Erin L. McCormack
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Been Duped: What I Learned About What I Learned in History

10/5/2020

2 Comments

 
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I don’t like being duped. Do you?  In a personality survey, quest for truth was one of my highest values – over creativity, loyalty, perseverance, etc. One of the benefits of living long enough is to find out what information you learned is valid, and what has been whitewashed, distorted or hidden.  I’m a history and archeology buff, so I’m on the lookout for new developments and perspectives. Or, sometimes, out of the blue, a new truth hits me over the head like a brick – and I have to conclude I’ve been mislead – or lied to. You may call it loss of innocence; I call it awakening – or woke. I’d rather know, than hold on to fantasies.
 
Turns out the Indians (Native Americans) in New England are not all dead or gone. I’ve met many in recent years, and they are definitely alive and real. I grew up in a small town in CT, on the side of a mountain; on the ridge above us was “Metacomet’s Trail” – the name of an old Indian path, we were told. Not much more; and not taught in school. Metacomet, the lore was, had attacked some early English settlers nearby, for no particular reason, except he was a fighter – who was defeated. End of war; end of family; end of Indians. And yet, I’ve met one of his descendents (through his sister’s line). His relatives are still here; I’ve met them and seen their family trees. Others were sold into slavery to the Caribbean; they too are not gone, and remember their heritage. According to that version, he was a Wampanoag leader, son of Massasoit who greeted the Pilgrims in 1620, and was fighting against being pushed off native land. Killed in the war, his body ended up in Plymouth, his head on a pole for 20 years as a warning. Turns out – there are plenty of indigenous people, tax paying voters, who have always lived in New England. In past generations, many kept a low profile – for good reason. Today, look around, there are plenty of ways to see and learn more about our indigenous neighbors, the original residents of this place.
 
Turns out – we had plenty of slavery here in the north, in New England, that I never learned about growing up. It was always a matter of the South being slave-owners, and racist. But slavery was here, and then erased – no one to document and tell the stories. Owning slaves was on a smaller scale – not plantations, but still a fact of life. Yes-- enslaved people helped build and farm this area – allowing greater freedom for their masters. Some New Englander’s profited greatly from the slave trade (especially banking), outfitting ships, and purchasing cotton from the south. Enslaved men in Bedford and Concord, and neighboring towns served in the Revolutionary war.. Some but not all were given their freedom; they are buried in a separate part of the old cemeteries. Perhaps most shocking, to me, was visiting the Isaac Royall house in Medford, maybe 20 minutes from here: to see the old colonial mansion, still standing. And the extensive slave quarters, still standing – mainly because the estate fell into disrepair and no one had money to renovate – or cover it over. Today, it’s open as a museum, and the picture of life for enslaved people who lived there is not very happy.
 
Maybe the worst reality check for me was learning about Frederick Douglass, the great Black abolitionist, and his time on the Eastern Shore. Turns out I lived for about a year in the exact same area as he did, traveling the same roads into the same towns. Only, I had no idea at the time. Not a clue. Never a word, plaque, sign, statue, write-up in the library, etc. that he had been there during a formative time of his life before he escaped.  I was an avid user of the library, and interested in local history: the Quakers, the watermen, the chicken farmers, all that good stuff..  But nothing about Frederick Douglass.  I found out only by accident, in grad school at Harvard, reading “The Narrative of Frederick Douglass” for an American Literature class. He took great risks to his freedom to name names and places. But they did not want to remember him. Today, there is a memorial to him, in Easton, MD, which I have not seen, but understand it came about as result of a student’s research paper, and quest to bring Douglass, a hometown son, some recognition.
 
History is a funny thing – an amalgamation of truths, science, records and documents, interpretation – and manipulation.  At a lecture on WWII navy history some years ago, the presenter was showing slides of recently declassified images of the action in the Pacific – things were going badly; the news was demoralizing, and so hidden. There was an attack on one of the navy ships; several WWII navy men in the audience had been on that ship, during the incident. The historian described what was officially recorded; and the servicemen corrected him. The historian took down notes, and history was rewritten.
 
That’s how it goes with history: often written by the victor, and corrected with time and effort for those who want to set the record straight.
2 Comments
Thomas
10/7/2020 05:40:20 am

You've been duped again! Metacom was mot Wampanoag. He was Pokanoket from the Mr Hope area of R.I. As was his father Osamiquin. Pokanoket are a band of Nahagansett. Prior to 1620 paying tribute to Nahagansett Grand Sac'hem Cononicus. Metacom and his brother Wamsutta married into the female Sac'hemship of the Wampanoag thus forming an alliance. Historically the Wampanoag were a band of Nahagansett on the east side of the Nahagansett bay, hence the people of the east. Massaasoit/Osamequin & Metacom/Philip were just as much invaders in Massachusett territory as the colonist were. Don't subscribe to the pilgrims and Indians propaganda, it's just a nice story not factual.

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Erin McCormack
10/10/2020 11:23:26 am

Thomas, Thank you for writing. I'm so excited to have a comment! And I appreciate this information that you've shared. Many of the specific details were not clear to me. I truly welcome the best and most complete versions of history that I can find. I don't know that I was duped (except by myself), as much as I the information that I've pieced together over the years did not add up to the complete narrative. I wasn't brought up in the local native culture, but I have gleaned over the years that there are differences and even conflicts between groups that continue to this day. I have no illusions that the early interactions with Massasoits people and the Pilgrims were simply altruistic - all about alliances and territorial rights - although nothing on the scale of the wave of European settlers. So - may I have permission to add the additional facts above to my FB post - as an amendment (not necessarily the part about me being duped.)? Let me know. BTW, I consider myself a friend of Harry and Lee Edmonds, both Pokanoket - and from them I learned of childhood taunts about their heritage. Just wondering your source of knowledge and interest. Erin

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    Author: Erin L. McCormack - ELM, get it?  All about the trees....

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