Thanksgiving : The Culture And Culture Of Thanksgiving

The colonization of New England started with a king who chose his enemies unwisely. Succeeder of Elizabeth I in 1603, James I vowed to purge all radical Protestant reformers, especially the Puritans whom were made up of Presbyterians and Congregationalists. So in an attempt to flee from persecution, they set off for a new land to build their utopia. In November 1620 some 88 “Pilgrims” set anchor at a place they called Plymouth (on today’s coast of southeastern Massachusetts). They were shaken by shipboard mutiny, sick with scurvy, and weak from mal nutrition. Few foreseen founding the first permanent European settlement in New England. Many did not live long enough to enjoy the distinction. They arrived too late to plant crops due to weather and only brought enough food to last a month. By the spring of 1621, half of the Pilgrims laid dead. Plymouth might also ended up a tragedy like their Jamestown counterparts except they received better treatment from the native Indians. The Wampanoag’s controlled the land around Plymouth, and was eager to obtain trade goods and assistance against their native enemies. Their chief agreed to help the starving colonists. In the beginning they communicated through a Wampanoag named Squanto. Squanto had been captured by English sailors and taken to England where he learned English. The Pilgrims openly accepted the help and hospitality from the natives, and after their first successful

Plymouth did not face nearly as much hardship as the colonists in Jamestown faced because their journey to the new world took the expected three-month period. However, this did not guarantee the colonists success. Early into the winter several of the colonists became sick or faced starvation dude to the poor rationing of food in the colony. The local Native Americans helped the colonists and created the first Thanksgiving. William Bradford viewed the Native Americans as humane and intelligent beings and attempted numerous times to build the relationship between the colonists and Native

The helping hands the Native Americans provided for the Englishmen was building crude huts for the Pilgrims. Common houses were provided on the shores of Plymouth Bay for the pilgrim. Squanto played the interpreter of the Indians for the Englishman. He had been kidnapped a decade before the pilgrimage and help translate for communication between the Natives and the Englishmen. Squanto played a teacher and fatherly role and taught the natives to farm with the soil the way he learned during the decade he had spent in the United Kingdom by using dried and decomposing fish to produce a stellar corn crop. This was a huge benefit the Natives served for the Englishmen.

Jamestown and Plymouth had many differences but they also had similarities with one another. Both Jamestown and Plymouth were English colonies that left England to find riches, and both of them did eventually find their riches. Also, they both colonized in North America along the east coast. Jamestown and Plymouth both overcame many difficulties while they were trying to start their colony. Even though these relationships were different, both colonies had relationships with the Native Americans.

Economic motives promoted colonization in Virginia for Jamestown, however freedom from the the Church of England motivated the Pilgrims to start colonizing Plymouth. Jamestown was more of the greedy colony anxious to find gold and mined the land rather than farm it which lead to their suffering of starvation, illness, fevers and pneumonia. Thier relations with the Powhatans natives were poor due to their vast differences of culture, beliefs and who has more power of the lands which lead to the indians keeping their distance from the colony and knowledge of survival tips to themselves. However, Plymouth colony was not unaware of cooperation and hard work to get things in order for the winter survival and with the help of Squanto, former Indian slave from England, they were able to gain much knowledge of farming, fishing and hunting. They too, also experienced hunger, disease and environmental hazards but thanks to their teamwork with the Wampanoag indians the Plymouth colony was able to overcome the challenges of the new lands quickly. The Wampanoag indian tribe also helped grow their first crops and they all united in celebration of a national holiday that we celebrate to this day, Thanksgiving, giving thanks to the lord, new friends and successful growth of crops and meats for all. In comparison Captain John Smith, was determined to make the settlement work in Jamestown and encouraged the Jamestown colony to live peacefully with the Powhatans indians which benefit their way of life just like it had with the Plymouth. Also, the first Governor John Carver created a treaty that would keep the relations with the indians and the colony friendly for years to come. Likewise, Governor William Bradford, who governed for nearly 30 years after Carver passed, realized the affect the

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.

As the holiday season is coming nearer each day, I found it appropriate to look further into the traditional Thanksgiving topic. I can only describe what my family does, my Puerto Rican and Caucasian family. As far as I can say, we are not necessarily traditional with our celebration of Thanksgiving. So I figured why not use this assignment as a way to further look into the holiday and how it is celebrated across America, this can mean anything from families celebrating it in their homes, to the retail shops of the country selling holiday/seasonal items to go along with the tradition. I would like to examine the traditions of thanksgiving.

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

He also taught them how to fish and where the best spots were to catch enough to feed the colony. These important tips were essential to the survival of the English. Squanto was also very helpful in establishing peaceful relations between the colonists and Indians. In his first meeting with the Plymouth colonists, Squanto was able to work out a peace treaty in order to keep either side from hastily attacking the other (Johnson p.2). He also acted as an interpreter and a guide to help make the English more comfortable around the indigenous people (). “Without Squanto’s help, the Pilgrims would probably have had severe famine over the next year, and would have lived in constant fear of their indian neighbors”(Johnson p.2); the English could not have survived without the knowledge that Squanto had given them.

When they got all their food ready, English and Native American men, women, and children ate and played games. They ate food such as turkey, corn, shellfish, and deer. This feast lasted 3 days and during those 3 days both the English and Native American ate as one. The Pilgrims were very thankful towards the Native Americans for helping them, and that’s why we celebrate Thanksgiving.

The Plymouth colony that was part of the New England colonies, the Indians had rescued the floundering Plymouth settlement. The Samoset had accomplish the language of english from the contact that they had with sailors and fishermen that had visited the coast making repairs before the Plymouth settlers arrived. Wampanoag Indians also own territory in Plymouth. Squanto was a special instrument sent of god for the good of the Pilgrims. But also the Pilgrims managed the harvest enough food for the winter, in the other hand, Pennsylvania in numbers exceeded by the great Puritan migration to the New England. In the year of 1682 and 1685, almost eight thousand immigrant arrived to Pennsylvania. English economic policies toward the colonies were

A. Smith, "The Industrialized Turkey." In The Turkey, An American Story, 168. Chicago: Library of Congress, 2006.

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 is the time to come to enjoy each other's company and eat good. Most of the time families watch football together and catch up with each other. Thanksgiving means showing thanks and appreciation to the ones that have been so good and loyal to them. Show their loved ones they are appreciated and that you love them.

One day, a lone Indian man walked into the settlement. He raised his hand in friendship to the settlers. The Pilgrims welcomed this stranger named Samoset. Samoset introduced the Pilgrims to his chief, Massasoit, and his interpreter, Squanto. Squanto spoke English because he had been captured as a boy by traders who had come to the New World in search of slaves. Squanto was taken to England and lived there many years before returning to the New World. He alone understood that the Pilgrims did not know how to hunt or fish - that they would die without help in the New World.