The First Thanksgiving

ThankIt’s almost sgiving, and as the holiday approaches, most of us begin thinking about family gatherings, shopping lists, and expanding waistlines.  The holidays are a time for reuniting with the ones we love and feasting on scrumptious pies and deliciously browned turkey legs.  However, most of us don’t think much about how Thanksgiving came to be.  As we sit down at the dining room table to savor all the magnificent meats and mouth watering desserts, we don’t give any thought to what the Pilgrims and Indians ate, or more importantly, the significance of the holiday in general.  Why and when did this celebration of thanks start?  For those who may not know, here is the story of the first Thanksgiving.

It all began as a three day celebration of good harvest amongst the Pilgrims and Indians in the autumn of 1621.  It is to be noted that this celebration was hardly considered to be a holiday, just a happy gathering.  The holiday did not become official until President Lincoln proclaimed it so in 1863.

The Pilgrims came to this country by the Mayflower and were originally members of the English Separatist Church (the Puritans). They had fled from their home in England, then sailed on to Holland (the Netherlands) to escape religious persecution.  In Holland they were granted religious tolerance.  However, they eventually became disenchanted with the Dutch way of life, thinking it to be ungodly.  The Separatists decided to seek out a better life.  They negotiated with a London stock company to finance a pilgrimage to America.  Many who made the venture on board the Mayflower were non-Separatists, but were brought on to protect the company’s interests (only a third of the original colonists were Separatists).

The Pilgrims completed their journey and arrived on Plymouth Rock in December of 1620.  Their first winter was cruel and cold. By the following year’s fall, the Pilgrims had lost 46 of their original 102 who had sailed on board the Mayflower.  However, with the harvest of 1621, there was much to be thankful for.  The crops were bountiful, and the remaining colonists rejoiced with a great feast.  This celebration included the 91 Indians who helped the Pilgrims survive their first harsh year.  The gathering of food, Pilgrim and Indian was indeed a time of giving thanks.

Governor William Bradford sent “four men following” after wild duck and geese, however, it is most likely that wild turkey was not served at this feast as it traditionally is now.  It is certain though that venison was prepared instead.  The term “turkey” was simply used by the Pilgrims to describe any kind of wild fowl.  Pumpkin pie? Not hardly.  It is rather unlikely that the pie we have all grown to love during this time of year made its way onto the dinner table in the 1600s.  The supply of flour had long been diminished, therefore, no breads or pastries were made during this time.  Most likely though, boiled pumpkin was consumed and there was also a type of fried bread prepared from the corn crop.  You also couldn’t find any milk, cider, potatoes or butter at this feast.  There was no domestic cattle for dairy, and the newly discovered potato was still considered to be poisonous by many of the Europeans.  The celebration meal did include fish, lobster, clams, venison, berries, dried fruit, plums and watercress.  Spices were very much used at this first feast, including cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt and pepper.  Pepper was used only in the cooking process and not put on the table.  In addition, the Pilgrims did not use forks, but instead ate with spoons, knives and their fingers.  Dirty hands were wiped on large, cloth napkins which they also used to pick up hot foods with.  No one was served individually, but rather food was put out on the table for all to take from.  There was no course or order to the menu; everything was served at once.  Puddings, sweets and meat were distributed all together.

The feast was not duplicated the following year.  In fact, many years passed before it was repeated.  It wasn’t until June 1676 when another celebration feast was declared.  On June 20, 1676, the governing council of Charlestown, Massachusetts held a meeting to determine the best way to express thanks for the great fortune that had seen their community securely established. Edward Rawson, the clerk, was instructed to proclaim June 29th as a day of thanksgiving.  However, with this celebration there were no Indians invited simply because it was meant to recognize the colonists’ recent victory over the “heathen natives.”

A hundred years later in the year 1777 during the month of October, all thirteen colonies joined in on the thanksgiving celebration.  This time also commemorated the victory over the British at Saratoga.  This coming together was just a one time event.

In 1789, George Washington proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving, yet some were opposed.  There was discord among the colonies.  Many felt the hardships of a few Pilgrims did not warrant a national holiday.  President Thomas Jefferson later dismissed the idea of a celebration day, as well.

Sarah Josepha Hale wanted to change this.  As a magazine editor, Hale eventually led efforts to what we recognize and accept as Thanksgiving today.  The determined Ms. Hale wrote many editorials promoting her cause in her Boston Ladies’ Magazine and also later on in the Godey’s Lady’s Book.  After a forty year campaign of editorial writing and letters to governors and presidents, Hale’s battle was won.  In 1863, President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November as a National Day of Thanksgiving.  It was then accepted by every president after Lincoln, however the date was changed a few times.  This date change happened more recently by Franklin Roosevelt, setting it up to be the next-to-last Thursday in the month in hopes of creating a longer Christmas shopping season.  This was not accepted well by the public, so the President moved it back to its original date two years later.  In 1941, Thanksgiving became sanctioned by Congress as a legal holiday and as the fourth Thursday in November.

Thanksgiving-what is it to us today?  It is a time to come together and reunite over good food.  A time to reflect on the history of America.  A time to give thanks for what we have, whether we are rich or poor.  This is what to consider the next time we go to sit down for a meal of turkey and green bean casserole.  It’s not about who is sitting next to who, or what Aunt Jean is wearing.  It’s not about the recipe used to cook the meal, or the fancy china spread.  It’s who we are as people.  Our ancestors, our history.  It’s about the sacrifices once made, and the help given.  In this time of recession when many of us no longer have jobs and are flooded in debt, we can still find gratitude.  Look at those loving faces around us at the table, and who they are to us.  What have they done to help us? We may not  always have the most bountiful of feasts, but if we have even just some food on our table, we should be grateful.  In the 1600s the harvest meal symbolized cooperation and interaction among the colonists and Native Americans. We need to incorporate this symbolism into our modern day Thanksgiving gathering.  We cannot forget how this celebration feast began and what it stands for today.  So, this year, when you sit down to eat and gather with loved ones, truly give thanks for what is important in your life, not matter how insignificant it may seem.