What incident sparked the Pequot War?

The murder of John Oldham is often cited as a significant catalyst for the Pequot War. John Oldham was a trader who was killed in 1636, and his death incited fear and outrage among English settlers in New England, leading to calls for retaliation. This event exacerbated existing tensions between the Pequot tribe and the English colonists, as the murder prompted punitive actions that escalated the conflict into full-scale war. The English settlers viewed the killing as a direct threat and an act of aggression, which intensified their hostilities towards the Pequot. Thus, the murder of Oldham played a crucial role in igniting the conflict that culminated in the Pequot War. The underlying tensions related to land disputes and colonial expansion existed, but it was this specific incident that acted as a flashpoint for the war.