Happy Thanksgiving!
Besides Independence Day, Thanksgiving is probably the most uniquely American holiday of the year. It is a very special day filled with joy, feasting, and fellowship, and is one of the long lasting traditions that has existed even longer than the United States itself.
The first Thanksgiving took place 403 years ago, in the fall of 1621, in a small English colony in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The settlement was founded by English settlers, also known as Pilgrims, (a.k.a Separatists and Puritans) that had fled from England to escape persecution from King James, I. King James had established the Church of England, which proved to be very overbearing, and chastised any that attempted to practice their faith differently than it decreed. The Pilgrims attempted to break away from the Church of England and establish a secret, underground church of their own, and as a result, they faced heavy persecution. Many of them were imprisoned, and lost nearly everything that they possessed, and at last, they resolved to flee the country and start afresh in the safer, more free, country of Holland. In 1607, they made their first attempt to escape, and arranged for passage to Holland from Lincolnshire. Unfortunately, the captain of their ship turned traitor, and betrayed their intentions to the authorities, and as a result, they were arrested, and many of them thrown into prison. After weeks of imprisonment, they were finally being set free; soon thereafter, the Pilgrims made a second escape attempt, and though they faced many hardships and difficulties in doing so, they finally managed to escape to Leiden, Holland (Worrall, S.)(Mayflower400uk.org).
The Pilgrims lived in Holland for well over a decade, and though they were far more free than they had been in England, they struggled to get by financially, and additionally, became very concerned by the Dutch cultural influences on their children. Though part of their party would ultimately remain in Holland, the rest resolved to leave and start a completely new life in the English colonies in North America. After years of careful planning, the Pilgrims managed to arrange for their passage to the New World on two ships, the Speedwell and the Mayflower, and negotiated for permission to begin a settlement in the New England colony of Virgina. At last, after much preparation, the two ships set sail in August, 1620. Unfortunately, their voyage was hardly begun before the Speedwell sprung a severe leak, forcing to turn back to Dartmouth, England for repairs. After the Speedwell was repaired, the Pilgrims set off on their voyage once again, only to be turned back again due to new leaks in the Speedwell. By this time, they were beginning to lose their fair voyage conditions, due to the approach of winter, and knowing that they had no time to waste, part of the band of Pilgrims (led by William Brewster, Captain Miles Standish, and William Bradford) set out on the Mayflower, while the others remained behind in England (Mayflower400uk.org).
The Mayflower departed from England on September 16, 1620, carrying over 130 souls (102 passengers, and 30 crew members). The voyage to New England was anything but pleasant for the Pilgrims, for the Mayflower was a very small, cramped ship, and the uncertain fall weather gave rise to tempestuous, stormy seas that made many of the Pilgrims became terribly sea sick, resulting in an absolutely miserable journey. Finally, after over two long months at sea, the Pilgrims arrived in the new world. Once there, they realized that the stormy weather had driven them off of their course, and that they had arrived at a different location than that they had originally planned to settle. They then attempted to reach the Hudson Bay, in the New York territory, but the tumultuous sea and weather made this practically impossible. At last, they resolved to establish their own, independent governing body, detailing these intentions and their purpose in a document they drafted called The Mayflower Compact, (which were namely, “for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith…”). They eventually landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts, and after selecting their settlement site, they hastened to set to work to build habitations to shelter them through the harsh winter (Mayflower400uk.org).
During the weeks and months that followed, the Pilgrims suffered unimaginable hardships through a brutal winter, facing severe cold, illness, want, and near starvation. By the time spring arrived, over half of their members, and as well as half of the ship’s crew, were dead, and the rest dangerously weak and barely surviving. Providentially, they were able to establish good relations with a neighboring Indian tribe, the Wampanoag people. One of their members, an Indian named Squanto, helped the Pilgrims learn how to grow crops in the New England soil and climate, and live off of the land through hunting and fishing. He also helped them to establish and maintain their relationship with the Wampanoag, and it was largely thanks to his efforts that both parties would enjoy a long and enduring peace. By the fall of the next year, the Pilgrims of the Plymouth colony decided to have a three-day long feast of thanksgiving to celebrate their bountiful harvest, and thank the Lord for His provision and blessing upon their colony. Thus, in the fall of 1621, the Pilgrims, together with their new found friends, the Wampanoag Indians, celebrated the very first thanksgiving in America.(Mayflower400uk.org)(Federer, B.).
