What did the Pilgrims have to be Thankful for
Although the Pilgrims’ life was difficult and they endured hardships they had plenty to be thankful for. The group known as Pilgrims that settled in Plymouth sought a better life, and through their determination their dream materialized. They celebrated hope, a plentiful harvest, friends and God.
Who Were the Pilgrims?
The pilgrims were largely a group of Separatists that were seeking freedom from religious persecution. They wanted to get away from the English laws that prohibited them from worshipping the way they wanted. They went to live in Holland, where there was religious freedom. After difficulty in Holland and having the desire to preserve their English customs, they sought a new life in America. They sailed for two months in cold, cramped conditions. They arrived in the New World — a world where they would start from scratch. They needed buildings and they needed to plant crops in order to have food. They spent their first winter on board their ship, the Mayflower, because their homes were not ready. They endured sickness, lack of food, and poor living conditions. It was very harsh, with half of their group dying during this first winter.
Faith
Although not everyone in this group left Europe for religious reasons, the community was deeply rooted in faith in God. The Bible teaches, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (I Thessalonians 5:18 King James Version) This faith and spirit of thanksgiving was important to their celebration.
William Bradford, in his journalOf Plymouth Plantation, said this about the time,
“And thus they found the Lord to be with them in all their ways, and to blesse their outgoings and incommings, for which let his holy name have the praise for ever, to all posteritie. They begane now to gather in the small harvest they had, and to fitte up their houses and dwellings against winter, being all well recovered in health and strenght, and had all things in good plenty; for as some were thus imployed in affairs abroad, others were excersised in fishing, aboute codd, and bass, and other fish, of which they tooke good store, of which every family had their portion. All the sommer ther was no wante.”
Native American Friends
The early settlers at Plymouth were befriended by the Native Americans, notably Squanto and Samoset, who taught them to hunt and how to grow vegetables. As a result they had food. They celebrated having enough food to get them through the upcoming winter, unlike the previous when they had little.
It had long been a tradition to hold harvest festivals. They celebrated their Thanksgiving harvest festival with the Native Americans, who also had a tradition of harvest celebrations or ceremonies to give thanks.
The Pilgrims adopted a new land, where they had many things to be thankful for. They were thankful that they had made it this far, after being though so much. They put forth hard work, endured loved ones dying, and found freedom. Their courage and sacrifice gave way to hope.
