The First Thanksgiving

The Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S. started with a celebration held in 1621. The Pilgrims and the Native Americans came together for a large feast. The Pilgrims had left their home in ngland to come to America. They did not like the ch!rch in ngland. They wanted to start their own ch!rch. The Pilgrims sailed to America on a shi" called the Mayfl ower. They arrived in what is now #assach!setts in November 162$. After a hard winter% the Pilgrims started their settlement. They called it the Plymo!th &olony. The local Native Americans were members of the 'am"anoag tribe. The tribe gave the Pilgrims food. (ne of the tribe members was S)!anto% who ta!ght the Pilgrims to grow corn and catch fi sh. After the Pilgrims harvested their corn and other cro"s% they celebrated with a large feast. #any 'am"anoag tribe members visited and bro!ght more food. They were ha""y that they had "lenty to eat and were friends.

he Pilgrims were a gro!" of nglish settlers trying to fi nd

religio!s freedom in the New 'orld. They disagreed with the &h!rch of ngland and had established a new ch!rch. *n ngland% they were known as Se"aratists% since they wanted to se"arate from the &h!rch of ngland. The Pilgrims left ngland in Se"tember 162$. Abo!t 1$2 "assengers and +$ crew men were on the Mayfl ower% a 1$$ foot sailing shi". The ocean crossing was ro!gh after the fi rst month at sea. ,inally% the #ayfl ower reached North America. The gro!" made several sto"s% incl!ding &a"e &od and Provincetown% #assach!setts. They did not fi nd an area they liked for a "ermanent settlement. (n -ecember 162$ they fo!nd an area of #assach!setts that they liked. They named the new settlement Plymo!th. The fi rst winter was very diffi c!lt for the Pilgrims. The weather was harsh. They had not b!ilt shelters on land% so most of the Pilgrims lived on the #ayfl ower d!ring the winter. The men went on shore d!ring the day to b!ild shelters% b!t it was very slow work.

#any were sick. Almost half of the "assengers died that fi rst winter. 'hen s"ring came% the settlers met the Native Americans who lived in the area% the 'am"anoag tribe. The 'am"anoag were friendly to the settlers. They gave them food and sold them land to farm. (ne 'am"anoag named S)!anto ta!ght them how to fi sh for seafood and grow corn. *t was a diffi c!lt life for the settlers% b!t they worked hard to make a new life in the new land. 'hen a!t!mn came% the settlers harvested their cro"s. They had b!ildings to live in d!ring the !"coming winter. (f the Pilgrims that left ngland% .+ of the settlers had s!rvived. (nly fo!r of the original 1+ women were alive. To celebrate the harvest% the Pilgrims held a feast. Abo!t /$ 'am"anoag members came to the feast% bringing food. This feast is now known as the fi rst Thanksgiving.