The Pilgrims and the First Thanksgiving
Who (was involved)?- “Separatists” who were looking for religious freedoms outside of England.
What (happened)?- Left England for the New World aboard the ship Mayflower. The trip was very difficult and many people succumbed to seasickness. Lasting 65 days, land was spotted in November and in December, the Pilgrims left the Mayflower and began forming their settlement. About half of the Pilgrims died in that first winter of 1620-21 due to the cold but in March, Native Americans named Samoset and Squanto helped the settlers adapt to their new environment. With the help of the Natives, the Pilgrims flourished and after the fall harvest, the Native Americans and the Pilgrims enjoyed what we consider the first “Thanksgiving”.
When (did these events take place)?- The Pilgrims left England in September of 1620, spotted land in November of 1620, left the ship and settled in December of 1620, met Native Americans Samoset and Squanto in March of 1621 and participated in a harvest festival with the Native Americans in September of 1621.
Where (did these events take place)?- Left from Plymouth, England and settled in Plymouth (named after the town they sailed from) in what is today Massachusetts.
Why (are these events important)?- The Pilgrims began a trend of leaving the Old World in search of religious freedom in the New World. They proved that self-government in the New World was possible as was the trip itself. Survival in the New World was not just something explorers could do. It also established relations with the Native Americans, through which peace was achieved for 50 years (in the new Plymouth Colony).
Pilgrims are people who travel for religious reasons and the Pilgrims who would participate in the first Thanksgiving were no different. They disagreed with the religious teachings of the Church of England. In fact, the Pilgrims were members of a group of people called Separatists. These people had different beliefs than the rest of the English people. They did not support the fact that the King of England was also the leader of the Church. Going against the Church meant going against the King, which was treason and it made life very difficult for the Separatists.
On September 6, 1620 the Pilgrims set sail for the New World on a ship called the Mayflower in search of establishing a new place to live in which they could practice their religion in peace. They sailed from Plymouth, England and aboard were 44 Pilgrims, who called themselves the "Saints", and 66 others, whom the Pilgrims called the "Strangers."
Life on the Mayflower, the ship the Pilgrims traveled to the New World on in 1620, was very difficult. The ship was very cramped and the passengers and additional crew had very little free space. The ship was constantly tossed around on the ocean and many people got seasick. Another storm destroyed the mast (the large wooded post that holds the sail) and the Pilgrims had to fix it. One man even fell overboard but grabbed a rope and was saved. Despite these conditions, amazingly, only one man died on the voyage. Even more amazing was the fact that one baby was actually born on the voyage and that the Pilgrims drafter a document in order to govern their new colony (The document was called the “Mayflower Compact”. We will learn more about this document next week)!
Finally, on November 9th, about 65 days after the Pilgrims departed, land was spotted. After sending out surveyors to get a better idea of the area, the Pilgrims left the ship on December 23rd, 1620. Unfortunately, when the Pilgrims landed, life did not get much easier. By the time the crew finally got off the ship and settled in their new colony of Plymouth (named for the town they had left from in England) it was cold, half of the Pilgrims died during the winter of 1620-21. They had difficulty adjusting to their new environment. They did not know how to grow crops effectively in the New World and only raised 11 buildings in the winter, leading to exposure to the cold that led to the deaths of so many Pilgrims. In the next 3 months, of all those who started the voyage, less than 50 remained alive.
Luckily, in March of 1621, two Native Americans named Samoset and Squanto emerged and helped the Pilgrims adapt to their new environment. At first, the Native Americans were cautious of the settlers due to interactions with other Europeans in the past. After signing a peace treaty with the local Native American tribe, the new colony survived and in late September 1621, the Pilgrims invited their Native American allies to celebrate their successful harvest. This event is what we now know as the first Thanksgiving in the Plymouth Colony.
The Pilgrims did not dress in all black nor did they have buckled hats and shoes. The Natives did not dress in loincloths, as it would have been too cold. They did not eat with knives and forks or even plates and simply ate on flat surfaces. And most importantly, the Native Americans brought venison (deer) and the Pilgrims brought geese or duck, but there was no turkey!
Above is a cross section of the Mayflower. Pretty cramped, huh?
Below is an image of what many Americans feel the First Thanksgiving looks like. THIS IS A COMMON MISCONCEPTION!
The routes of the Pilgrims above and below