History

= = =The History of Thanksgiving =

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====Thanksgiving is a popular holiday in the United States and Canada that occurs every November. The holiday marks the first harvest feast of the original Pilgrims who landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in the year 1621.====

__**Click below to watch a History Channel video about the holiday:**__
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====The English colonists, who we now refer to as the Pilgrims, traveled thousands of miles from Plymouth, England, to America in search of religious tolerance. The voyage took place in 1620 when 102 passengers boarded the //Mayflower//. Once they arrived, the Pilgrims faced many struggles against the terrain, the Native Americans, disease, and the elements. Fortunately, with the help of the Wampanoag, a native people of the area, the Pilgrims were able to celebrate their first successful harvest season. At this time, there were only 53 surviving Pilgrims who participated at the First Thanksgiving.====

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__**What foods were served at the First Thanksgiving?**__
====Unfortunately, there are no historical records that indicate what foods were on the menu; however, it is documented that Governor William Bradford and four other men hunted fowl and the Wampanoag guests brought five deer. Corn was also a staple of the feast as it was the corn harvest celebration. Most likely, cakes, pies, and other desserts that are now associated with the holiday were not served at the First Thanksgiving.====

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 * __References:__**

The First Thanksgiving (2005). //Pilgrim Hall Museum//. Retrieved November 5, 2011, from @http://www.pilgrimhall.org/f_thanks.htm.

The First Thanksgiving: Voyage on the Mayflower. (n.d.). //Scholastic//. Retrieved November 11, 2011, from []

Thanksgiving. //The History Channel.// Retrieved November 11, 2011, from @http://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving