A Short History of Thanksgiving: From Pilgrim Myth to Modern Celebration

This class is taught in English.

I originally developed this one-time class on the history of Thanksgiving for my local secular homeschoolers co-op. I have taught this class to first graders and preschoolers. I am a secular homeschooling mom. All curriculum that I use and materials that I develop are exclusively secular.

55 minutes per week in class, and maybe some time outside of class.

I will present the only known account of the mythical "first Thanksgiving," which is found in a single-paragraph in a letter dated December 12, 1621 written by Edward Winslow:

"Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together after we had gathered the fruits of our labors. They four in one day killed as much fowl as, with a little help beside, served the company almost a week, at which time, amongst other recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and amongst the rest their great king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought to the plantation and bestowed on our governor, and upon the captain and others. And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty."

(http://mayflowerhistory.com/letter-winslow-1621)