The Pilgrims' Thanksgiving in 1621
by Raymond Fontaine, PhD - November 2002
In 1535, King Henry VIII broke with the Papacy sloughing off many of its dogmas and regulations. His Church of England, however, remained heavily laden with rituals. In time, a number of English people considered these rites superficial and superfluous. So they separated from the Church of England, still holding on to the Bible for divine inspiration. Many settled in Holland while a small group headed for America.
In September 1620, the 80 foot ship "Mayflower" began her historic voyage across the Atlantic with 102 passengers squeezed aboard. After more than two difficult months at sea, the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth on December 21, 1620. As soon as they stepped ashore, they offered thanks and praise to God.
That first winter, the Pilgrims faced extreme hunger and disease. At times, only six or seven people were well enough to care for the rest. Half of the group died. Of the 17 male heads of families, ten died during the first infection; of the 17 wives, only three were left after three months. The Pilgrims faced extinction.
Surely the Pilgrims remembered that God had provided manna each morning to the Israelites on their way to the Promised Land. What the Pilgrims needed most was someone to show them how to exploit the resources of this foreign land. The Pilgrims did not demand an angel or someone like Moses. Any one would do.
When Spring arrived, so did a native Indian called Squanto. He knew the land and he had learned English for purposes of trade. He volunteered his assistance to the desperate Pilgrims. He taught them how to plant corn and squash and how to fish and hunt. Squanto showed the Pilgrims how to tap maple trees for sap, how to dig eels from the mud at low tide, and which plants had medicinal power. Under Squanto's direction, the Pilgrims worked hard and reaped a rich harvest.
In a spirit of thanksgiving, the Pilgrims decided to celebrate their survival through the first year and thank God for the abundant yield of crops. The governor of their tiny colony, William Bradford, proclaimed a day of thanksgiving to God and invited the neighboring Indians to share in their festivities. King Massasoit, the leader of the Wampanoag Indians, came with 90 warriors and enough venison for the three day celebration.
One eye witness reported that the Pilgrims and Indians engaged in various games and races. Both groups showed their hunting skills: the Indians with their bows and arrows; the Pilgrims with their muskets. Four English women and three girls did all the cooking. The food available included: turkey, venison and ducks; oysters, clams and fish; pumpkins, cranberries and corn.
No historian mentions any religious ceremonies and communal prayers. The Pilgrims, who praised and thanked God that day, did so in their minds and hearts.
Inspired by the Pilgrims' Thanksgiving, George Washington in 1789 proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving; so did Abraham Lincoln in 1863 and every President since then. In mid-November, President George W. Bush will declare November 28 a national day of Thanksgiving. He will urge all Americans to celebrate this holiday, as the Pilgrims did, saving a moment or more to praise and thank God for his blessings. Millions will join in this grand alleluia chorus honoring Nature's God.