Thanksgiving evolution

Thanksgiving blessings and prayers

Lee Thomas

Evolution of Thanksgiving

            Thanksgiving is a well known holiday throughout the United States. It’s a time to get together with family and celebrate each others company with all sorts of foods, the same types of foods that were at the first Thanksgiving. At least that’s what many who celebrate the holiday believe. The truth about Thanksgiving is a little more than just the Mayflower and turkey. More people were involved in the coming of Thanksgiving than just the Pilgrims and Indians, but why is it all left out of the modern day knowledge?

            The origin of Thanksgiving as many today know it is somewhat true but some of the ideas around it, mostly main ideas around the holiday, have been stretched and are not as true as one would think. Many would start the story of Thanksgiving by saying that Pilgrims came from England as to escape religious persecution. The reality behind it is that while there is definitely a possibility that a handful were escaping persecution, many came over on the Mayflower to make money. Another issue with the story is that they were called Pilgrims. Many of them would have called themselves Separatists for removing themselves from England. All of these facts a simple to find if more people looked into the real origin of Thanksgiving. I looked on the New York Times, and History.com to easy find facts that disprove these misconceptions.

The meal shared by the Indians and the Separatists is true, however this wasn’t really the start of Thanksgiving. While it was celebrated in parts of the country, Thanksgiving wasn’t declared a holiday until 1863 when Sarah Josepha Hale, the “Mother of Thanksgiving” as some would say, wrote Abraham Lincoln a letter asking him to make it a national holiday. After the Civil War ended Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving as a national holiday as a form of thanks for the victories at Vicksburg, Mississippi, and Gettysburg as said on History.com. This is where the technical start of Thanksgiving began.

            The most important part of Thanksgiving to many who celebrate it is the food. Turkey and cranberries, corn, and bread. These are just some of the many foods that are a necessity at the table, but unfortunately, they all aren’t the foods that many believe were at the first Thanksgiving. Squanto was an Indian living in New England when he was taken by the English and sold into slavery in Spain in 1614. Once he got out of slavery, he lived in England for a while, where he learned english, then returned to New England in 1619 only to find that his tribe had been killed off by a smallpox outbreak. In 1621 the Separatists came to New England and met Squanto who showed them the best fishing spots, and how to farm properly. Another tribe also helped show the Indians how to grow corn and other foods. The meal was shared by the Separatists and the Indians, that much is true, but Turkey was not for certain part of the meal. It’s been debated that many “wild fowl” could’ve been a part of the meal, but over the years advertising has many Turkey the main food on the menu. The same goes for cranberry sauce. Cranberries were for sure not at the first Thanksgiving, but through advertising have become a major part of the holiday. Smithsonianmag.com showed that 88% of families eat Turkey on Thanksgiving and that 20% of the turkeys eaten every year take place on Thanksgiving.

Sources:
New York Times
History.com
Smithsonianmag.com