Page 33 - All About History - Issue 16-14

Bluffer’s Guide
THE FIRST AMERICAN PILGRIMS

Many inaccurate depictions Key fi gures
of the first Thanksgiving have
created common misconceptions
John Carver
1576-1621
A Leiden separatist who helped
organise the Mayflower’s
voyage and served as the first
governor of the colony.
Massasoit
The document proclaimed the signers 1581-1661
to be loyal subjects of King James
The leader of the Wampanoag
The birth of American democracy tribe who formed political ties
with the settlers and prevented
In order to maintain control, the colonists decided to the failure of the colony.
establish a government. This led to the birth of the Christopher Jones
1570-1622
Mayflower Compact, in which the 41 signers agreed to The captain of the Mayflower,
Jones sailed the ship through
pass ‘just and equal laws.’ Although it was a far cry from gales to finally reach Plymouth.
the Declaration of Independence, it was the first time the Squanto
idea of self-government was expressed in the New World. 1585-1622
A Native American who assisted
the first pilgrims, ensuring their
The fi rst Thanksgiving A brutal winter survival. Squanto also served as
a guide and translator.
What is now thought of as the first Thanksgiving occurred The first winter proved disastrous for the pilgrims. They
in 1621 when the settlers held a feast with the local struggled to build suitable shelter in time and suffered Myles Standish
Native Americans after the harvest. However, this wasn’t from a host of diseases such as scurvy. Out of the 102 1584-1656
The military leader of the
regarded as a Thanksgiving at the time, and the first true immigrants who landed, 45 died in the first winter and Plymouth colony, Standish
Thanksgiving took place in 1623 when the celebration was were buried on Cole’s Hill. As a result, only seven homes organised the defensive layout
ordered by a civil authority. were built, rather than the planned 19. of the settlement.

Native help Major events

The pilgrims were helped The Mayflower sails
greatly in their survival by 16 September 1620
The Mayflower departs from
local Native Americans. Plymouth, England carrying
102 passengers bound for the
A Native American shores of America.
arranged a meeting with The start of American
the leader of the region – democracy
11 November 1620
Massasoit. After a peace The Mayflower Compact is signed
by 41 passengers, agreeing the
agreement was reached, colony will be governed by “just
Massasoit and his people and equal laws.”
aided the settlers, teaching Venturing forth
16 December 1620
them how to grow maize and Mayflower lands at Plymouth
Plymouth Rock in modern-day The half century of peace enjoyed under Harbour. They spend three days
Massachusetts is regarded serving as translators. Massasoit collapsed after his death looking for a suitable settlement
as the traditional site of site and decide on Patuxet.
disembarkation of the pilgrims
Making peace with
Growth of a colony Pilgrims in Holland the locals
22 March 1621
As time went on, more and more settlers Some of the leaders of the pilgrims were Massasoit and the pilgrims
travelled to Plymouth to start new lives. based in Holland, where they had moved exchange gifts and establish a
One year after the first pilgrims arrived, to from England to experience religious formal treaty of peace.
a ship called The Fortune carried 37 new freedom. However, they struggled to make a First Thanksgiving
settlers. This was followed by the Anne living, worried they were losing their English October 1921
and Little James with 96 more. By the identities and also that their religious The Pilgrims and Massasoit
time of the colony’s dissolution in 1691, it freedom would not last. They decided to celebrate with a feast for three
was home to an estimated 7,000 residents. leave for the New World. days after their first harvest.
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