation: A journal of the Pilgrims of Plymouth, the Pilgrims treaty with Massasoit is described as follows:

That neither he ( Massaoit) nor any of his people should injure or do hurt to any of our people.

That if any of our tools were taken away, when our people were at work, he should cause them to be restored; and if ours did any harm to any of his, we would do like to them.

If any did unjustly war against him, we would aid him; if any did war against us, he should aid us.

He should [tell] his neighbors confederates of this, that they might not wroong us.

That when their men came to us, they should leave their bows and arrows behind them, as we should do our [weapons] when we came to them.