What is the story we usually hear?
Indians saved Pilgrims and they had a party to thank
Indians
Liberals
say the common story is a lie, it was very different
Conservatives
say the common story is a lie, it was very different
It all
comes down to interpretation of VERY LIMITED facts
What is the real story?
First
thanksgiving: 1541—Francisco Coronado upon finding food and H2O in FL
First
English thanksgiving: 1607 at English Fort on river in Maine before
abandoned it
First annual thanksgiving: Berkeley Plantation in
VA, Dec 4 1619, as day to THANK GOD for safe travel to New Land (lasted 3
years, colony then gone)
Puritans had more than one thanksgiving—and probably just
Puritans, not “Pilgrims”, at most just “pilgrims” as in those traveling on a
journey aka book of Hebrews, this life is a journey
*
Arrived around Nov 21st 1620 at where
would eventually settle
*
Not off ship totally until February 1621, by
March 1621 only 47 of 102 lived
*
Scavenged stored beans and corn from Indians—seed
corn (would have died w/o)
o
Not saved by Indians when first landed,
scavenged from wiped out settlement, and buried items
o
Repaid in full those who they could, later when
they could
o
These scavenged supplies were what they planted
and thanked God for in 1621
*
Not saved by Indians
o
Squanto, former slave recently returned to US,
helped with his knowledge of area especially fertilizer of herrings and N
American vegetables
o
Massasoit (of Wampanoag Tribe) sort of friend
o
But not saving Puritans, Puritans not the only
Europeans around
*
Harvest of scavenged seed in September 1621 was
so great, gave thanks, invited friends
o
Friend Massasoit brought family of almost 90
people including Squanto
o
Massasoit most likely had Squanto killed,
believed Squanto “betrayed” them to English
o
This celebration was inviting them to party with
them as a result of Puritan’s great harvest, not Indians giving food to
Puritans so they survive.
o
Could already hunt, fish, and build shelters all
on their own—many other foods available, eels, lobster, mussels, many fruits
and herbs.
o
Majority of what Indians gave them was in BARTER
not gifts
*
“thanksgiving” not mentioned formally until
1623—before was feast to celebrate like always did back home, just not formal
day/declaration
o
This was thanks for capitalism and end of
socialism in their midst
*
June 1676—after defeating Wampanoag who broke
treaty first, King Phillips War (King Phillip of Wampanoag aka Metacomet,
Massasoit’s 2nd son) , another thanksgiving (treaty provided for
justice to be served by whoever was wronged, Native or English, and English
punished Indian murderer with Indians on jury, Indians start skirmishes that
grew to war).
Purpose
of “thanksgiving”—a special service of thankfulness to God
NOT THANKFULNESS TO INDIANS, BUT THANKS TO GOD
Our holiday
*
annually proclaimed by some Presidents as last
Thursday
*
initially by Washington to celebrate over
winning Revolutionary War
*
not until Lincoln in 1863 was made annual on
last Thursday—heal from civil war
*
Each year still had to be declared national
holiday
*
1939 FDR made it 4th of 5 weeks, to
make holiday shopping longer
*
1940-41 3rd week to include longer
shopping again
*
1942 onward—Congress made permanent 4th
week, whether last or 2nd to last date
*
Every year, less about giving thanks and more
about everything else
o
What else do we “celebrate”
§
Football
§
Overeating
§
Parades
o
Do I enjoy these, yes, are these the REASON? NO!
Why does it matter?
Politicians
co-opted for political reasons—unity, shopping, votes
Historians slant for political reasons—not God but “Native
Americans”, not thanks to God but friendship, etc.….
Christians
should affirm truth for religious reasons
Puritans
were largely self-sufficient (including supply shipments)
Indians
were helpful neighbors but not “saviors”
God
provided, not Indians provided
What
does this mean for us?—think about it
Tonight—practicing
the art of thankfulness
3
things you are thankful for
3
people you need to tell thank you
3
things you should thank God for
No comments:
Post a Comment