Thanksgiving Fun Facts and Trivia
Information on the First Thanksgiving Feast and the Pilgrims
Nov 2, 2009 Janis Masyk-Jackson
Each year people look forward to November when they can sit down and share a huge Thanksgiving feast complete with a turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and dessert. However, today's Thanksgiving has changed quite a bit from the time the Pilgrims and Indians celebrated the first one together.
When Was the First Thanksgiving?
The exact date of the first so-called Thanksgiving celebration is unknown, although it is believed to have taken place sometime between late September and early October in 1621, after harvesting time. The official Thanksgiving now celebrated in the United States didn't become a holiday until 1863 when Abraham Lincoln established it as the official holiday.
Food at the First Thanksgiving
Even though turkey is usually the meat served for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner today, it is not known if turkey was even served for the first Thanksgiving feast. What is known is that Pilgrims and Indians ate venison, (deer meat,) and duck.
Foods like cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes hadn't even been invented, yet. Also, there were no forks. Pilgrims ate with their fingers and used knives. In addition, there were no pumpkin pies. It is speculated that additional food included fish and vegetables, such as cabbage and squash.
Who Were the Pilgrims that Came to America?
The Pilgrims were people who wanted to have religious freedom, instead of being forced to be Protestant under the rule of King James I. Out of the 102 people who boarded the Mayflower, forty two were Separatists, while the other sixty were people who wanted to come to America for a better life. These Separatists were later given the name Pilgrims by William Bradford.
Mayflower Trivia and Interesting Facts
Of the people who boarded the Mayflower, fifteen of them were named John. Upon departure, three of the women were pregnant. One gave birth on the way to America to a baby boy who was named Oceanus. In addition to the passengers, there were two dogs on the Mayflower. The Mayflower traveled about 48 miles per day at the whopping speed of two miles per hour.
Interesting Facts and Trivia About the First Thanksgiving
The first Thanksgiving lasted for three days. Besides feasting, the Pilgrims and Indians played games and held competitions, such as wrestling and foot races. At night, they sang songs and danced. This marked the beginning of 55 years of peace between the colonists and the Indians.
Thanksgiving in now held on the fourth Thursday in November. Although there have been many changes since the first Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving in still a time to be looked upon as coming together with others and giving thanks.
Readers may also enjoy Free Printable Thanksgiving Coloring Pages and Cheap Thanksgiving on a Budget.
Sources:
- Mayflower, Nathaniel Philbrick, (Penguin Group,) 2006
- Let's Celebrate Thanksgiving, Peter and Connie Roop, (The Miller Press,) 1999
- Giving Thanks the 1612 Harvest Feast, Kate Waters, (Scholastic Press,) 2001
Thanksgiving Fun Facts and Trivia
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