Thanksgiving History

Prior to belief many think that the Pilgrims celebrated the holiday each year.
in the beginning thereafter.  Many forget the hardship bound by the colonist, as they were settling their new found colony. They were on stretched by the blistery weather that was setting in. It would prove to be hardship to get through their first winter since their supplies was limited from the long voyage. Though if it were not for the Indian tribe Wampanoag,
who taught them to plant native crops in the spring and shared their food that winter. The first colony would have perished that first year. in 1620. A year after first landing the Pilgrims came together with their new found friends giving blessing and thanks for their bounty. Though the gathering was a significant 3 day festivity, with greatest King Massasoit with 90 natives of the Wampanoag  tribe and 52 Pilgrims who survived that first winter. It played part in establishing a peaceful relationship with its new found friends for future colonization. In bringing about the encouragement for followers from England of establishing  other colonies in the new found world. Which would lead  up to the founding of America and Independents in later years from England.

 

History

Most descendants celebrated the forefathers day of founding Dec 21.1620. Many people tried to get it proclaimed a holiday. Our forefather, George Washington, even made a day to honor these colonist. A lobbyist, In 1827, Mrs. Sarah Josepha Hale began her  efforts to proclaim Thanksgiving as a National holiday submitting here work to the presidents over the years. It was not until 1863, when president Abraham Lincoln, made a proclamation declaring it a National Holiday.
In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, proclaimed the fourth Thursday of November, as Thanksgiving, a national holiday. It was passed into law by congress in 1941 taking away the last Thursday of November as the day that Abraham Lincoln set aside in his 1863 Proclamation. Do to the closeness of Christmas, congress and other legislators asked to set it back a week. 


There are many unusual fact many don't know about Thanksgiving.
The Pilgrims came to this country from England because of belief.
Persecuted for what they believed in, a number of English Puritans
 were looking for a new homeland where they could practice
their beliefs without persecution.
They were committed to the Bible and a pure way of living.
Most were farmers and non loyalist to the monarchy or higher aristocrats. Being Separatist they had a common goal
a bond to god and the freedoms reign by obeying the commandments that were written.
Leaving England some settled in Holland.
In 1617, after 12 years in Leiden,Holland, discouraged by financial problems, with
great influence on their children by persuasive Dutch ways. They took a vote to secure passage to America.
They were granted two patents by a treasure named Sir Edwin Sandys of the London Company.
He was a loyal friend to the Brewster family one of the Separatist who led the group to Amsterdam in 1608
They decided that they needed to invoke on a new place to live.
Fewer than half left Holland on a journey to South Hampton,
England on a small boat called Speedwell.
Though most were poor they were able to find passage by negotiation
with Thomas Weston, A prominent London iron merchant.
Who gave heart and safe passage to England.
Where they would regroup with other Separatists to find a voyage to the new found land Called
America. On September 20 , 1620, they left South Hampton, England, embarked on a 65 day journey, 102 passengers set sail.
The ship called Mayflower, a 180 ton sailing ship, had trouble landing
where they were to set up a colony where chartered.
When they reached the new homeland they found they had no governing body.
Weak and discouraged with many mishaps and deaths they did not give up hope.
So they drew up the Mayflower Compact a form of government
while they were anchored off the site in Provincetown, Nov 21. Some thirty days passed,
On Dec 21, they discovered Plymouth Harbor on the western side of the Cape Cad Bay.
A site to be known historically as their first foot landing.
The term Pilgrim a coined word by William Bradford describing the Lieden Separatist who left Holland.
The words from the Mayflower ,"Pilgrim Fathers" was not instilled till 1799.
Plymouth Rock is a town in Southeastern Massachusetts,
on Plymouth Bay, about 55 km (34 mi) southeast of Boston.
It was noted to be the landing spot of the first European colony who settled here in America.



In June 20.1676, governing council of Charelstown, Mass. instructs Edward Roswell,
A clerk to proclaim a day of Thanksgiving.This document stated the following exerts.

What Probably was Served

The first gathering was celebrated in the Plymouth colony by inviting their neighbors together to pay homage to their wonderful blessings. To honor their guest who gave them hope and taught them to survive the first winter.
Each group brought their own specialties. The English served wild turkeys, geese, and ducks. The Wampanoag brought five deer, along with lobsters, clams, oysters, and fish. The feast also includes cucumbers, carrots, cabbages, turnips, radishes, onions, beets, corn, and wild fruits. The accountability to what was served and done was first written in 1622 called "Mourt's Relation " written by presumably George Morton, This was proof of  acknowledgment of the first Thanksgiving and what they served.
 

This was probably what was available in 1621 for the feast

FISH: cod, bass, herring, shad, bluefish, and lots of eel.

SEAFOOD:  clams, lobsters, mussels, and very small quantities of oysters

BIRDS: wild turkey, goose, duck, crane, swan, partridge, and other miscellaneous waterfowl; they were also known to have occasionally eaten eagles (which "tasted like mutton" according to Winslow in 1623.)

