Thanksgiving myths from invented tradition
By the Jacobs Library Committee
The Thanksgiving holiday has many myths associated with it because Thanksgiving is an invented tradition. It is part New England puritan, which makes it a religious Thanksgiving, and part New England harvest celebration.
Here are some interesting myths:
Myth #1 – The Mayflower landed at Cape Cod instead of Virginia because of a navigational error.
Fact – The Pilgrims intended to land in "Northern Virginia," but not what is considered Virginia today. On today’s maps that would be in the area of southern New York State.
Myth #2 – The land for the first Plymouth Colony was stolen from the Indians.
Fact – The Pilgrims landed in an area that was uninhabited. The Patuxet Indian Tribe who lived there had been wiped out by a smallpox plague in 1618. The only survivor of the plague was "Squanto" who became an interpreter and negotiator for Plymouth Colony.
Myth #3 – Turkey, mashed potatoes, vegetables and pumpkin pie were the main foods eaten at the first Thanksgiving.
Fact – The main meats would have been venison (deer meat) and wild fowl. There would not have been many vegetable dishes because vegetables would not have been available at that time of the year. They could not have had pies or anything sweet because they did not bring a large of supply of sugar with them and they did not have any ovens.
Myth #4 – Pilgrims wore black and white outfits with big buckles on them.
Fact – Although black, white, gray and brown were the most common colors, the Pilgrims also wore earthy colors such as blues, reds and greens. The Pilgrims did not wear buckles on their shoes, hats or clothing because buckles were not in fashion until the late 1600’s.
Myth #5 – The pilgrims celebrated Thanksgiving every year on the fourth Thursday of November.
Fact – The first feast, which occurred sometime between September 21 and November 11, 1621, was not repeated. The event was based on English harvest festivals, which usually occurred around the end of September. President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863. In 1939 President Franklin D. Roosevelt set the fourth Thursday in November as the official date. It was approved by Congress in 1941.
We hope everyone has an enjoyable holiday. When you return to school visit Jacobs Library for more fun and interesting Thanksgiving facts.