Written and Illustrated by Phillip Martin

The year 1620 the Pilgrims came over. Plymouth Rock The year 1620 the Pilgrims came over. Perhaps you know the song? It doesn’t mention that the Wampanoag people lived in the area of what is now Massachusetts for 12,000 years.

Prior to landing at Plymouth, the Pilgrims lived in Holland for 12 years, separating themselves from the Church of England.

There were 101 men, women and children on the Mayflower. It took sixty-six days to cross the Atlantic Ocean to get to the New World.

The Wampanoag knew the land well The Wampanoag knew the land well. They knew how to hunt, fish and harvest. The settlers learned from the Wampanoag how to grow their crops. After the harvest in 1621, the Pilgrims celebrated with a three day feast.

That first Thanksgiving meal was with different food from what is eaten today. It was celebrated with deer, shellfish pumpkin, succotash, lobster, nuts, roasted corn and probably duck or geese.

History is unclear if the Pilgrims actually invited their neighbors to the celebration. It is debated that the Wampanoag heard gun fire and might have crashed the party.

All we know about the first Thanksgiving comes from a letter written by Edward Winslow in 1621. That letter and the holiday were forgotten for about 200 years. In 1841, Boston publisher Alexander Young printed Winslow’s letter. He called it the “first Thanksgiving” and the idea was very popular.

In 1863, Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday. It is suggested that Lincoln wanted Thanksgiving to help heal a divided nation after the civil war. The idea of Native Americans and Pilgrims getting along was a good unity story. Who knows?

Franklin Roosevelt set the date for Thanksgiving in November and it was approved by Congress in 1941. In 1621, it was most likely after harvest in late September or October.

Not everything you have heard about the first Thanksgiving is true Not everything you have heard about the first Thanksgiving is true. Say it isn’t so! The friendship between the settlers and the Wampanoag wasn’t very warm and fuzzy and only lasted a generation. The settlers didn’t wear black clothing or buckles on their shoes or hats.

The Wampanoag wore no feathers in their hair. For the settlers, a day of thanksgiving would have been a religious day. This day wasn’t. There were games and dances. A religious holiday would not include the Wampanoag. It would have included fasting.

Believe it or not, the Pilgrims didn’t even refer to themselves as Pilgrims. They were Separatists who were unhappy with the Church of England. The term Pilgrims started up in 1840. The word was picked from the writings of William Bradford, governor of the colony from 1621–57.

There is even debate about when and where the first Thanksgiving celebration took place! Texans claim it started in 1598 in San Elizario, near El Paso, Texas. And, yes, Virginia claims the very first Thanksgiving was along the James River in 1629. Long before, many world cultures have celebrated the harvest.

No matter the origins, myths and mistakes No matter the origins, myths and mistakes. No matter if your celebration is in October in Canada or November in the U.S.A. and with or without turkey, cranberries, football or hockey. It is always good to stop and be thankful for life’s blessings.