The First Thanksgiving was a three-day harvest celebration in 1621 between 52 English colonists and over 90 Wampanoag people led by Sachem Massasoit. It wasn't just about turkey; it was a crucial moment of shared survival and friendship after a difficult first year in the new land. This event forms the basis of the modern holiday.
Imagine arriving in a brand-new land, starting over, and then celebrating an amazing harvest with new friends—that’s the start of the story we call the First Thanksgiving!
We often think of Thanksgiving as a quiet day with turkey and football, but the celebration in 1621 between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Nation was actually a three-day harvest party! These English colonists, who sailed on the Mayflower, didn't even call themselves Pilgrims at first. They had a very tough first year. Of the original 102 people who arrived in 1620, only about 52 survived the first winter. But when they finally had a good harvest thanks to help from their Wampanoag neighbors, they decided to have a big feast to celebrate! This gathering is what we now remember as the First Thanksgiving.
Mira says:
"Wow, Mira! I love how you pointed out that it was a *harvest celebration*, not a formal Thanksgiving as we know it today. That makes the story even cooler because it was about survival and teamwork!"
What is the Wampanoag Nation?
Before the Pilgrims arrived, the land in this area, what is now Massachusetts, was already home to the Wampanoag people. The Wampanoag have lived here for more than 10,000 years!
The Wampanoag were skilled farmers who grew important crops like corn, beans, and squash—what we call the 'Three Sisters.' They also fished and hunted. Their leader at the time was a very important man called a *Sachem*, named Massasoit.
Mind-Blowing Fact!
The word 'Wampanoag' means 'People of the First Light'!
Who Was at the 1621 Harvest Feast?
This wasn't just a small dinner party! It was a big gathering that lasted for three whole days!
The group included about 52 English colonists and at least 90 Wampanoag men led by Sachem Massasoit.
Out of 102 Mayflower passengers who first landed.
Led by their leader, Massasoit.
It was a long celebration!
How Did the Wampanoag Help the Pilgrims Survive?
The Pilgrims were new to the land and struggled to grow food. They learned essential skills from the Wampanoag, especially a man named Squanto (also called Tisquantum), who helped teach them how to plant their corn crop successfully!
The Wampanoag and the English also signed a treaty of mutual protection in March 1621. This alliance helped both groups for a while.
The Amazing Menu: What Did They Really Eat?
Forget pumpkin pie and mashed potatoes! Those foods weren't part of the menu. The Wampanoag guests helped by bringing five deer they had hunted.
The meal likely included venison (deer meat), wild fowl like duck or goose, fish, and shellfish. They ate corn, which they grew, and maybe some native vegetables and squash. They probably drank a kind of beer!
💡 Did You Know?
The reason the Wampanoag showed up in the first place might have been because the colonists were firing off their guns as part of their celebration, which might have sounded like a battle!
🎯 Quick Quiz!
What was the main reason the Pilgrims had their first big feast in the fall of 1621?
Why Isn't Thanksgiving an Annual Holiday... Yet?
Even though the 1621 feast was amazing, it wasn't immediately turned into the yearly holiday we celebrate today. The Pilgrims held other days of thanksgiving later, like one in 1623 for rain after a drought.
It took a *long* time—until 1863—for President Abraham Lincoln to declare Thanksgiving a national holiday! A magazine editor named Sarah Josepha Hale worked for years to make that happen!
- They celebrated for three days of feasting and games, not just one afternoon!
- The English colonists exercised their arms (shot their guns) as part of the fun.
- The Wampanoag brought deer to share at the meal.
- The first official day of thanksgiving in *some* colonies might have actually been in Virginia in 1619!
It’s important to remember that the history of the first Thanksgiving is complicated. It was a moment of survival and alliance, but sadly, the peace didn't last forever. Within a generation, fighting like King Philip's War broke out. Learning the true story helps us understand the complex history of all the people involved.
Questions Kids Ask About American History
Keep Exploring the Past!
The story of the first Thanksgiving is a fantastic peek into early American history! It shows us how important learning new skills and working together can be, even when times are tough. Keep listening to 'History's Not Boring' to uncover more amazing, true stories from the past for kids like you!
