It is no secret that Thanksgiving is a holiday of many interpretations. Depending on which interest group is being asked, this day of observance can be accompanied by negative or positive connotations. According to its Google definition, Thanksgiving is “an annual national holiday marked by religious observances and a traditional meal including turkey.” Thanksgiving, as described in textbooks across the country, is a national holiday which came to be in Plymouth, Massachusetts during the year of 1621. In its prime, Thanksgiving has been described as “a three-day festival of eating, hunting, and other entertainment in honor of the pilgrims’ first successful harvest,” (History). What history textbooks around the world do not tell you is that these are only miniscule details regarding what the holiday actually commemorates. According to numerous sources, Thanksgiving has been given a negative reputation for laying the foundation of Native American suffering. A short film published by WatchCut on Youtube explores fifteen Native Americans and their one-worded responses to "Thanksgiving". Some of their answers include "sadness", "lies", "inaccuracy", and "colonization", though some voice that when they hear the word "Thanksgiving", they think about "family", "football" and "thankfulness". Above all else, they did not seem too keen on the idea of the holiday being the center of discussion. That is primarily due to a heavy history of generations of oppression, massacre, bloody
At that point of my childhood, my family was unaware of American holidays and traditions since they barely settled in The United States. One of the holidays that were a major topic of discussion in American schools was Thanksgiving. When I was in elementary, teachers would make students draw turkeys, color turkeys, and play games that featured turkeys. I did not comprehend what Thanksgiving was truly about as a child, but I did know that it was “turkey day,” meaning that on Thanksgiving I was supposed to eat a turkey with my family just like the rest of my peers said they would.
Holidays are always celebrated no matter religion, beliefs, or culture. Some are recognized more than others but none two are as highly recognized like the cherished Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays. The pair may seem vastly different, as they are two completely separate occasions, but in actuality they do share very similar attributes. Many of the similarities and differences are about to be explained, so here goes.
When I imagine “The First Thanksgiving”, I think of peace and harmony. Then my History complex comes in, I remember all of the rape, cannibalism, and disease spreading that happened in the years before “The First Thanksgiving” ruin my picture perfect scene. The Pilgrims did not have a farming aspect when they came to The New Colony but with the help of the Native Americans they learned how to survive. When I was younger we always were taught that this time, in history, everyone got along and they were happy. The Pilgrims came to have religious freedom and not to be treated as second class citizens. This is a notable act but they had various pathogens that they were immuned to but the Natives were not. Historians say that the pathogens that
Thanksgiving is a national and annual holiday where people express their gratitude and appreciation towards family members, friends, significant others, their religion, their health, their education, or are appreciative of what they have. Most of us are all aware that Thanksgiving is one of the happiest days of the year because we all share a traditional meal with our family and often give thanks to our loved ones. Typically, on this day interactions are what is primarily being focused on. Everyone is communicating with one another about how grateful they are to have them in their lives and this ultimately strengthens and provides reassurance to the relationship. The most important part about Thanksgiving is that all families come together
The second truth about human nature in this book is that humans easily change, whether for the good or the bad. Different types of events can change a persons perspective on their views. When David went to war, he went from a highschool boy to someone who must become the best man he can be to survive. Penna also thought that David would only be gone a year and nothing would change, but throughout the book she realized everything would be different when he got back. Through this realization, she made new friends and got closer to her family.
In conclusion, the history of Thanksgiving dates back to 1621. It takes many years before it becomes a permanent national holiday for the American society. Throughout the years Americans have in cooperated new traditions as well as maintained the old. As O. Henry says, “There is one day that is ours. Thanksgiving Day is the one day that is purely
Thanksgiving to me means family time and a chains to be thankful for all we have our family, our wonderful country, and all the things we are blessed to have. Every year we go to our Mimi’s and Papa’s for thanksgiving, it is my family, my Mimi and Papa, and my Uncle's family. As soon as you walk through the door you can smell the wonderful aroma of food, and when you walk into the kitchen you can see a table adorned with an abundant amount. Then we all gather around the table and pry as we thank god for all he has given use and then we get our plates so we can serve ourselves. While we are eating we have some comical conversations that makes us laugh, we also talk about what we have been doing.
