Bearcat Times

In September 1620, a small ship called the Mayflower left Plymouth, England, carrying 102 passengers with an assortment of religious separatists seeking a new home where they could freely practice their faith and other individuals lured by the promise of prosperity and land ownership in the New World. After a treacherous and uncomfortable crossing that lasted 66 days, they dropped anchor near the tip of Cape Cod, far north of their intended destination at the mouth of the Hudson River. One month later, the Mayflower crossed the Massachusetts Bay, where the Pilgrims, as they are now commonly known, began the work of establishing a village at Plymouth.

In November 1621, after the Pilgrims’ first corn harvest proved successful, Governor William Brandford organized a celebratory feast and invited a group of the fledgling colony’s Native American allies, including the Wampanoag chief Massasoit. Now remembered as American’s “first Thanksgiving” although the Pilgrims themselves may not have used the term at the time. The festival lasted for three days. 

As the history of thanksgiving tells of two groups of people coming together to celebrate, modern day thanksgiving has evolved a lot since the “first thanksgiving”. Thanksgiving means a lot of things to a lot of people. For some it’s the only time of the year to see relatives, for others Thanksgiving is a reminder to be thankful for what you have.

As the thanksgiving season approaches many tend to forget the real meaning of thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a time of celebration and thankfulness. Remember that this thanksgiving season. – Makenzie Cox

 

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