The story of the first Thanksgiving

[Ploutos]

Can anyone weigh in regarding a free, concise, and historically reliable version of the story of the first Thanksgiving that I can find online? Think something I'd like to print and read to family and guests on Thanksgiving Day - so not more than 15 minutes long, or thereabouts.

 

[Ryan&Amber2013]

Lol, sorry to disappoint you, but there really isn't much. It's found in William Bradford's diary, and I believe it's a short description; only a few sentences.

"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."

This is one other primary source from 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."

Although, it's still a really good story.

 

[Phil D.]

There are only 2.5 primary sources for the first Thanksgiving... Some more historical context here...

 

[Northern Crofter]

historically reliable version of the story of the first Thanksgiving

It depends. Bradford's account would be the first account of an informal thanksgiving in the Americas. George Washington proclaimed the first official, national thanksgiving observance as President 1789. Jefferson refused to continue the precedent. Lincoln seemingly resurrected the practice during the US Civil War via Presidential proclamation. FDR solidified the practice in the 1940s (albeit apparently for economic considerations). This 2019 article is pretty informative regarding the evolution of the Thanksgiving Proclamation from Washington through Trump (it traces the general historical trends, "contrasting the average number of references to a Supreme Being with references to American history and values") and it has links to all previous proclamations.

I try to maintain the precepts of the Westminster Directory of Publick Worship as much as I can. When Church and/or State do not maintain these practices, I try to adapt and implement them in family worship. The section "Concerning the Observation of Days of Publick Thanksgiving" is one such example. The US does observe Thanksgiving, authorized via Presidential Proclamation. Our family worship on Thanksgiving generally looks like this from last year (I put some comments in sub-bullets - what is in italics is from the DPW):

• Reading of Presidential Proclamation
  • WHEN any such day is to be kept, let notice be given of it, and of the occasion thereof
  • These are usually posted here the afternoon before Thanksgiving Day. I've been doing this since the last Bush was in office - only once have I had to edit (not read part of) one because it was blasphemous. It is often surprising what the President's speech writers include....
• Old Testament Reading: Psalm 107
  • ...the reading of some portion of the word suitable to the present business.
  • Sometimes we sing a psalm here (see below)
• New Testament Reading: John 6.24-40
• Psalm selections
  • because singing of psalms is of all other the most proper ordinance for expressing of joy and thanksgiving, let some pertinent psalm or psalms be sung for that purpose
  • we adjust the # depending on who is at our table and how familiar they are with singing from the Psalter
• Prayer
  • ...let him not only pray... with remembrance of the necessities of the Church, King, and State... but enlarge himself in due and solemn thanksgiving for former mercies and deliverances; but more especially for that which at the present calls them together to give thanks: with humble petition for the continuance and renewing of God’s wonted mercies, as need shall be, and for sanctifying grace to make a right use thereof.
  • prior to that we go around the table and everyone shares something they are thankful for
• Psalm
  • having sung another psalm, suitable to the mercy... dismiss the congregation... that they may have some convenient time for their repast and refreshing.

I will just note that this is always well received despite the mix of political and religious (and non-religious) dispositions of the people that have shared our Thanksgiving table over the years.

 

[C. Matthew McMahon]

Disclaimer - APM does not endorse any theological views outside Scripture and the 1647 Westminster Standards - this video is for historical purposes only. (i.e. Lincoln's Unitarianism, for example).

 

[Ploutos]

Gentleman, thank you! This is wonderfully informative!

 

[jwithnell]

"... their arrival must “be yearly and perpetually kept holy as a day of Thanksgiving to Almighty God.”

That's an order given to the people who were to settle just up the river from Jamestown. That's right, in Virginia, and the order was obeyed Dec. 6, 1619, about a year before Plymouth was settled, and 12 years after the first surviving English settlement at Jamestown.

Here's one article. It was also a matter documented in the Congressional Record in the early 1960s after Virginia challenged the publicity claims of Massachusetts.

 

[Ploutos]

"... their arrival must “be yearly and perpetually kept holy as a day of Thanksgiving to Almighty God.”

That's an order given to the people who were to settle just up the river from Jamestown. That's right, in Virginia, and the order was obeyed Dec. 6, 1619, about a year before Plymouth was settled, and 12 years after the first surviving English settlement at Jamestown.

