Between the early 1600s and late 1700s, there were a series of conflicts between English settlers and Indigenous peoples in North America which were driven by differing perceptions of land and liberty. This was due to the fact that Europeans had a fundamentally different view of land ownership than Native Americans. Colonists viewed land as something to be owned and exploited for economic gain; whereas indigenous populations held a more holistic approach whereby their relationship with the environment was based on respect for its spiritual significance (McGee & Ward 2019).

Additionally, Europeans sought absolute control over the territory they occupied which could not be reconciled with traditional practices such as communal hunting or gathering rights (Weber & Smith 2008). This led to disputes over resources which produced tension when settlers encroached upon native lands. Similarly, negotiations regarding sovereignty often fell through because colonists did not recognize Indigenous nations’ right to self-determination (Hoxie et al., 2019). These issues compounded other grievances such as broken treaties or mistreatment at trading posts where goods were bought at low prices (Fisher 2002). All these factors contributed to escalating hostilities between both sides culminating in King Phillip’s War 1675–1676.