OTHER MEAT:  venison (deer), possibly some salt pork or chicken.

GRAIN:  wheat flour, Indian corn and corn meal; barley (mainly for beer-making).

FRUITS:  raspberries, strawberries, grapes, plums, cherries, blueberries, gooseberries (these would have been dried, as none would have been in season).

VEGETABLES:  small quantity of peas, squashes (including pumpkins), beans

NUTS:  walnuts, chestnuts, acorns, hickory nuts, ground nuts

HERBS and SEASONINGS: onions, leeks, strawberry leaves, currants, sorrel, yarrow, carvel, brooklime, liverwort, watercress, and flax; from England they brought seeds and probably planted radishes, lettuce, carrots, onions, and cabbage.  Olive oil in small quantities may have been brought over, though the Pilgrims had to sell most of their oil and butter before sailing, in order to stay on budget.

OTHER:  maple syrup, honey; small quantities of butter, Holland cheese; and eggs.

 

Foods Not served in Thanksgiving 1621

Startling facts are that we take it for granted that the food was much like our own we serve
today. Quite to the contrary many foods were not part of this first festivity.
 

Ham was not part of the feast being there was no pigs.
Sweet potatoes and Yams were not introduced from England.
Popcorn had not been invented and would have tasted bad popping Indian corn.
Cranberries were plentiful but there were no sugar so they would have been quite bitter most likely not eaten for that period of time.
Pumpkin Pie:  (They probably made a pumpkin pudding of sorts, sweetened by honey or syrup, which would be like the filling of a pumpkin pie. There would be no crust or whipped topping since lard or animal fat would be used to make the pie dough. Being there were no mills to process flour their flour would be more gritty if processed by hand .)
 

Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1676 states....

"The Holy God having by a long and Continual Series of his Afflictive dispensations in and by the present War with the Heathen Natives of this land, written and brought to pass bitter things against his own Covenant people in this wilderness, yet so that we evidently discern that in the midst of his judgments he hath remembered mercy, having remembered his Footstool in the day of his sore displeasure against us for our sins, with many singular Intimations of his Fatherly Compassion, and regard; reserving many of our Towns from Desolation Threatened, and attempted by the Enemy, and giving us especially of late with many of our Confederates many signal Advantages against them, without such Disadvantage to ourselves as formerly we have been sensible of, if it be the Lord's mercy that we are not consumed, It certainly bespeaks our positive Thankfulness, when our Enemies are in any measure disappointed or destroyed; and fearing the Lord should take notice under so many Intimations of his returning mercy, we should be found an Insensible people, as not standing before Him with Thanksgiving, as well as lading him with our Complaints in the time of pressing Afflictions:

The Council has thought meet to appoint and set apart the 29th day of this instant June, as a day of Solemn Thanksgiving and praise to God for such his Goodness and Favor, many Particulars of which mercy might be Instanced, but we doubt not those who are sensible of God's Afflictions, have been as diligent to espy him returning to us; and that the Lord may behold us as a People offering Praise and thereby glorifying Him; the Council doth commend it to the Respective Ministers, Elders and people of this Jurisdiction; Solemnly and seriously to keep the same Beseeching that being persuaded by the mercies of God we may all, even this whole people offer up our bodies and consoles as a living and acceptable Service unto God by Jesus Christ."

 

Mayflower Compact

What Was the Mayflower Compact?



"In the name of God, Amen. We, whose names are underwritten,
the Loyal Subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord, King James, by the Grace of God,
of England, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith,
Having undertaken for the Glory of God,
and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the Honor of our King and Country,
a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia;
do by these presents, solemnly and mutually in the Presence of God and one of another,
covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick,
for our better Ordering and Preservation, and Furtherance of the Ends aforesaid;
And by Virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal Laws, Ordinances,
Acts, Constitutions and Offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet
and convenient for the General good of the Colony; unto which we promise all due submission and obedience.
In Witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names at Cape Cod the eleventh of November,
in the Reign of our Sovereign Lord, King James of England, France and Ireland,
the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Domini, 1620."

With do pen work, the signatures of 41 of the 102 passengers,
37 of whom were members of the "Separatists"
who were fleeing religious persecution in Europe.
This compact established the first basis in the new world for written laws.
Half the colony failed to survive the first winter,
but the remainder lived on and prospered in which we pay patronage to them.
 

A favorite tune for this holiday learned and sung by children in elementary
in the 1950s and till today was "Over the River and Through the Woods "
 

Lyrics to >>> Over the River and Through the Woods Over the river and thru the wood, To grandfather's house we go; The horse knows the way To carry the sleigh, Thru the white and drifted snow, oh! Over the river and thru the wood, Oh, how the wind does blow! It stings the toes, And bites the nose, As over the ground we go. Over the river and thru the wood, To have a first-rate play; Oh, hear the bell ring, "Ting-a-ling-ling!" Hurrah for Thanksgiving Day-ay! Over the river and thru the wood, Trot fast my dapple gray! Spring over the ground, Like a hunting hound! For this is Thanksgiving Day.