Why Thanksgiving?

ThanksgivingNovember 28, 2013

David W. Humphrey

Information source: Wikipedia

Why Thanksgiving?In school, they teach us the 3rd grade version of Thanksgiving.

Now it’s time for the rest of the story…

The World in 1620In England• Church = state• Religious unrest in England and persecution of

dissenters• Puritans were members of the Church, but

sought to reform it (settled Boston in 1629)• Separatists believed Church of England was

corrupt and wanted to worship separately• Some separatists fled to Leyden (NL) for

religious freedom

In the New World• Jamestowne settlement (Virginia) 1607• New Amsterdam (Dutch) 1609 1603:

King James I of EnglandKing James VI of ScotsClaimed King of France

What motivated the Pilgrims?Why colonize the New World?• Separatists first emigrate to Leyden (NL) for

religious tolerance, but worry about future of their settlement.

• 1618: Petition the King for a “patent” to settle “northern Virginia” - mouth of Hudson River close to tolerant Dutch settlements.

• 1620: Virginia Company, “merchant adventurers” finance voyage and new settlement with the goal of finding and importing gold, silver, animal skins to England.

The Journey to the New World

London investors finance the 1620 voyage• May: Speedwell sails with Separatists from

Leyden to South Hampton, joined there by investors and London recruits on Mayflower

• Speedwell abandoned in Plymouth, England due to leaks

• August: Mayflower continues alone with 35 Separatists & 67 non-Separatist Londoners

• Remaining Separatists return to Leyden

Destination: Mouth of the Hudson River

Why Plymouth?

Landing in the New World• November 11: Anchor in

Provincetown (Cape Cod)• December: Continue to mainland,

land at Plymouth Rock• Decision to remain here instead

of continuing to Hudson River• Aboard ship signing of the

Mayflower Compact – legal structure for Plymouth Colony until 1691

Provincetown

Kennedys

Barrington

1630

“Plimouth” Plantation

Establishing the colony• Mayflower remains through first winter.

Colonists sleep aboard while Common House is built.

• February 1621: Horrible conditions. Half the colony (50 people) dies of sickness or starvation.

• April 1621: Mayflower returns to England with small cargo of beaver skins and sassafras.

“Plimouth” Plantation

Meeting the natives• Occasional contact with friendly

natives, but also attacks.• February 1621: Samoset, English-

speaking native, walks into settlement with words of “welcome!”

• Gradually more contact to Squanto, Massasoit, chief of Wampanoag tribe

• Alliance of settlers with Wampanoag against other tribes (Narragansett)

The First Thanksgiving

First successes• Summer 1621: successful harvest• November: Fortune arrives with 35 new

settlers• Massasoit’s visit with 90 men coincides

with colony’s harvest feast

First Thanksgiving attended by 53 settlers and 90 natives!

“And besids water foule, ther was great store of wild Turkies, of which they took many…” -- William Bradford

AftermathThe colony grows• 1622: Additional settlers arrive on the

Anne and Little James• 1623: Most of original Leyden

congregation makes it to Plymouth • 1624: 180 settlers in Plymouth, 32

houses plus Common House

• 1668: Thanksgiving becomes an annual festival in the colonies

• 1789: George Washington proclaims first nation Thanksgiving celebration

• 1863: President Abraham Lincoln establishes Thanksgiving as national holiday

Plimoth Village

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Glossary

Plimouth PlantationNausetThe MayflowerThe SpeedwellMiles StandishMassasoitPilgrim FathersPlymouth Rock

The Mayflower CompactThievish HarborKing James IBermudaStephen HopkinsWampanoagSquanto

Plymouth RockNarragansettWilliam BradfordSamosetThe SeparatistsSagamoreNew Amsterdam“Adventure” capitalJamestowneProvincetown