The Pilgrims who sailed tothis country aboard the Mayflower were originally members of the EnglishSeparatist Church (a Puritan sect)。 They had earlier fled their home in England and sailed to Holland (The Netherlands) to escape religiouspersecution. There, they enjoyed more religious tolerance, but they eventuallybecame disenchanted with the Dutch way of life, thinking it ungodly. Seeking abetter life, the Separatists negotiated with a London stock company to financea pilgrimage to America. Most of those making the trip aboard the Mayflowerwere non-Separatists, but were hired to protect the company's interests. Onlyabout one-third of the original colonists were Separatists.
The Pilgrims set ground at Plymouth Rock onDecember 11, 1620. Their first winter was devastating. At the beginning of the following fall, they had lost 46 of the original 102 who sailed on theMayflower. But the harvest of 1621 was a bountiful one. And the remainingcolonists decided to celebrate with a feast ——including 91 Indians who had helped the Pilgrims survive their first year. Itis believed that the Pilgrims would not have made it through the year withoutthe help of the natives. The feast was more of a traditional English harvestfestival than a true “thanksgiving” observance. It lasted three days.
Governor William Bradford sent “four men fowling” after wild ducks andgeese. It is not certain that wild turkey was part of their feast. However, itis certain that they had venison. The term “turkey” was used by the Pilgrims to mean any sort of wild fowl.
Another modern staple at almost every Thanksgivingtable is pumpkin pie. But it is unlikely that the first feast included thattreat. The supply of flour had been long diminished, so there was no bread orpastries of any kind. However, they did eat boiled pumpkin, and they produced atype of fried bread from their corn crop. There was also no milk, cider,potatoes, or butter. There was no domestic cattle for dairy products, and thenewly-discovered potato was still considered by many Europeans to be poisonous.But the feast did include fish, berries, watercress, lobster, dried fruit,clams, venison, and plums.
This “thanksgiving” feast was not repeated the following year. But in 1623, during asevere drought, the pilgrims gathered in a prayer service, praying for rain.When a long, steady rain followed the very next day, Governor Bradfordproclaimed another day of Thanksgiving, again inviting their Indian friends. Itwasn't until June of 1676 that another Day of Thanksgiving was proclaimed.
On June 20, 1676, the governing council of Charlestown, Massachusetts, held a meeting to determine how best to express thanks for the good fortune that had seen their community securely established.By unanimous vote they instructed Edward Rawson, the clerk, to proclaim June 29as a day of thanksgiving. It is notable that this thanksgiving celebrationprobably did not include the Indians, as the celebration was meant partly to bein recognition of the colonists' recent victory over the “heathen natives,”
thanksgiving day is the most truly american of the national holidays in the united states and is most closely connected with the earliest history of the country.
感恩节是美国法定假日中最地道、最美国式的节日,它和早期美国历史最为密切相关。
family reunion and feasting??family feast is an important tradition during thanksgiving. the entire family sits at the table during dinner and offer prayer to the lord almighty for his continuous grace. it is also a time for relatives living in different places to come together and celebrate.
tradition of turkey??the traditional stuffed turkey adorns every dinner table during the feast. pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, corns are some of the dishes cooked everywhere to mark the day. though historians don’t have an evidence to prove that turkey was eaten during the first thanksgiving dinner, the thanksgiving celebration will be incomplete without it.
parades??the traditional thanksgiving parade probably started with president lincoln proclaiming it an official day. the full- dress parade is a way to display the country’s military strength and discipline. the main aim of such parades is to lift the spirits of the spectators, provide them with wholesome entertainment. in the present day, parades are accompanied with musical shows and celebrities.
football games??watching nfl football during thanksgiving is a popular tradition. the traditional game between the detroit lions and the green bay packers continues. one of the most memorable games having been played on this day.