We have arrived at the time of the year when we should give thanks for all that we have. Unfortunately, this is also the time of the year when millions of school kids are fed a malicious piece of propaganda called: "The first Thanksgiving."
It will take YEARS for a child to un-learn this "history lesson." Some never do. They will grow up with this perverted view of the first settlers in The New World.
In case you forgot the old school version of The First Thanksgiving.. Here it is…
A bunch of pilgrims land here in the New World. They are stupid and white. They have no idea how to feed themselves and they spend all day praying to God. The pilgrims throw a party called: Thanksgiving. But they don't have enough food. A Native American named Samoset, who speaks English (Because Native Americans are far more advanced then the stupid white people) spies the pitiful pilgrims. He snaps his fingers… Deer and turkey arrive ready to eat. Everybody feasts.
Then the pilgrims KILL the Native Americans and take their land.
That is the First Thanksgiving.
This is so far from the truth, but many American kids learn this crap and it can haunt them for the rest of their life.
The early settlers had many Harvest Feasts. As corn or wheat matured and was ready to be 'put up.' Settlers would have a huge meal. If the hunters bagged more game then the pilgrims could use, they would have a feast. Native Americans were welcome at many of these feasts.
The first feasts took place on Roanoke Island. 1585. What the English settlers couldn't grow was supplied by ship. This was the pet project of Sir Walter Raleigh and Queen Elisabeth I. There was trading between the settlers and the Native Americans. England kept this colony well stocked until the war with Spain. The colony then disappeared.
This is where many people are confused. Some history teachers seem unwilling to define this fact:
"White settlers and friendly Native Americans never really had any problems with each other." Their relationship was mutually beneficial. Native Americans taught the settlers how to grow potatoes and corn. The white settlers helped fight off the savages. Savages were the enemy of both the settlers and friendly Native Americans. Savages were nomadic tribes who stole, raped and murdered the friendly Natives, years before white settlers arrived. The settlers had musket riffles, this was magic to the natives.
White settlers took Native Americans to England. Not as slaves, as guests. They both tried to learn each other's language. Together, they fought off the savages and both prospered in the New World.
There was one harvest feast that was recorded, many, many years after the time period I was just speaking about. Many historians believe this is where the "First Thanksgiving" schoolbook version comes from. Governor William Bradford declares a feast to give thanks to God for their first harvest. October 1621.
During this feast, the settlers invited 3 prominent natives. There was a misunderstanding and the whole tribe showed up. (87 Natives) There was not enough food to feed all the settlers and Indians. BOTH settlers and Natives headed for the woods and returned hours later with 4 deer and 2 turkeys for the feast. This would be a better example of the first 'pot luck' dinner then how it is represented today as the First Thanksgiving with white settlers not preparing enough food. But this isn't the FIRST feast between whites and natives. The first meeting took place almost a hundred years earlier.
Let me stop for a moment.. In no way am I trying to belittle the contributions of Native Americans to the early settlement. It would have been near impossible to settle North America, at that time, without the help of friendly Natives.Also, I am not talking about Western Expansion of America. That was a war and a land grab that took place much later.
I am not trying to paint a picture of a paradise between White settlers and Native Americans. Yes, there were white settlers that didn't trust any Natives. They did some evil things. Also, there are stories of savages dressing up like friendly Natives and attacking the pilgrim towns. Killing innocent people.
I just hate this version of the First Thanksgiving that depicts the white settlers as stupid people who came to American and had no idea how to survive. It isn't the truth. They were brave pioneers and many died trying to settle North America. You do them and Friendly Natives an injustice when you tell the story this way.
The REAL Thanksgiving
The first feast took place on Roanoke Island. 1585. Picture John White drawing sketches of the natives. He drew hundreds, like he would never see these natives again. Most of the food for the meal came from off the ship. But the friendly Croatian Natives brought corn and fresh turkey. Neither could understand each other, but they used a type of sign and drawings. Richard Grenville points out into the ocean, showing a Croatian where the explorers came from. As one of the three ships readies to sail back, two natives board the ship for England. These Croatians have never ventured out further then the eye can see. Now they are heading on a journey that will last 22 days. They will see wonders no native has ever dreamed.
Back on Roanoke, Croatians show the settlers all the splendors of the New World. A bond is formed on that day which will last for generations between white settlers and friendly natives.
