Ye First Thanksgiving

The Pilgrim Hall web site at Pilgrimhall.org is a good place to start your study. The first Thanksgiving was in November, 1621, almost a year after the Plymouth landing, and half of the "Pilgrims" died during that year.

James II of England ran the Separatists out of England. Henry the Eighth established the Church of England, breaking from the Catholic Church, so that he could divorce Catherine of Aragon and start his string of wifely beheadings, looking for an heir to the English throne. James II was his progeny, I think, and continued to persecute those that did not want to be subject to the restrictions of the church. Some parishioners, Puritans, chose to try to reform the Church from within. Others just quit trying and chose to pursue their freedom of religion by complete separation. These "Separatists," joined by other colonists recruited by the venture's financial backers, began the move to America in 1620. There were four ships starting in 1620, the Mayflower (1620), the Fortune (1621), the Anne and the Little James (1623).

On August 15, 1620, the Mayflower and Speedwell set sail for America. The Speedwell leaked so badly that both ships turned back to England, putting in first at Dartmouth and then at Plymouth.

On September 16, 1620, with winter approaching, the Mayflower set sail, alone, for America. They knew Jamestown, established in 1607 was warm. They did not intend to land in cold wintry Massachusetts in December, 1620. If they had known, most certainly they would have waited until spring.

The Mayflower was only 100 feet long with 102 cramped passengers plus crew. The 66-day voyage was stormy and tedious. A main beam cracked and had to be repaired using a large iron screw. They knew they had missed Plymouth, but supplies of food and water were low. They could go no further. The winter was harsh, deadly.

Then came the spring and fall and the harvest of 1621.

Edward Winslow, Mourt's Relation :

"Our harvest being gotten in, our governour sent foure men on fowling, that so we might after a speciall manner rejoyce together, after we had gathered the fruits of our labours ; they foure in one day killed as much fowle, as with a little helpe beside, served the Company almost a weeke, at which time amongst other Recreations, we exercised our Armes, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and amongst the rest their greatest king Massasoyt, with some ninetie men, whom for three dayes we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five Deere, which they brought to the Plantation and bestowed on our Governour, and upon the Captaine and others. And although it be not always so plentifull, as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so farre from want, that we often wish you partakers of our plentie."

William Bradford, writes in Of Plimoth Plantation :

"They begane now to gather in ye small harvest they had, and to fitte up their houses and dwellings against winter, being all well recovered in health & strenght, and had all things in good plenty; fFor as some were thus imployed in affairs abroad, others were excersised in fishing, aboute codd, & bass, & other fish, of which yey tooke good store, of which every family had their portion. All ye somer ther was no want. And now begane to come in store of foule, as winter approached, of which this place did abound when they came first (but afterward decreased by degrees). And besids water foule, ther was great store of wild Turkies, of which they tooke many, besids venison, &c. Besids, they had about a peck a meale a weeke to a person, or now since harvest, Indean corn to yt proportion. Which made many afterwards write so largly of their plenty hear to their freinds in England, which were not fained, but true reports."