Did
someone send you a card like this?
What
does it mean, why are those turkeys there!?
Read
below to find out what Thanksgiving is all about!
Before the very first Thanksgiving,
King James 1 of England ordered every citizen to join the church of England
or be hounded out of the country, well a
group that wanted to believe in
God in their own way decided they would leave England after that law was
proclaimed. These wandering religious people calling themselves pilgrims
sailed to Holland then started to ready two ships in which they would then
sail to the New World where they would have freedom of
belief. The first one ready (Mayflower)
set sail on September 6th, 1620. Onboard were one hundred and two men,
women and children. As well as their
furniture and pets. Winter was
coming to the New World but nevertheless the pilgrims set off on the sea.
The minute they were at sea storms
beset them.But finally they got to the New World! On December 11, 1620
they set foot ashore at
Plymouth Harbour. The building
of the houses was delayed by a violent storm and it was not until January
2, that they began work on the Common House, men began building their own
houses next. Winter finally arrived and it hit hard, after a short while
the food supplies dwindled. Disease followed hunger,and death followed
disease. In January eight pilgrims died, in February seventeen more died
and thirteen more in March. When spring arrived there were only fifty seven
pilgrims left
seventeen of which were children.
In April the citizens of Plymouth watched the Mayflower set sail for England
not one of them asked to return. One fine day an indian walked up to the
pilgrims and said "Welcome Englishmen". The pilgrims were surprised for
the indian spoke english! The indian Samoset departed and returned a week
later with Massasoit and Squanto. Squanto interpreted while the Governor
and Massasoit created a peace treaty that would last more than 50 years.
Squanto taught the pilgrims how to catch fish and plant corn he also showed
them where the turkeys lived and how to catch them as well. When the harvest
was done it was time to celebrate for winter was gone! The Governor invited
Massasoit and some friends to a feast! Massasoit arrived the day of the
feast with deer and turkeys and ninety friends! For three days the feast
went on and came to be known as Thanksgiving.
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