by Diane Walsh

Created on: October 25, 2009

Thanksgiving was an ancient and universal custom dating back to the Greeks and Romans. The Greeks honored Demeter, the goddess of agriculture. The Romans honored Ceres, the goddess of corn. Did these early celebrations lead to today's thanksgiving?

The Pilgrims left England in search of religious freedom. They suffered a four month long ocean voyage. They settled in what is now, Plymouth, Massachusetts. The first winter was extreme difficult. There was not enough food, not enough shelter and severe winter weather. Many died from the plague, scurvy and pneumonia.

The Indian tribe, Wampanoag, were also encountering the same problems. The weather made it almost impossible to hunt or fish. Food supplies were dwindling. The same plague that killed many Pilgrims killed over 100 Indians.

Captain Miles Standish had been the leader of the Pilgrims. He made friends with Squanto, an English speaking Pawtuxet Indian. Squanto taught then Pilgrims to build homes and how to plant and cultivate crops. The corn and the barley fields produced an abundance supply in the first year.

In the fall of 1621, newly elected governor, William Bradford proclaimed a feast of thanksgiving. The Pilgrims had crops and food and they were alive. They had much to be thankful for, thanks to the help from their new Indian friends. Governor Bradford invited Massasoit, the chief of the Wampanoaq tribe to celebrate.

The Pilgrims number 56 and the Indians numbered 91. The feast lasted three days. The work was all done by four Pilgrim woman and two teenage girls. Thirteen women had died the previous winter. The Pilgrims and the Indians honored themselves, for surviving.

The food present at feast in 1621 consisted of: duck, goose, lobster, clams, bass, corn, dried fruits, and leeks. The Indians brought deer, (venison) squash, fish, beans, corn bread, corn soup and berries. There was no turkey as know it today and no pumpkin pie. The men went hunting for 'fowl.' There is no proof the bird they caught was a turkey. It was more likely a goose or duck. They had no apple cider, no milk, butter, or cheese. These items were not brought over on the Mayflower.

The celebration did have pumpkin, but it was boiled and served as a vegetable. They had ersatz bread. That was boiled corn, which was then kneaded into round cakes and fried in venison fat. Wild cranberries were boiled and mashed into a sauce that was then served over the meal's meat.

Legend has it that the Pilgrims ate popcorn at the first thanksgiving dinner. Massasoit's brother, Quadequina, supposedly had several deerskin bags of corn already popped. The popcorn was his contribution to the celebration in 1621.

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