The Story of Thanksgiving
In 1620, 102 passengers left England on a sailing ship, the Mayflower. Some of them were Separatists, who didn’t like the King’s religion and wanted to worship God their own way. Other passengers wanted their own land to farm or were looking for adventure in the New World. Sailors were also on board, to sail the ship across the Atlantic Ocean.
They left England with two ships, the Mayflower and the Speedwell. But the Speedwell was old and leaked, so they turned back. Some people crowded on to the Mayflower, and others had to stay behind in England. The Mayflower was made to carry cargo, not passengers, so there were no seats and no beds!
A Pilgrim is someone who takes a long journey, or trip. These sailors and Pilgrims sailed on the Mayflower for 66 days. Passengers usually stayed below deck and slept on the floor. When the weather was nice, they could go up for fresh air. During long days of rain and wind, they stayed below deck. Many people were seasick! Each family could only bring needed supplies, such as blankets, guns for hunting, farming and building tools, and cooking pans. There was no room for toys! Children could tell stories, sing, sew, play with each other, babysit, take care of the sick people, and play with the 2 dogs and cat. A baby was born! He was named Oceanus. Two people died and were buried at sea.
On November 11, 1620, land was seen! Storms had blown the ship off course, so the Mayflower was 200 miles farther north than expected. After exploring with a small boat, they decided to anchor the Mayflower in a good harbor near Cape Cod (what is now Massachusetts).
Before leaving the ship, the passengers agreed on rules for living in the new land. They chose John Carver to be their leader, or governor. 41 men signed the agreement, called the Mayflower Compact. Now everyone could finally go on shore! The women could finally wash clothes! Children could run! Everyone was relieved and thankful to have made it safely across the ocean!
Since there were no buildings yet, everyone had to return to the Mayflower to sleep. The Pilgrims needed to build houses! They planned to have one street that ran from the shore to the top of a hill. It was named First Street. The men began by building the Common House. It was used to store tools and shelter the men who were working. It was a church and even a hospital for the sick! That first winter, many people were sick. There was little food and it was very cold. Half of the Pilgrims and sailors died.
In March, an Indian visited the Pilgrim’s new town of Plymouth. His name was Samoset. He spoke English he had learned from visiting English fishermen. He told them about the Indians who lived nearby. He introduced them to the Wampanoag tribe and Chief Massasoit. Most importantly, he brought Squanto, who lived with the Pilgrims for the rest of his life. Squanto showed the Pilgrims the best places to hunt and fish. He showed them which plants were good to eat. He taught them to plant fish with the corn seeds to fertilize the new plants.
With the help of the Indians, the Pilgrims had plenty to eat the next summer. They saved enough food to last through the next winter. Seven houses had been built. They did not have to be afraid of the Indians. They were so grateful! So they planned a celebration to give thanks for their new lives. About 50 Pilgrims and 90 Indians came to the celebration. They feasted and played games for 3 days! We remember them every year as we celebrate our own good fortune on Thanksgiving Day.