From that point on, Thanksgiving would be celebrated by many of the Pilgrims each fall. Feasts of thanksgiving were often celebrated throughout the colonies, and much later, the newly established United States of America would carry on this custom through presidential or congressional Thanksgiving proclamations (including proclamations made by presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and others). The establishment of the very first yearly national celebration of Thanksgiving was made by President Abraham Lincoln on October 3, 1863, during the Civil War. This tradition would continue to be carried on by the U.S. presidents following him until finally, on December 26, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt sign a joint resolution by Congress, which established Thanksgiving as an annual Federal Holiday that would be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November (Mayflower400uk.org)(Federer, B.)(National Archives).
It is amazing to consider how the very first Thanksgiving came about after extreme persecution, hardship, want, and loss. Despite the terrible trials the Pilgrims had suffered, and the multitude of others that they would face, they could still thank God for the little that they had, and maintained a spirit of joyfulness and gratitude even after all that they had suffered. When one stops to ponder on this fact, it truly helps to put into perspective any difficulties and trials we face in our lives, and sparks true gratitude for not only the blessings we have experienced (be they many or few), but also for the courage and sacrifice of the Pilgrims, who gave so much to help to make our nation, and way of life possible. We, as Americans, have so much to be thankful for: an amazing history and heritage, a beautiful and glorious nation, and a precious, and invaluable life of freedom. On this Thanksgiving, may we follow the example set before us by our forefathers over 400 years ago, and, together with our friends and family, take a moment to thank God for our nation, our heritage, and for the wonderful blessings the year has brought us.
"When we review the calamities, which afflict so many other nations, the present condition of the United States affords much matter of consolation and satisfaction… In such a state of things it is, in an especial manner, our duty as people, with devout reverence and affectionate gratitude, to acknowledge our many and great obligations to Almighty God and to implore Him to continue and confirm the blessings we experience.”
~ George Washington,
Presidential Proclamation for a National Day of Thanksgiving,
January 1, 1795
“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy,
And gathered out of the lands,
From the east and from the west,
From the north and from the south.
They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way;
They found no city to dwell in.
Hungry and thirsty,
Their soul fainted in them.
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He delivered them out of their distresses.
And He led them forth by the right way,
That they might go to a city for a dwelling place.
Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
For He satisfies the longing soul,
And fills the hungry soul with goodness…
Whoever is wise will observe these things,
And they will understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.”
~Psalm 107:1-9, & 43
References:
Federer, B. (2023, November 21.) Pilgrim Thanksgiving "God be Praised we had a Good Increase...Our Harvest being gotten in"-Pilgrim Edward Winslow. Retrieved from: https://americanminute.com/blogs/todays-american-minute/pilgrim-thanksgiving-god-be-praised-we-had-a-good-increase-our-harvest-being-gotten-in-american-minute-with-bill-federer?_pos=3&_sid=993af8f58&_ss=r
Federer, B. (2023, November 22.) Thanksgiving Proclamations by Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Lincoln, Roosevelt, & others. Retrieved from:https://americanminute.com/blogs/todays-american-minute/thanksgiving-proclamations-washington-jefferson-madison-lincoln-roosevelt-more-american-minute-with-bill-federer?_pos=1&_sid=993af8f58&_ss=r
Mayflower400uk.org. (n.a.) The Mayflower Story. Retrieved from: https://www.mayflower400uk.org/education/the-mayflower-story/
National Archives. (n.a.) Congress Establishes Thanksgiving. Retrieved from: https://www.archives.gov/legislative/features/thanksgiving
Worrall, S. 2006, November.) Pilgrims’ Progress. Retrieved from: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/pilgrims-progress-135067108/
Cameron, K. (Producer), & Barnhart, D. (Director). (2012). Monumental: In Search Of America's National Treasure [DVD].
Artwork Citation:
Ferris, J. L. G. (1932). The first Thanksgiving [Photograph]. Massachusetts, ca. 1932. Cleveland, Ohio: The Foundation Press, Inc. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2001699850/