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OT.... but my wishes for all

This is not, of course, a tradition where I happen to live now. It is one that always made me feel happy and just "good"....

So in case i miss it next wekk let me wish all of my friends, contacts and all others on here a ..

Happy Thanksgiving and my best to all of you.

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The Pilgrims and America's First Thanksgiving

The Pilgrims, who celebrated the first thanksgiving in America, were fleeing religious prosecution in their native England. In 1609 a group of Pilgrims left England for the religious freedom in Holland where they lived and prospered. After a few years their children were speaking Dutch and had become attached to the dutch way of life. This worried the Pilgrims. They considered the Dutch frivolous and their ideas a threat to their children's education and morality.
So they decided to leave Holland and travel to the New World. Their trip was financed by a group of English investors, the Merchant Adventurers. It was agreed that the Pilgrims would be given passage and supplies in exchange for their working for their backers for 7 years.

On Sept. 6, 1620 the Pilgrims set sail for the New World on a ship called the Mayflower. They sailed from Plymouth, England and aboard were 44 Pilgrims, who called themselves the "Saints", and 66 others ,whom the Pilgrims called the "Strangers."

The long trip was cold and damp and took 65 days. Since there was the danger of fire on the wooden ship, the food had to be eaten cold. Many passengers became sick and one person died by the time land was sighted on November 10th.

The long trip led to many disagreements between the "Saints" and the "Strangers". After land was sighted a meeting was held and an agreement was worked out, called the Mayflower Compact, which guaranteed equality and unified the two groups. They joined together and named themselves the "Pilgrims."

Although they had first sighted land off Cape Cod they did not settle until they arrived at Plymouth, which had been named by Captain John Smith in 1614. It was there that the Pilgrims decide to settle. Plymouth offered an excellent harbor. A large brook offered a resource for fish. The Pilgrims biggest concern was attack by the local Native American Indians. But the Patuxets were a peaceful group and did not prove to be a threat.

The first winter was devastating to the Pilgrims. The cold, snow and sleet was exceptionally heavy, interfering with the workers as they tried to construct their settlement. March brought warmer weather and the health of the Pilgrims improved, but many had died during the long winter. Of the 110 Pilgrims and crew who left England, less that 50 survived the first winter.

On March 16, 1621 , what was to become an important event took place, an Indian brave walked into the Plymouth settlement. The Pilgrims were frightened until the Indian called out "Welcome" (in English!).

His name was Samoset and he was an Abnaki Indian. He had learned English from the captains of fishing boats that had sailed off the coast. After staying the night Samoset left the next day. He soon returned with another Indian named Squanto who spoke better English than Samoset. Squanto told the Pilgrims of his voyages across the ocean and his visits to England and Spain. It was in England where he had learned English.

Squanto's importance to the Pilgrims was enormous and it can be said that they would not have survived without his help. It was Squanto who taught the Pilgrims how to tap the maple trees for sap. He taught them which plants were poisonous and which had medicinal powers. He taught them how to plant the Indian corn by heaping the earth into low mounds with several seeds and fish in each mound. The decaying fish fertilized the corn. He also taught them to plant other crops with the corn.

The harvest in October was very successful and the Pilgrims found themselves with enough food to put away for the winter. There was corn, fruits and vegetables, fish to be packed in salt, and meat to be cured over smoky fires.

The Pilgrims had much to celebrate, they had built homes in the wilderness, they had raised enough crops to keep them alive during the long coming winter, they were at peace with their Indian neighbors. They had beaten the odds and it was time to celebrate.

The Pilgrim Governor William Bradford proclaimed a day of thanksgiving to be shared by all the colonists and the neighboring Native Americans. They invited Squanto and the other Indians to join them in their celebration. Their chief, Massasoit, and 90 braves came to the celebration which lasted for 3 days. They played games, ran races, marched and played drums. The Indians demonstrated their skills with the bow and arrow and the Pilgrims demonstrated their musket skills. Exactly when the festival took place is uncertain, but it is believed the celebration took place in mid-October.

The following year the Pilgrims harvest was not as bountiful, as they were still unused to growing the corn. During the year they had also shared their stored food with newcomers and the Pilgrims ran short of food.

The 3rd year brought a spring and summer that was hot and dry with the crops dying in the fields. Governor Bradford ordered a day of fasting and prayer, and it was soon thereafter that the rain came. To celebrate - November 29th of that year was proclaimed a day of thanksgiving. This date is believed to be the real true beginning of the present day Thanksgiving Day.

The custom of an annually celebrated thanksgiving, held after the harvest, continued through the years. During the American Revolution (late 1770's) a day of national thanksgiving was suggested by the Continental Congress.

In 1817 New York State had adopted Thanksgiving Day as an annual custom. By the middle of the 19th century many other states also celebrated a Thanksgiving Day. In 1863 President Abraham Lincoln appointed a national day of thanksgiving. Since then each president has issued a Thanksgiving Day proclamation, usually designating the fourth Thursday of each November as the holiday.


Becoming informed but still trying to learn every day!
1-Dammit Boy Oct 14,2003

International Coins
"A work in progress"


Wayne
eBay registered name:
Hard_ Search (buyer/bidder, a small time seller)
e-mail: wayne.whatley@gmail.com

Comments

  • wybritwybrit Posts: 6,952 ✭✭✭
    Happy Thanksgiving, back at you Wayne!image
    Former owner, Cambridge Gate collection.
  • Thanks mate.post a drumstick to me..........image
    Becoming informed but still trying to learn every day!
    1-Dammit Boy Oct 14,2003

    International Coins
    "A work in progress"


    Wayne
    eBay registered name:
    Hard_ Search (buyer/bidder, a small time seller)
    e-mail: wayne.whatley@gmail.com
  • Thanks newbie! All Americans need to be reminded of our roots every once in a while.

