Almighty Colin
11-28-2002, 05:12 AM
A few years before the pilgrims set sail and landed near Plymouth Rock some other Brits landed in Virginia and celebrated their version of Thanksgiving in 1619. They didn't do so well and so their lineage of Thanksgiving - the version without a feast - didn't survive. Holiday Darwinism at work.
A year later those buckle-belted black clothed pilgrims had established a colony at Plymouth and were having a go at colonization. They were not doing so well. They had managed to escape religious persecution back home but found a new threat to life and liberty - starvation. The problem? They were practicing the old custom of "farming in common". Everyone worked to make one farm held in common provide a fruitful harvest. You can guess what happened. Everyone slacked.
About half the pilgrims died in the first year. They may not have survived if the Native American population had not assisted them. Another year later in 1621, the pilgrims held Thankgiving version 1.2 inviting about 100 Native Americans to the party. Governor William Bradford invited them to thank them. Smooth fella.
By 1623 the colony was desperate. Mr. William Bradford decided each family would get their own plot of land and could produce whatever they wanted. Guess what happened next. A miracle! Everyone started working hard and there was suddenly plenty of food! This colony survived and it is their tradition of Thanksgiving that is celebrated in America today.
Last edited by Colin at Nov 28 2002, 05:41 AM
A year later those buckle-belted black clothed pilgrims had established a colony at Plymouth and were having a go at colonization. They were not doing so well. They had managed to escape religious persecution back home but found a new threat to life and liberty - starvation. The problem? They were practicing the old custom of "farming in common". Everyone worked to make one farm held in common provide a fruitful harvest. You can guess what happened. Everyone slacked.
About half the pilgrims died in the first year. They may not have survived if the Native American population had not assisted them. Another year later in 1621, the pilgrims held Thankgiving version 1.2 inviting about 100 Native Americans to the party. Governor William Bradford invited them to thank them. Smooth fella.
By 1623 the colony was desperate. Mr. William Bradford decided each family would get their own plot of land and could produce whatever they wanted. Guess what happened next. A miracle! Everyone started working hard and there was suddenly plenty of food! This colony survived and it is their tradition of Thanksgiving that is celebrated in America today.
Last edited by Colin at Nov 28 2002, 05:41 AM