"Fact and Fiction About the Origins of Thanksgiving" Topic

"Among the origin stories of the United States, few are more mythologized than the Columbus discovery story and the Thanksgiving story. The Thanksgiving story as we know it today is a fanciful tale shrouded by myth and omissions of important facts.

When the Mayflower Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock on December 16, 1620, they were well-armed with information about the region, thanks to the mapping and knowledge of their predecessors like Samuel de Champlain. He and untold numbers of other Europeans who had by then been journeying to the continent for well over 100 years already had well-established European enclaves along the eastern seaboard (Jamestown, Virginia, was already 14 years old and the Spanish had settled in Florida in the mid-1500s), so the Pilgrims were far from the first Europeans to set up a community in the new land. During that century the exposure to European diseases had resulted in pandemics of illness among Indigenous peoples from Florida to New England that decimated Indigenous populations (aided as well by the trade of enslaved Indigenous peoples) by 75% and in many cases more—a fact well known and exploited by the Pilgrims…"
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Armand

James Loewen – Even the Washington Post questioned his credibility.

That article is weak. I'm no expert on the subject material, although have some knowledge of some of the items pointed out. However, when an author has the comment at the bottom where it says, "Cite this article", but hasn't even cited crud in a brief writing that is all over the place, I'm not impressed. It seems like a lazily written piece thrown together quickly for a deadline. That doesn't bring credibility to the original internet site where this has been posted either.

Hmmm… so Europeans were more evil when the came to North America but were kind and gentle in South America, Central America, Asia and Australia. Something about the air? The Water? The new crops? Corn and Tobacco maybe? Where were the warning labels when they were really needed? They were stupid too. Could not figure out how to plant or hunt. Or was it just the Puritans and English? Probably became addicted to tobacco along with all that booze they drank and just set around waiting for God to provide. The poor first explorers, (Indians), were living in harmony with nature and of course, each other. War and torture was non existent. All items were shared between tribes. The animals willingly sacrificed their lives for the betterment of all. It was a Star Trek Utopia. Your right, our history books have left so much out. I feel so dirty now and guilt is just overwhelming me as I type. How can I live with the evil of my ancestors? Oh wait! Rage and guilt about my ancestors subsiding.. I am feeling better. Think I will go eat lunch and watch a football game. 😉

+1 35thOVI

Glup!

Armand

I don't see much that is radical or groundbreaking here, and only see a few questionable facts. That the "First Thanksgiving" is mythologized is something that reputable historians a generation ago would have agreed with. The author's fault is more in who she is relying upon.

Thanks.

Armand

I won't pass judgement on the article since I am not familiar with the 'myths' about Thanksgiving currently in vogue in the US. I will add only (for what it's worth) that days of thanksgiving were common in the puritan calendar for generations before the 'Mayflower' set sail. One was observed after the defeat of the 1588 Armada,for instance, though usually a 'fast day' preceded it by a significant length of time. On the 'fast day' God's help was sought, on 'thanksgiving'… well, you know the rest. November 5th (Guy Fawkes) was another deliverance observed as 'thanksgiving' for a couple of centuries after… Nowadays, its just brats with burgers and sparklers. Needless to say, if you peruse the Journal of the House of Commons during the ECW, fast days and thanksgivings are common, in 1643, at least monthly (the JHC is free at British History Online, btw).

Thanks also…

Armand