The history of European colonization in North America is marked by a complex and often brutal interplay between settlers and the indigenous peoples who had inhabited the land for centuries. Among the most chilling practices that emerged during this period was the systematic use of scalp bounties—monetary rewards offered by colonial governments to encourage the killing of Native Americans. This gruesome practice, often shrouded in the broader narrative of conquest and settlement, reveals a dark chapter in the battle for domination over North America’s indigenous populations.
Scalping, the act of removing a portion of the scalp from a defeated enemy, predates European arrival in North America. Archaeological evidence from prehistoric sites confirms that scalping was practiced by some Native American tribes as part of intertribal warfare, particularly along the eastern coast. Early European explorers, such as French explorer Jacques Cartier in the 16th century, documented complex scalping customs, including scalp dances, preparation rituals, and the use of scalps as war trophies. These practices were often symbolic, tied to cultural traditions of honor, vengeance, or spiritual significance.
The term “to scalp” entered the English language in 1675 during King Philip’s War, a bloody conflict between Native American tribes and European colonists in New England. Before this, Europeans used less vivid terms to describe the act, but the brutality of the practice became undeniable as it was adopted and adapted by colonial powers.
While scalping may have originated with some Native American tribes, European settlers quickly embraced and weaponized it for their own purposes. Colonial governments saw scalping as a means to assert dominance, clear land for settlement, and eradicate indigenous resistance. By offering scalp bounties, they incentivized violence against Native Americans, turning murder into a profitable enterprise.
One stark example of this policy is documented in Bounty, a film produced by members of the Penobscot Nation. The documentary highlights a 1755 proclamation by Spencer Phips, lieutenant-governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, issued in the name of King George II. The proclamation offered substantial rewards for the killing of Penobscot people:
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Fifty Pounds for every male Indian prisoner above the age of twelve.
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Forty Pounds for every male Indian scalp, as evidence of their death.
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Twenty Pounds for every scalp of a female Indian or male Indian under twelve years of age.
This was not an isolated incident. Research cited in Bounty reveals over 70 similar proclamations in New England alone, with the earliest dating back to 1675. These bounties effectively declared open season on Native American men, women, and children, encouraging settlers, militias, and mercenaries to kill indiscriminately. As Emerson Baker, a history professor at Salem State University, noted, “Pretty much any Native American man, woman or child was considered fair game at times.”
The use of scalp bounties was not confined to New England. Across North America, colonial powers employed similar tactics to expand their territories and suppress indigenous resistance. In the 17th and 18th centuries, French, British, and later American authorities issued bounties to incentivize the killing of Native Americans, often targeting specific tribes deemed obstacles to colonial expansion. These policies fueled a cycle of violence, as settlers and Native American tribes engaged in retaliatory attacks, further escalating tensions.
Scalp bounties were particularly effective because they required little oversight. A scalp served as undeniable proof of a kill, making it a convenient currency for colonial governments. This system dehumanized Native Americans, reducing them to targets whose deaths were rewarded with cash. The bounties also destabilized indigenous communities, as fear of betrayal and violence eroded trust and cohesion.
The legacy of scalping and scalp bounties has left a lasting mark on popular culture, often sensationalized in media like the Prime Video series The English. The character of Black-Eyed Mog, an English settler who decorates her wall with Native American scalps, is a fictional but chilling reminder of the brutality that characterized this era. While such portrayals can exaggerate or dramatize historical realities, they draw attention to the uncomfortable truth of colonial violence.
Today, historians and indigenous filmmakers like those behind Bounty are working to uncover and share these stories, ensuring that the atrocities of the past are not forgotten. The documentary’s focus on the Penobscot Nation’s experience underscores the resilience of indigenous communities in the face of systemic violence. It also challenges modern audiences to confront the legacies of colonialism that continue to shape relationships between Native Americans and settler societies.
The use of scalp bounties by European colonial powers represents a chilling campaign of violence and exploitation. By offering monetary rewards for Native American scalps, colonial governments incentivized genocide and fueled the dispossession of indigenous peoples. Far from being an isolated or rare practice, scalp bounties were a widespread and deliberate tool of colonial expansion, leaving a legacy of trauma and loss. As we reflect on this history, it is crucial to acknowledge the resilience of Native American communities and to learn from the past to build a more just future.