Which Native American taught the Pilgrims planting techniques that helped them survive?

Which Native American taught the Pilgrims planting techniques that helped them survive?

• A. Pocahontas
• B. Sacagawea
• C. Hiawatha
• D. Squanto

Answer: (D)

Understanding how settlers learned to survive relies on the help they received from Native Americans who knew the local land. Squanto taught the Pilgrims practical farming methods suited to New England, showing them how to plant crops like corn and use fish as fertilizer to enrich the soil. This guidance gave them a reliable way to grow food in a new environment and weather the first difficult years. He also helped with fishing and navigating local resources, acting as a crucial cultural and linguistic bridge. The other figures are known for different roles in American history—Pocahontas with the Jamestown colony, Sacagawea with the Lewis and Clark expedition, and Hiawatha as a legendary figure in Iroquois lore—so they aren’t associated with teaching Pilgrims planting techniques.

Understanding how settlers learned to survive relies on the help they received from Native Americans who knew the local land. Squanto taught the Pilgrims practical farming methods suited to New England, showing them how to plant crops like corn and use fish as fertilizer to enrich the soil. This guidance gave them a reliable way to grow food in a new environment and weather the first difficult years. He also helped with fishing and navigating local resources, acting as a crucial cultural and linguistic bridge. The other figures are known for different roles in American history—Pocahontas with the Jamestown colony, Sacagawea with the Lewis and Clark expedition, and Hiawatha as a legendary figure in Iroquois lore—so they aren’t associated with teaching Pilgrims planting techniques.