Thanksgiving History

Some history is in order as we begin preparations for Thanksgiving. The first Thanksgiving was observed in 1621 by the Pilgrims of the Plymouth Plantation in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The traditional version of the first Thanksgiving is that the stalwart Pilgrim settlers were giving thanks for the harvest and included the Wampanoag tribe which had taught the newcomers how to grow corn, beans, and wild rice and also provided turkey for the feast. That’s fairly accurate but leaves out a few details.

In 1621, the Pilgrims were not having an easy time of it. The Plymouth Colony had been established...