Every year in November, Americans gather around the dining table to celebrate Thanksgiving. This traditional holiday commemorates the harmonious relationship between European pilgrims and the Wampanoag people in the 17th century.
The story is often told in a simple manner, depicting individuals from the two cultures sharing a harvest feast in a spirit of unity and cooperation. However, the true history is far more complex and nuanced.
In 1620, about 100 pilgrims left England aboard the Mayflower, heading towards the New World in Virginia Colony. However, bad weather forced them to Cape Cod, now part of Massachusetts. This region was the homeland of the Wampanoag, a tribe that had lived there for many years.
A color woodcut depicting the meeting of the Wampanoag with the settlers at Plymouth in the 1620s. (Source: North Wind Picture Archives).
In the New World, the pilgrims established the Plymouth Colony and quickly realized they needed help from the natives to survive. An alliance was formed between the two groups, but it was not born out of mere goodwill.
The Wampanoag, having been devastated by diseases brought by previous European expeditions, faced the threat of attacks from hostile tribes like the Narragansett. They sought military support from the pilgrims, who possessed more advanced weaponry such as guns and metal tools.
This alliance, instead of being based on friendship, was notably strategic. Both sides had their own reasons for cooperating in the perilous context of that time.
In the fall of 1621, the pilgrims held a feast to celebrate their first harvest. Initially, the Wampanoag were not invited. Upon hearing the celebratory gunfire from the English, they mistakenly thought the colony was under attack. Chief Massasoit led 90 warriors to assist, but upon arrival, they realized it was merely a celebration.
Rather than retreating, the Wampanoag decided to join in, bringing food such as deer and local ingredients, turning the event into a shared feast. The meal lasted several days and included dishes like fish, shellfish, eels, corn, greens, and wild berries.
Familiar dishes on the modern Thanksgiving table, such as mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, or cranberry sauce, were not present due to the scarcity of ingredients in the colony at that time.
The meal in 1621 was not considered a significant event at the time. For both the English and the Wampanoag, harvest festivals were not uncommon.
The scant records from Governor William Bradford and in a letter by a man named Edward Winslow provide the primary sources that help historians today reconstruct part of the story.
It wasn’t until 1863, amidst the backdrop of a country torn by civil war, that President Abraham Lincoln officially declared Thanksgiving a national holiday. He called for unity among the people, transforming the holiday into a symbol of togetherness and hope.
Since then, Thanksgiving has become an important part of American culture, celebrated regularly each November.
