The Tradition of Thanksgiving
5th Grade Informational Reading Texts
The traditions of Thanksgiving and this celebration of thanks, can trace its origins to the Pilgrims. Separatists, who had left the Church of England, had been persecuted for their religious beliefs. Early in the 1600's, many of those that had refused to join the Church of England had moved to Holland, a neighboring country in Europe. The Separatists were referred to as Pilgrims because they traveled for their religious freedom.
Unfortunately, in Holland, many Separatists began to worry that their children were taking on too much of the Dutch culture. The decision was made by the group to travel to North America to establish a settlement. The original choice for a settlement was in the area of Virginia, so in 1620 the Separatists petitioned the Virginia Company for a charter to build a colony.
By mid-summer of 1620, a group of settlers, of both Separatists and those looking for new opportunities in the "new world", planned to set sail with supplies and two ships, The Speedwell and The Mayflower. The Speedwell began to leak and turned back, so all of the people and supplies were moved to the remaining ship, the Mayflower, and in September of 1620, it set sail.
The voyage was long, cramped, and difficult. Their plans were changed when a storm blew them north and off course. Land was sighted in November of 1620, in an area that today is in Massachusetts. Because of the time of year, they made a decision to remain in this area instead of continuing south to find the land in Virginia. Before the colonists were allowed to leave the ship, they created and signed an agreement, or compact. This document, known as the Mayflower Compact, was meant to prevent disagreements between the Separatists and the outsiders who had traveled with them.
It has been used as a model document for free people to live together as a community without a supreme leader, such as a king. That was a new idea that would grow throughout the establishment of colonies in North America.
A small group stepped foot on land and began searching for a spot to establish their new colony. The Pilgrims first landed in Cape Cod and scouted around. They found deposits of corn seed and took them. They also took some items from Native graves sites. They left when shot by local Wampanoag. When they landed in the area later known as Plymouth it was abandoned because it had been the former site of a Wampanoag village known as Patuxet. The members of this village had been wiped out by a disease brought by Europeans. That is why the area appeared abandoned.
With only the supplies they had brought, and no other settlers in the area, the Plymouth colony suffered many hardships and illnesses that first winter. When spring arrived, about half of the settlers had died.
Spring brought hope to the colony. The first event that offered them hope was the arrival of Samoset, an Abenaki American Indian, who spoke English and could communicate with them. He had developed this skill by interacting with English sailors who fished along the coast. The local Wampanoag people who were led by a leader named Massasoit, came to the aid of the pilgrims. Living amongst them was Tisquantum, a Pawtuxet American Indian. The Pilgrims called him Squanto. He had been sold into slavery in Spain.
Upon escaping, he had traveled to England and spent years living there before returning to his home in North America. The settlers received assistance from him, as he shared farming technologies of the Wampanoag with them. He showed them how to fish and plant crops such as squash, beans, and corn. In the autumn of 1621 the Pilgrims gathered for their first harvest celebration. The 53 English colonists were joined by 90 Wampanoag men. It was a three day event that included feasting. This became known as the "First Thanksgiving".
Unfortunately, in Holland, many Separatists began to worry that their children were taking on too much of the Dutch culture. The decision was made by the group to travel to North America to establish a settlement. The original choice for a settlement was in the area of Virginia, so in 1620 the Separatists petitioned the Virginia Company for a charter to build a colony.
By mid-summer of 1620, a group of settlers, of both Separatists and those looking for new opportunities in the "new world", planned to set sail with supplies and two ships, The Speedwell and The Mayflower. The Speedwell began to leak and turned back, so all of the people and supplies were moved to the remaining ship, the Mayflower, and in September of 1620, it set sail.
The voyage was long, cramped, and difficult. Their plans were changed when a storm blew them north and off course. Land was sighted in November of 1620, in an area that today is in Massachusetts. Because of the time of year, they made a decision to remain in this area instead of continuing south to find the land in Virginia. Before the colonists were allowed to leave the ship, they created and signed an agreement, or compact. This document, known as the Mayflower Compact, was meant to prevent disagreements between the Separatists and the outsiders who had traveled with them.
It has been used as a model document for free people to live together as a community without a supreme leader, such as a king. That was a new idea that would grow throughout the establishment of colonies in North America.
A small group stepped foot on land and began searching for a spot to establish their new colony. The Pilgrims first landed in Cape Cod and scouted around. They found deposits of corn seed and took them. They also took some items from Native graves sites. They left when shot by local Wampanoag. When they landed in the area later known as Plymouth it was abandoned because it had been the former site of a Wampanoag village known as Patuxet. The members of this village had been wiped out by a disease brought by Europeans. That is why the area appeared abandoned.
With only the supplies they had brought, and no other settlers in the area, the Plymouth colony suffered many hardships and illnesses that first winter. When spring arrived, about half of the settlers had died.
Spring brought hope to the colony. The first event that offered them hope was the arrival of Samoset, an Abenaki American Indian, who spoke English and could communicate with them. He had developed this skill by interacting with English sailors who fished along the coast. The local Wampanoag people who were led by a leader named Massasoit, came to the aid of the pilgrims. Living amongst them was Tisquantum, a Pawtuxet American Indian. The Pilgrims called him Squanto. He had been sold into slavery in Spain.
Upon escaping, he had traveled to England and spent years living there before returning to his home in North America. The settlers received assistance from him, as he shared farming technologies of the Wampanoag with them. He showed them how to fish and plant crops such as squash, beans, and corn. In the autumn of 1621 the Pilgrims gathered for their first harvest celebration. The 53 English colonists were joined by 90 Wampanoag men. It was a three day event that included feasting. This became known as the "First Thanksgiving".