Thanksgiving is a the day we celebrate everything we are grateful. In which comes the controversial topic of how thanksgiving became what it is today. overall , I thinking slaughtering turkeys for a specific day is a horrific act and is considered a social justice issue. While on the contrary I do not believe it is a race and social issue mainly based off the history of thanksgiving. There is harm to the turke I think the reason it is such a controversial topic is the fact we are solely killing turkeys to interpret a dinner served back when. It is also a social issue because of the amount of turkeys being killed. As well as what thanksgiving could stand for. In one of the videos “ Meet the rescued turkeys at Woodstock Farm Sanctuary” Caregiver
I’m going to give you an example of my most memorable Thanksgiving. This goes back to four years ago. I believe I was in the seventh grade around this time. Thanksgiving was at my grandmother's house that year. So everyone definitely came for the food. The problem was that my two aunties weren’t getting along at that time. One came up from Florida and the other came up from Jamaica. My aunty Darrett was from Jamaica and my auntie Reds is from Florida. They were my grandma’s sisters. Now imagine being in a house on a holiday with two of your family members not speaking. Once it was time for us to eat we all was
While children are growing up in America, they are told several tales of America’s establishment and history. However, these stories are generally not told as they actually happened. An instance of this is the story of the Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is explained as this elaborate ceremony where the Pilgrims and Indians gathered in harmony at this large harvest in celebration of their coming together. According to the primary document of William Bradford’s journal, Thanksgiving didn’t pan out quite as it is explained to Americans today. In the film, The Addams Family Values, the Addams children take part in a traditional, yet misconceived celebration of the first Thanksgiving. This
This year Thanksgiving is on November 23,2017. Every year my family Thanksgiving is the best, to me at least. So we always have Thanksgiving at my Grandmas and Grandpas, but not this year we are having it at my house. Which I mean could be good and bad. Good is it is at my house so it’s cool and bad, the house has to be completely spotless or my mom will freak out. Normally what we do every year is we get my family together and have dinner, mess around, and watch football. This year my dad's brother is coming with his three daughters and his wife and my grandpa and grandma. I really can’t wait to see them all because I don't really see them that much as I would like to. When we have a family dinner like this we always have a lot of food for everyone.
Thanksgiving Holiday means so much to me. I love to celebrate that extended weekend with my family. On the eve of the big day, my cousins and I meet at an elder’s house and then the festivities began. This shared feast started in 1621 with the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians sharing a harvest feast ("Thanksgiving," 2016). A portion of the food can be prepared the day before. We decide who would handle what task and when it time clean up the second generation, always try to make the third generation do it. We then continue to cook and clean and reminisce of our past year. Sometimes we would bring up our childhood pranks and stories of family members that passed and present. On the day of Thanksgiving we finish cooking,
With the rush of people coming in the door ready to eat. Starting to make the silence die. The wind starts to pick up with the refreshing november air blowing through. Some people pitch in to help set the plates and put the final touches on the food. While the turkey is being cut everyone knows the feast is about to begin. As everyone floods into the dining room with chairs and the dogs following preparing to have thanksgiving as well. Once everyone is there and all the food is set in the middle of the table we say our prayers and begin to eat.
The truth of the matter is, when the Pilgrims arrived, they found an abandoned Wampanoag village and moved right in. In 1618, a massive epidemic of an unknown disease left by English explorers swept across Wampanoag country and decimated many of the villages. This epidemic caused the death of ten to thirty percent of the total population and all but a few of the 2,000 people of the village of Patuxet. When the Pilgrims arrived in 1620, they landed at Patuxet with no idea of what had occurred. At this point, there were only about 2,000 members left in the Wampanoag tribe, down from 12,000 in 1600. Despite the incredible losses to his people, Wampanoag leader Massasoit and 90 of his men sat down for a harvest celebration offered by the white men. For three days the Wampanoag and Pilgrims feasted on deer, wild turkey, fish, beans, squash, corn and other foods native to North America. Although the celebration was good-natured, this event truly signifies the beginning of a drastic decline of native culture and Thanksgiving would be more fittingly observed as a day of mourning rather than a celebration. In the years that followed, skirmishes occurred and more Native Americans were killed. In 1637, English soldiers massacred 700 Pequot men, women and children as an example of the English way of war, yet we still celebrate Thanksgiving as a joyful event. So, as we sit down for our Thanksgiving dinner,
Thanksgiving is a day to give thanks to your life and everyone and everything in it. Thanksgiving is thought of in different ways and is celebrated in unlike ways. Families have divergent meals, places that they visit on Thanksgiving, and activities that they enjoy taking part in on Thanksgiving. Overall, no matter what traditions there are, what meals you have, or the activities enjoyed on Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving is truly a wonderful holiday.