Happy 388th Thanksgiving: Interesting Facts

The Pilgrim saga began with a group of religious dissidents who believed it was necessary to separate from the Church of England.  When persecuted in England, these “Separatists” moved to Holland in 1607/1608.  

Eventually the Dutch had less enthusiasm for these radicals, and were encouraged to leave. The group, joined by other colonists recruited by the venture’s financial investers and began the move to America in 1620.

They sailed in the 180-ton merchantman Mayflower. There were 102 aboard including the crew of which 37 were from Leiden.. Two died and two babies were born during the 65-day voyage. Only 27 were “pilgrims” in the sense they were religious separatists Forty-three of the adult passengers the Pilgrims called “Strangers.” The forty-three strangers had no religious interest in the colony. The Strangers were personal servants, indentured servants, or adventurous pioneers. Their goal was to seek their freedom and fortune in the New World, not to find religious freedom. There were also crew members.

The Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock (photo adjacent) on December 11, 1620 having “missed” their intended landfall in Virginia by several hundred miles..

During the first winter in the New World, the Mayflower colonists suffered greatly from diseases like scurvy, lack of shelter and general poor conditions onboard ship 45 of the 102 emigrants died the first winter and were buried on nearby Cole’s Hill. Additional deaths during the first year meant that only 53 people were alive in November 1621. Of the 18 adult women, 13 died the first winter while anothers died in May. Only four adult women were left alive for the Thanksgiving.

That Fall a celebration was organized. The Wampanoag tribe was invited for a 3-day feast. .

It is unlikely turkey was on the menu. By 1777 all 13 colonies were celebrating Thanksgiving. In 1941 Congress declared the last Thursday in November an official holiday.

Plymouth Rock is now about the size of an automobile engine (see inset) having cracked three times and been chipped away by souvenir seekers. It is encased in a monument and protective fence now.

In 1939 President Roosevelt changed the date of Thanksgiving. By moving the holiday a week earlier, he hoped to lengthen the Christmas shopping season and boost sales as the Great Depression dragged into its tenth year. He announced this in August and created a controversy especially among calender makers and football coaches. Twenty three states celebrated Thanksgiving on the old date, twenty three celebrated on the new date, and Texas and Colorado celebrated both. In 1940, Roosevelt returned Thanksgiving to its original date and Congress passed a law banning any future president from changing the date of Thanksgiving.

In fact the autumn celebration in late 1621 that has become known as “The First Thanksgiving” was not known as such to the Pilgrims. The festival was probably held in early October 1621 and was celebrated by the 53 surviving Pilgrims, along with Massasoit and 90 of his men.

The Pilgrims did recognize a celebration known as a “Thanksgiving”, which was a solemn ceremony of praise and thanks to God for a congregation’s good fortune. The first such Thanksgiving as the Pilgrims would have called it did not occur until 1623, in response to the good news of the arrival of additional colonists and supplies. That event probably occurred in July and consisted of a full day of prayer and worship and probably very little revelry. Nevertheless 1621 is generally considered the first Thanksgiving so, 2009 is the 388^th Thanksgiviing celebration..