Thanksgiving History

Do you know when the first Thanksgiving was celebrated? Here are some of the details of the first Thanksgiving.

In November 1621, after the Pilgrims’ first corn harvest was a success, Governor Bradford held a celebratory feast with the colony’s Native American allies, including the Wampanoag chief Massasoit.

This is known as American’s “first Thanksgiving.” The festival lasted for three days. There isn’t a record of the banquet’s menu, but  the Pilgrim chronicler Edward Winslow documented in his journal that Governor Bradford sent four men out for food in preparation for the event. The Wampanoag guests came to the event bearing five deer.

Historians believe the Thanksgiving meal was prepared using traditional Native American spices and cooking methods.

Because the Pilgrims didn’t have an oven and the Mayflower’s sugar supply had dwindled by the fall of 1621, traditional desserts, such as pies and cakes were not prepared as are traditionally done today.