While in Rhode Island, we took part of a day to drive up to Plymouth, Massachusetts and visit Plimoth Plantation. This is a self guided museum includes a reenactment of the early colonists and the Wampanoag people. We did a lot of walking. We walked through the Wampanoag village first and then the colonist area. The Wamponoag people talked in present times. The colonists talked as if it were still the late 1600's. I found the museum interesting because they were honest in describing the complex relationship between the colonists and the Wampanoag. For example, one of the Wamponoag people said, "A colonist asked if I would give up one of my children so he could give him to his brother as a gift. What kind of people are these?" The people in several Wampanoag villages were completely wiped out by the small pox brought in by the colonists. Although most of the museum was outside, one room inside was dedicated to the myth of Thanksgiving. The Pilgrims and the Native people did not have Thanksgiving that first year. Somebody made that up. As Europeans, the colonists had the custom of celebrating the fall harvest with a dinner but they did not dine with the Wampanoag. That story wasn't fabricated until the mid 1700's. ! As I read about this I felt myself getting angry. We were taught this in school. We were tested on the first Thanksgiving and it's just a story. What other stories have we been told? After the museum, we had a ticket to visit the Mayflower II, a re-creation of the English merchant ship the same size as the original Mayflower. We walked through the ship and talked with the costumed colonist actors.
Before we left we walked over to see Plimoth rock. I have to admit, I am bothered by the many spellings of Plymouth, Plimoth, Plimouth. Massachusetts must have creative spellers out there. Over the rock is a large plaque explaining that there is no evidence that the pilgrims landed on Plimoth rock. After landing on Cape Cod and finding no fresh water, they left and landed in this area. Plimoth rock is a landmark in this same area. Again, any documentation connecting the Pilgrims and Plimoth rock does not appear until the mid 1750's. Geez Louise, I traveled all this way to find out Plimoth rock and the first Thanksgiving are a hoax? !
1 comment:
I think you are conflating the Thanksgiving story. Thanksgiving was not made into a holiday until the 1700s and not a national holiday until the time of Abraham Lincoln.
However, a five day festival in Plymouth in 1621 is the basis of it. It is based on the first-hand account by Edward Winslow:
"... our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together, after we had gathered the fruits of our labors; they four in one day killed as much fowl, as with a little help beside, served the Company almost a week, at which time amongst other Recreations, we exercised our Arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and amongst the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five Deer, which they brought to the Plantation and bestowed on our Governor, and upon the Captain and others. And although it be not always so plentiful, as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want, that we often wish you partakers of our plenty."
William Bradford wrote in "Of Plimouth Plantation" of how Squanto and a few other Indians helped the Pilgrims to keep from starving. They showed them the herring run and how to plant Indoan corn. That resulted in a fruitful harvest in 1621 after a winter of starving.
"They began now to gather in the small harvest they had, and to fit up their houses and dwellings against winter, being all well recovered in health and strength and had all things in good plenty. For as some were thus employed in affairs abroad, others were exercised in fishing, about cod and bass and other fish, of which they took good store, of which every family had their portion. All the summer there was no want; and now began to come in store of fowl, as winter approached, of which this place did abound when they came first (but afterward decreased by degrees). And besides waterfowl there was great store of wild turkeys, of which they took many, besides venison, etc. Besides, they had about a peck of meal a week to a person, or now since harvest, Indian corn to that proportion. Which made many afterwards write so largely of their plenty here to their friends in England, which were not feigned but true reports."
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