Final answer:
Native Americans, particularly Samoset and Tisquantum (Squanto), played a critical role in the survival of the first English colonists in the Plymouth Colony by teaching them agricultural techniques like growing corn and negotiating treaties with local tribes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The help provided by Native Americans was crucial for the survival of the first English colonists in the Plymouth Colony. During the harsh winter of 1620-1621, many colonists died from starvation, disease, and the cold. Those who survived were weakened and struggled to maintain the settlement.
However, Native Americans, including Samoset from the Abenaki tribe and Tisquantum (Squanto) from the Pawtuxet tribe, proved to be saviors. These indigenous people, having already encountered English fishermen and dealt with European slavery, aided the English colonists by teaching them how to grow corn and negotiate treaties with local tribes, which became the backbone of the colony's sustenance.
The type of help provided by Native Americans to the Plymouth Colony was not only in the form of immediate food assistance but also included valuable knowledge about agriculture and diplomatic relationships with other Native American tribes. Through instruction on cultivating the local crops such as maize using fish as a fertilizer and forming peaceful agreements, the Natives were integral to the recovery and growth of the settlement.