Here's one article. It was also a matter documented in the Congressional Record in the early 1960s after Virginia challenged the publicity claims of Massachusetts.

I have heard this before! I must say, though, I think that it is fair to say that the tradition of Thanksgiving as it exists does trace its roots back to the Plymouth colony, regardless of whether or not they were the first to celebrate Thanksgiving in the New World. If the Virginia event was forgotten until the 1930s, it's safe to say it was not the forerunner of our modern holiday.

I suppose, though, that you can be forgiven a bit of unconquerable Virginia bias in the ranks of the Puritan Board staff.

 

[jwithnell]

I have heard this before! I must say, though, I think that it is fair to say that the tradition of Thanksgiving as it exists does trace its roots back to the Plymouth colony, regardless of whether or not they were the first to celebrate Thanksgiving in the New World. If the Virginia event was forgotten until the 1930s, it's safe to say it was not the forerunner of our modern holiday.

I suppose, though, that you can be forgiven a bit of unconquerable Virginia bias in the ranks of the Puritan Board staff.

I am very fond of the commonwealth It can be argued that Massachusetts was more of an attempt to advance the pure church while Virginia was a commercial endeavor that, by necessity, brought the Church of England with it.

 

[Jack K]

"... their arrival must “be yearly and perpetually kept holy as a day of Thanksgiving to Almighty God.”

That's an order given to the people who were to settle just up the river from Jamestown. That's right, in Virginia, and the order was obeyed Dec. 6, 1619, about a year before Plymouth was settled, and 12 years after the first surviving English settlement at Jamestown.

Here's one article. It was also a matter documented in the Congressional Record in the early 1960s after Virginia challenged the publicity claims of Massachusetts.

I am very fond of the commonwealth It can be argued that Massachusetts was more of an attempt to advance the pure church while Virginia was a commercial endeavor that, by necessity, brought the Church of England with it.

You're both wrong . As usual, your eastern perspective ignores the settlement of my home state of New Mexico, first explored by Europeans as early as the 1530s (we'll not mention they were Catholics). April 30, 1598 was the date of America's first Christian Thanksgiving.

 

[jwithnell]

@Jack K As someone who never planned to return east of the Mississippi to live, I am thoroughly chagrined

All in all, our boundary lines have fallen for us in pleasant places and we are blessed.

 

[Santos]

You're both wrong . As usual, your eastern perspective ignores the settlement of my home state of New Mexico, first explored by Europeans as early as the 1530s (we'll not mention they were Catholics). April 30, 1598 was the date of America's first Christian Thanksgiving.

Doesn't count.

 

[Jack K]

I'm partial to the Pilgrims myself, but can't allow New Mexicans to be forgotten.

 

[Edward]

While waiting for the turkey, I found a link to a good description of the origins of Thanksgiving.

Lincoln and Thanksgiving - Lincoln Home National Historic Site (U.S. National Park Service)

www.nps.gov

 

[MyCrows]

You're both wrong . As usual, your eastern perspective ignores the settlement of my home state of New Mexico, first explored by Europeans as early as the 1530s (we'll not mention they were Catholics). April 30, 1598 was the date of America's first Christian Thanksgiving.

So what you're saying, is there is historical precedence for changing our traditional Thanksgiving Day food to Mexican cuisine? This is good news indeed.

 

[TylerRay]

Can anyone weigh in regarding a free, concise, and historically reliable version of the story of the first Thanksgiving that I can find online? Think something I'd like to print and read to family and guests on Thanksgiving Day - so not more than 15 minutes long, or thereabouts.

You could use Barack Obama's narrative from his 2011 Thanksgiving proclamation.

"The observance recalls the celebration of an autumn harvest centuries ago, when the Wampanoag tribe joined the Pilgrims at Plymouth Colony to share in the fruits of a bountiful season. The feast honored the Wampanoag for generously extending their knowledge of local game and agriculture to the Pilgrims, and today we renew our gratitude to all American Indians and Alaska Natives."

 

[Jack K]

So what you're saying, is there is historical precedence for changing our traditional Thanksgiving Day food to Mexican cuisine? This is good news indeed.

Green Chile Cornbread Stuffing