Written and

Illustrated by
Phillip Martin

Plymouth Rock

The year
1620 the
Pilgrims
came over.
Perhaps you know the song? It doesnt
mention that the Wampanoag people lived
in the area of what is now Massachusetts
for 12,000 years.

Prior to landing at
Plymouth, the Pilgrims
lived in Holland for 12
years, separating
themselves from the
Church of England.

There were 101

men, women and
children on the
Mayflower.
It took sixty-six
days to cross the
Atlantic Ocean to
get to the New
World.

The Wampanoag knew the land well.

They knew how to hunt, fish and harvest.
The settlers learned from the Wampanoag
how to
grow their
crops.
After the harvest in
1621, the Pilgrims
celebrate
d with a
three day
feast.

That first
Thanksgiving meal
was with different
food from what is
eaten today.
It was celebrated
with deer, shellfish
pumpkin, succotash,
lobster, nuts,
roasted corn and
probably
duck or geese.

History is unclear if the Pilgrims actually

invited their neighbors to the celebration.
It is debated that the Wampanoag heard
gun fire and might have crashed the party.

All we know about the first

Thanksgiving comes from
a letter written by Edward
Winslow in 1621. That
letter and the holiday were
forgotten for about 200
years.
In 1841, Boston publisher
Alexander Young printed
Winslows letter. He called
it the first Thanksgiving
and the idea was very

In 1863, Abraham
Lincoln declared
Thanksgiving a national
holiday.
It is suggested that
Lincoln wanted
Thanksgiving to help
heal a divided nation
after the civil war. The
idea of Native Americans
and Pilgrims getting
along was a good unity

Franklin Roosevelt set

the date for
Thanksgiving in
November and it was
approved by Congress
in 1941.
In 1621, it was most
likely after harvest in
late September
or October.

Not everything you have

heard about the first
Thanksgiving is true. Say
it isnt so!
The friendship between the
settlers and the
Wampanoag wasnt very
warm and fuzzy and only
lasted a generation.
The settlers didnt wear
black clothing or buckles

The Wampanoag wore no

feathers in their hair.
For the settlers, a day of
thanksgiving would have
been a religious day.
This day wasnt. There
were games and dances.
A religious holiday would
not include the
Wampanoag. It would
have included fasting.

Believe it or not, the

Pilgrims didnt even refer
to themselves as
Pilgrims. They were
Separatists who were
unhappy with the Church
of England.
The term Pilgrims started
up in 1840. The word
was picked from the
writings of William
Bradford, governor of the

There is even
debate about
when
and where the
first
Thanksgiving
celebration took
place!
Texans claim
it started in
1598 in San
Elizario, near

And, yes,
Virginia
claims the very
first
James River in
Thanksgiving
1629.
was
along the
Long before,
many world
cultures have
celebrated the
harvest.

No matter the origins, myths and mistakes.

No matter if your celebration is in October in
Canada or November in the U.S.A. and with or
without turkey, cranberries, football or hockey.
It is always good to stop and be thankful for
lifes blessings.

For more Presentations

check out these links
on phillipmartin.info
and pppst.com.
To find art for your own
Presentations, check
out
Phillip Martin Clip Art.