enemies at home and in other countries.
Spies were an important part of the
American Revolution and the American
CivilWar. Spies also played major roles
inWorldWar I,WorldWar II, and the
ColdWar.
In the 1900s many governments created
organizations to collect secret information
about enemies. The KGB was the
main spying group for the Soviet Union.
The British Secret Intelligence Service
(also called MI6) and the U.S. Central
Intelligence Agency (CIA) are still active
today.
#More to explore
War
Squanto
Squanto was a Native American who
helped the Pilgrims of Plymouth
Colony. He belonged to the Pawtuxet
tribe of Massachusetts and Rhode
Island.
Little is known about Squanto’s early
life. According to one story, explorers
took Squanto to England in 1605. Captain
John Smith brought him back to
North America nine years later. Then
one of Smith’s men kidnapped Squanto
and sold him into slavery in Spain.
Squanto escaped to England. Upon
returning to North America, he found
that disease had killed the other Pawtuxet.
Squanto went to live with the
Wampanoag.
Squanto met the Pilgrims in 1621. Their
settlement was onWampanoag land.
Squanto could talk to the Pilgrims
because he knew the English language.
He showed them how to plant crops and
where to fish. He also helped them work
out a peace treaty with Massasoit, chief
of theWampanoag.
The governor of Plymouth Colony
made Squanto his representative to the
Nathan Hale
was one of the
first U.S. spies.
He was caught
and killed by
the British
during the
American
Revolution
(1775–1783).
Squanto served as a guide for
the Pilgrims, who were unfamiliar
with the land.
170 Squanto BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Indian groups. But Squanto sometimes
abused his power. The Indians began to
distrust him. In 1622 Squanto falsely
told the colonists that Massasoit was
planning to attack Plymouth. The Pilgrims
found him out, but they let him
stay in Plymouth and protected him
from Massasoit. Squanto died in what is
now Chatham, Massachusetts, in
November 1622.
#More to explore
Native Americans • Plymouth Colony
•Wampanoag
Squash
Squashes are fruits that are grown
throughout the world in all but the
coldest climates. They are related to
gourds, melons, and cucumbers. Some
types of pumpkin are also called
squashes.
Squashes grow on plants with large, dark
green leaves. The trumpet-shaped flowers
range in color from yellow to orange.
The fruits can be round, oval, or shaped
like a shell. Their color can be white,
yellow, orange, green, gray, or speckled
or striped. The rind, or skin, can be
smooth or covered with bumps.
Squashes are divided into summer
squashes and winter squashes. Despite
the names, both types grow throughout
the year. Summer squashes typically
grow on bushes. They are much softer
than winter squashes. They contain soft
seeds that can be eaten. Summer
squashes must be eaten soon after they
are picked. Zucchini and yellow squash
are types of summer squash.
Winter squashes grow on long vines.
They are usually much larger than summer
squashes. They have a thick, hard
rind and seeds that are not eaten.Winter
squashes will last for months after being
picked. Acorn and butternut squashes
are types of winter squash.
Squashes are often cooked as side dishes
or used in soups. Zucchini and other
summer squashes can be added to breads
or muffins. The flowers of squash plants
are also sometimes eaten. Squashes are
used as food for farm animals, too.
#More to explore
Fruit • Gourd • Pumpkin
Squid
Squid are mollusks that live in the
ocean. Mollusks are a group of animals
with soft bodies. Squid are closely
related to octopuses, but they have 10
arms instead of 8. Squid can live either
near the coast or in very deep water far
Gardens produce many summer squashes. out in the ocean.
Native
Americans
were probably
the first people
to grow
squashes.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Squid 171
A squid has a long, tube-shaped body
with a short head. A shell supports the
body from the inside. Giant squid can
be 60 feet (18 meters) long and weigh
1,000 pounds (454 kilograms). Some
other squid are less than an inch (2.5
centimeters) long. A squid has large
eyes, usually on the sides of its head.
Two of a squid’s 10 arms are longer than
the others. Suckers on the long arms
help the squid catch fish and shellfish
to eat.
Squid can be fast swimmers, or they can
just drift along. Whales, sea birds, and
other animals eat squid. Squid often use
their speed to escape enemies. They also
can hide from enemies by changing
color to blend in with rocks or seaweed.
Like an octopus, a squid can spray a
cloud of inky fluid into the water to
confuse the enemy.
After mating, a female squid lays
hundreds to thousands of eggs. The
eggs are grouped together in jellylike
strands. The female leaves the eggs
alone to develop. Within several weeks
they hatch into a small form of the
adult.
#More to explore
Mollusk • Octopus
Squirrel
Squirrels are rodents that have long
bushy tails. In many cities squirrels are
seen more often than any other wild
mammal. The squirrel family also
includes groundhogs, prairie dogs, and
chipmunks. There are more than 250
