In the fall of 1621, the Pilgrims of Plymouth experienced an excellent harvest. To celebrate this fortunate event, they planned a meal to give thanks for the delicious and abundance of food. The Wampanoag Indians worked hard with the pilgrims to fish, hunt, and gather food. They even educated the pilgrims on various survival tactics. Because of this, they came together to give thanks for all the food and new friendships.
All of this seemed kind of strange because the Wampanoag Indians and Pilgrims had tension with each other. However, because of this meal, they learned to get along and work as a team. It’s the combination of two different cultures that made the dinner memorable and an important event in our country’s history.
The spirit of coming together to give thanks became the ultimate tradition called “Thanksgiving,” which eventually became an annual holiday in the U.S.
The “Thanksgiving” tradition was still not a holiday in 1789. According to Bradford’s manuscript, the actual accounts of that first Thanksgiving had not been published yet, so there wasn’t a big public interest for that day. Despite the lack of enthusiasm, George Washington claimed the “National Thanksgiving” as the last Thursday of November, and a declaration like that became a thoughtful and meaningful idea.