#48 November 23-29

The Story of Thanksgiving

In the autumn of 1621, a small community of weary but determined people looked out over the fields of their new home in Plymouth. These were the Pilgrims—men, women, and children who had crossed the Atlantic on the Mayflower the year before. Their first winter had nearly destroyed them. Bitter cold, sickness, and hunger claimed the lives of half their group. But through it all, they held onto their faith in God and their hope for a new beginning in a land where they could worship Him freely.

When spring arrived, the survivors planted crops with the help of two Native men—Samoset and Squanto—whose knowledge of the land gave the Pilgrims a chance to survive. Squanto, in particular, became a steadfast and valuable friend. He taught them how to plant corn the Wampanoag way, find freshwater, identify edible plants, and catch fish from the nearby streams and sea.

By late summer, the fields of green corn swayed in the wind, and the Pilgrims knew they would survive. Under the leadership of Governor William Bradford, they gathered the harvest and prepared for a three-day celebration to thank God for His kindness and mercy.

They invited their Wampanoag neighbors, including Massasoit, the sachem (leader) who had made a peace agreement with them earlier that spring. According to Edward Winslow’s eyewitness account, Massasoit arrived with ninety of his men—and even contributed five deer to the feast.

The celebration was full of laughter, games, prayer, and plenty of food. The menu likely included wild turkey, venison, fish, shellfish, corn, beans, squash, and berries. Children played games, the adults competed in target shooting, and people from both communities shared stories. Though they came from very different cultures, they spent those days in friendship and peace.

That first Thanksgiving was not yet a national holiday, nor did it happen every year—but it was a peaceful celebration of gratitude, survival, and cooperation. And today, more than 400 years later, we still pause to remember God’s faithfulness, just as the Pilgrims once did. Do you want to read more about the Pilgrims before they came to America?

Listen to Episode 89: The Story of the First Thanksgiving

Listen to Episode 11: Thank You, Sarah! (the story of how Thanksgiving became a national holiday)

Do you want to explore more about the Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving?

The digital version of Bradford’s History of Plymouth Plantation at the Smithsonian libraries is a great place to start!