Bellwork 10/3 Write all that you know about the The Mayflower and The First Thanksgiving

Myth: The first Thanksgiving was in 1621 and the pilgrims celebrated it every year thereafter. Fact: The first feast wasn't repeated, so it wasn't the beginning of a tradition. In fact, the colonists didn't even call the day Thanksgiving. To them, a thanksgiving was a religious holiday in which they would go to church and thank God for a specific event, such as the winning of a battle. On such a religious day, the types of recreational activities that the pilgrims and Wampanoag Indians participated in during the 1621 harvest feast--dancing, singing secular songs, playing games--wouldn't have been allowed. The feast was a secular celebration, so it never would have been considered a thanksgiving in the pilgrims minds.

Myth: The original Thanksgiving feast took place on the fourth Thursday of November. Fact: The original feast in 1621 occurred sometime between September 21 and November 11. Unlike our modern holiday, it was three days long. The event was based on English harvest festivals, which traditionally occurred around the 29th of September. After that first harvest was completed by the Plymouth colonists, Gov. William Bradford proclaimed a day of thanksgiving and prayer, shared by all the colonists and neighboring Indians. In 1623 a day of fasting and prayer during a period of drought was changed to one of thanksgiving because the rain came during the prayers. Gradually the custom prevailed in New England of annually celebrating thanksgiving after the harvest.

During the American Revolution a yearly day of national thanksgiving was suggested by the Continental Congress. In 1817 New York State adopted Thanksgiving Day as an annual custom, and by the middle of the 19th century many other states had done the same. In 1863 President Abraham Lincoln appointed a day of thanksgiving as the last Thursday in November, which he may have correlated it with the November 21, 1621, anchoring of the Mayflower at Cape Cod. Since then, each president has issued a Thanksgiving Day proclamation. President Franklin D. Roosevelt set the date for Thanksgiving to the fourth Thursday of November in 1939 (approved by Congress in 1941.)

Myth: The pilgrims wore only black and white clothing. They had buckles on their hats, garments, and shoes. Fact: Buckles did not come into fashion until later in the seventeenth century and black and white were commonly worn only on Sunday and formal occasions. Women typically dressed in red, earthy green, brown, blue, violet, and gray, while men wore clothing in white, beige, black, earthy green, and brown.

Myth: The Mayflower was headed for Virginia, but due to a navigational mistake it ended up in Cape Cod Massachusetts. Fact: The Pilgrims were in fact planning to settle in Virginia, but not the modern-day state of Virginia. They were part of the Virginia Company, which had the rights to most of the eastern seaboard of the U.S. The pilgrims had intended to go to the Hudson River region in New York State, which would have been considered "Northern Virginia," but they landed in Cape Cod instead. Treacherous seas prevented them from venturing further south.

Essential Question: What were the reasons for Puritans and Pilgrims immigrating to America and how were they able to create a successful colony?

The Pilgrim Experience

Puritans and Pilgrims In 1604, England’s King James I held a conference to meet with Protestant leaders These leaders wanted to reform the Church of England, also known as the Anglican church – They felt that bishops had too much power. King James responded that he would not make any changes, and that those who would not conform will be driven out of the land

Definitions Puritans- Protestant group that wanted to reform, or purify, the church of England – The Puritan’s main complaint was that bishops and priests had too much power over church members Sect- Religious group – The most extreme Puritans wanted to separate from the Church of England Separatists- Puritans who wanted to form their own church, and cut all ties with the Church of England

Pilgrims- A group of Separatists who were punished for their beliefs – Faced harsh treatment, and left England to escape persecution Immigrants- people who came to a new country after leaving the land of their birth The pilgrims left England for the Netherlands, but returned to England to apply for permission to settle in Virginia

The Founding of Plymouth On September 16, 1620, a ship called The Mayflower left England with more than 100 men, women, and children. William Bradford was in charge of the Pilgrims. The Pilgrims traveled for two months, dealing with rough ocean conditions, before finally sighting land. They realized they strayed outside of the area they were supposed to settle in.

Mayflower Deconstructed compact/videos#deconstructed-mayflower compact/videos#deconstructed-mayflower

On November 21, 1620, on board The Mayflower 41 male passengers signed the Mayflower Compact. – Legal contract calling for fair laws to protect the general good. – One of the first attempts at government in the English colonies. The Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, in present-day Massachusetts. The Pilgrims had difficulty establishing a colony – Nearly half the Pilgrims died from cold and sickness during the first winter.

Pilgrims and American Indians The first Europeans to visit the Plymouth area were European fishermen – They brought new diseases to the area, which killed most of the local American Indians. The Pilgrims did not have much contact with Native Americans at first Samoset was a Native American who learned English from the crews of fishing boats. – He gave the Pilgrims useful information about the people and places around Plymouth

Squanto was a Pawtuxet Indian who had lived in Europe and spoke English He also was a great help to the colonists helping them by: – Being an interpreter – Showed them how to plant corn – Showed them where to catch fish – Showed them where to get other important goods – Was a guide for them

Conditions in the Plymouth colony began to improve – They began to store food and prepare their houses for the winter. The Pilgrims invited Chief Massasoit and 90 other Wampanoag guests to celebrate their harvest. – This feast was held to thank God for providing for them. – It was known as the first Thanksgiving.

History of Thanksgiving compact/videos#history-of-the-thanksgiving- holiday compact/videos#history-of-the-thanksgiving- holiday 3:14

While the conditions began to improve, there still were many problems Most Pilgrims tried farming, but the farmland around their settlement was poor. The Pilgrims also tried to be successful in trading furs and fishing, but were unsuccessful. – Hunting and fishing conditions were not good in the local area. Despite these setbacks, the colony grew stronger when new settlers arrived.

The Pilgrim settlement was different from Virginia because of the importance of family. – Most families hoped to have many children who could help with work – The Pilgrims also taught their children to read – The family served as the center of religious life, health care, and community well-being.

All family members worked together to survive during the early years of the colony. – Women generally: Cooked Spun and wove wool Sewed clothing Made soap and butter, carried water, dried fruit Cared for livestock

– Men generally: Repaired tools Worked in the fields Chopped wood Built shelters Women also were given more legal rights than women in England. – Women were allowed to sign contracts and own property

Review Song- compact/videos#the-mayflower compact/videos#the-mayflower