The First Thanksgiving Wa

Abbi Heafner
15 September 2020
His 131-711
The First Thanksgiving has always been a classic story that is widely accepted in
America. The classic story consists of the Pilgrims wanting more religious and political
freedoms, so they set sail on the Mayflower for the New World where they had could have
freedom. Upon arrival they met Indians who taught them how to hunt and fish, and they later had
a grand feast with them. The story of the first Thanksgiving is taught in schools and is told to
children in America every year around the holiday. The most common myths surrounding the
Pilgrims include their great feast, their clothing, and the claim that this was the first
Thanksgiving Feast.
The myth of the first Thanksgiving has been around forever. The myth consists of the
story that the pilgrims rode over on the Mayflower and then had a grand feast that consisted of
turkey as a main entrée and pie as desert (Bugos). This however is not true because the Pilgrims
lacked an oven and ingredients for a pie (Bugos). The meal is thought to have consisted of 5 deer
and some crops. There are also many myths surrounding the meeting of the Indians. In the
traditional story, the Pilgrims meet the Indians for the first time when they landed in Plymouth.
However, this is not historically accurate the Pilgrims had met the Indians many years before,
but the results were a bloodbath.
Although there are many myths surrounding the first Thanksgiving, there are still many
true parts to the story. The Pilgrims still came to America on the Mayflower in hopes of landing
in Virginia and instead landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts (History.com). They sailed to

America not only to have religious freedoms, but also to make money (Salam). Another part of
the story that has been proven historically accurate is that the Pilgrims were taught how to
stealthily hunt by the Indians (Bugos). They used these new skills to get meat for their main
course of the feast (Bugos).
The next popular myth is based off their clothing, contrary to popular belief the pilgrims
did not wear black and white outfits with buckled shoes (History.com). The attire of the pilgrims
is what made them totally different and stand out from any other historical group. When
celebrating Thanksgiving we see kids wearing the traditional white and black outfit and acting
like they are pilgrims. While this is fun idea and has been what is taught in school it is not one
hundred percent accurate. The attire of the pilgrims was more neutral (History.com). Women
wore red, purple, and more earthy tones, but men wore primarily earthy tones (History.com).
The biggest myth is the claim that they held the first Thanksgiving. The pilgrims did not
actually hold the first Thanksgiving, the celebration of a successful harvest had been a tradition
of the Native Americans and Europeans for many years (Salam). It also was not a celebration of
family as it is now, but a celebration of a good harvest (Doyle). It was also said that they
continued the tradition every year until present day, but the feast was not a repeated event
(History.com). The grand feast did not even get its name until 1830 when New Englanders found
that it resembled their Holiday (Salam). Even though we celebrate Thanksgiving of the fourth
Thursday in November, the feast actually took place between September and the beginning of
November (Strauss). Thanksgiving did not officially become a holiday until 1863, where it was
declared to be the fourth Tuesday of November (Strauss). Until 1939 when Roosevelt changed it
to the fourth Thursday in November (Strauss).

The Thanksgiving story is not as much of a fairytale, happy ending like it is often
perceived to be. The story involves not so friendly encounters with Indians, and a not very grand
feast. There is also no evidence that the Indians were invited to the celebration (Doyle). After
looking into the history of the story, it appears that the Indians and Pilgrims had cut all ties after
the feast. There are way too many myths that surround the Pilgrims and the First Thanksgiving,
but the most common ones that are discussed are their great feast, their clothing, and the claim
that this was the first Thanksgiving Feast.

Works Cited
Bugos, Claire. “The Myths of the Thanksgiving Story and the Lasting Damage They Imbue.”
Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 26 Nov. 2019,
www.smithsonianmag.com/history/thanksgiving-myth-and-what-we-should-be-teaching-
kids-180973655/.
Doyle, Mika. “9 Myths About Thanksgiving & The Real Facts Behind Them.” Bustle, Bustle, 14
Nov. 2018, www.bustle.com/p/9-myths-about-thanksgiving-the-real-facts-behind-them-
13123858.
History.com Editors. “Mayflower Myths.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 27 Oct.
2009, www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving/mayflower-myths.
Salam, Maya. Everything You Learned About Thanksgiving Is Wrong. 21 Nov. 2017,
www.nytimes.com/2017/11/21/us/thanksgiving-myths-fact-check.html.
Strauss, Valerie. 5 Myths about Thanksgiving. 23 Nov. 2011,
www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/5-myths-about-
thanksgiving/2011/11/22/gIQA3UffmN_blog.html.

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Abbi Heafner

but the results were a bloodbath.

in Virginia and instead landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts (History.com). They sailed to

course of the feast (Bugos).

to the fourth Thursday in November (Strauss).

that this was the first Thanksgiving Feast.

Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 26 Nov. 2019,

Nov. 2018, www.bustle.com/p/9-myths-about-thanksgiving-the-real-facts-behind-them-

History.com Editors. “Mayflower Myths.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 27 Oct.

Strauss, Valerie. 5 Myths about Thanksgiving. 23 Nov. 2011,

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