    Happy Thanksgiving to you, dude! I can't give you the drumstick, though - the boys have already started fighting over who gets them image
    Cecil
    Total Copper Nutcase - African, British Ships, Channel Islands!!!
    'Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup'


  • << <i>Thanks newbie! All Americans need to be reminded of our roots every once in a while.

    Happy Thanksgiving to you, dude! I can't give you the drumstick, though - the boys have already started fighting over who gets them image >>

    This I can understand and appreciate.........image

    I was just concerned I might forget next week, since I thought it was today.. image and I don't want anyone to forget I do remember.
    ps: A slice of the turkey breast would be great! (just my attempt at a joke)
    Becoming informed but still trying to learn every day!
    1-Dammit Boy Oct 14,2003

    International Coins
    "A work in progress"


    Wayne
    eBay registered name:
    Hard_ Search (buyer/bidder, a small time seller)
    e-mail: wayne.whatley@gmail.com
  • theboz11theboz11 Posts: 6,576 ✭✭✭
    Happy Thanksgiving ,,, I email you a Grilled turkey and dressing sandwich with cold cranberry sause on it. It is better than the meal.image
  • WOW.....was that the super-duper large e-mail attachment?

    My Norton said OK but may cause pains for want more...........image
    Becoming informed but still trying to learn every day!
    1-Dammit Boy Oct 14,2003

    International Coins
    "A work in progress"


    Wayne
    eBay registered name:
    Hard_ Search (buyer/bidder, a small time seller)
    e-mail: wayne.whatley@gmail.com
  • You scared me. For a second, I thought today was Thanksgiving.

    Well happy early Thanksgiving. image


  • << <i>You scared me. For a second, I thought today was Thanksgiving.

    Well happy early Thanksgiving. image >>

    ....... image....... I scared myself. I actually did think that until I dug out my USA calender.

    I thought it would be best to offer my happy wishes now in case I forget next week. Of course now I won't.
    Becoming informed but still trying to learn every day!
    1-Dammit Boy Oct 14,2003

    International Coins
    "A work in progress"


    Wayne
    eBay registered name:
    Hard_ Search (buyer/bidder, a small time seller)
    e-mail: wayne.whatley@gmail.com
  • wybritwybrit Posts: 6,952 ✭✭✭
    It's never too early to think about holidays!
    Former owner, Cambridge Gate collection.


  • << <i>It's never too early to think about holidays! >>

    It was embarassing to me wybrit. Earlier I truely thoght is was todayimage
    It made me feel foolish and i was afraid I would forget it next week.
    Becoming informed but still trying to learn every day!
    1-Dammit Boy Oct 14,2003

    International Coins
    "A work in progress"


    Wayne
    eBay registered name:
    Hard_ Search (buyer/bidder, a small time seller)
    e-mail: wayne.whatley@gmail.com
  • As it turns out, I am related to about 8 of those "saints" that were aboard the Mayflower!
  • Thanks for the reminder that it's not just a "Turkey Day" - we do tend to forget the history - good job Wayne!
    Shep
    image
  • Thanks...... I wish I could be there NEXT Thursday for the feast and celebrations.
    Becoming informed but still trying to learn every day!
    1-Dammit Boy Oct 14,2003

    International Coins
    "A work in progress"


    Wayne
    eBay registered name:
    Hard_ Search (buyer/bidder, a small time seller)
    e-mail: wayne.whatley@gmail.com
  • CIVITASCIVITAS Posts: 2,256 ✭✭✭


    << <i>It's never too early to think about holidays! >>



    I don't know about that. I like to limit my feelings of dread to as short a period of time as possible. image
    image
    https://www.civitasgalleries.com

    New coins listed monthly!

    Josh Moran

    CIVITAS Galleries, Ltd.
  • 1jester1jester Posts: 8,638 ✭✭✭
    "....... I scared myself. I actually did think that until I dug out my USA calender." --Newbie

    Hey, what a coincidence! Me too.

    By the way, Wayne, can you find sweet potatoes in Norway? I"ve been looking for them here and can't.image

    imageimageimage
    .....GOD
    image

    "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." -Luke 11:9

    "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." -Deut. 6:4-5

    "For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; He will save us." -Isaiah 33:22
  • MacCrimmonMacCrimmon Posts: 7,051 ✭✭✭


    << <i>can you find sweet potatoes in Norway? >>



    Hey, a little dziewczynki I know said you were a sweet potato!! image

  • You can find sweet potatoes here in special shops. Not really my tate so I don't bother.
    Becoming informed but still trying to learn every day!
    1-Dammit Boy Oct 14,2003

    International Coins
    "A work in progress"


    Wayne
    eBay registered name:
    Hard_ Search (buyer/bidder, a small time seller)
    e-mail: wayne.whatley@gmail.com
  • 1jester1jester Posts: 8,638 ✭✭✭
    Well, Mac, send her over immediately!!!image I'll even let her cook for me!image


    Newbie, a friend of mine wants to host a Thanksgiving dinner for a bunch of people in order to show Poles how charitable Americans are, and that American cuisine consists of more than just hamburgers and hot dogs. And I just can't imagine Thanksgiving dinner without sweet potatoes, especially a certain dish with pineapples and marshmallows. And I already have the marshmallows from when I visited my brother in England. It would be sad to not be able to score the yams. But I may have to do without.

    imageimageimage
    .....GOD
    image

    "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." -Luke 11:9

    "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." -Deut. 6:4-5

    "For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; He will save us." -Isaiah 33:22
  • Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours Wayne.

    Walt
  • I suppose I could take this chance to wish all of my fellow Americans a happy Thanksgiving from an American-Canadian.
    So many coins, so little money!
    Ebay name: bhil3
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