what really happened in thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Its origins can be traced back to a harvest festival celebrated by the Pilgrims in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1621. The Pilgrims were a group of English separatist Puritans who had migrated to the New World seeking religious freedom. They had a difficult first year in Plymouth, marked by hunger, disease, and harsh weather conditions.
After surviving their first winter, the Pilgrims planted crops with the help of local Native American tribes, particularly the Wampanoag people. The Wampanoag shared their agricultural knowledge and helped the Pilgrims adapt to the new environment. When the harvest season arrived, the Pilgrims had successfully grown enough food to sustain themselves for the coming winter.
To express gratitude for the successful harvest and survival, the Pilgrims decided to hold a feast. They invited the Wampanoag people to join them, and around 90 Native Americans attended. The feast lasted for several days and included a variety of foods such as turkey, fish, venison, corn, and vegetables.
However, it's important to note that the popular narrative of Thanksgiving often overlooks the complex and sometimes troubling history between the European settlers and Native American tribes. The Pilgrims were just one group of early settlers, and many other European groups had different interactions with Native Americans, some of which were violent and led to the displacement and mistreatment of indigenous people.
Today, Thanksgiving is celebrated as a time for family gatherings, expressing gratitude, and enjoying a festive meal. It has become an important holiday in American culture, though the historical context and its impact on Native American communities is a topic of ongoing discussion and reflection.