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As I started to write this I did some searching for all the stories about Thanksgiving. What I found was the simple version that you are taught in school. That the Pilgrims were clueless and the Indians came to save the day by teaching the clueless Pilgrims how to grow food and hunt. So they made a feast to thank the Indians. Simple and missing a lot of important details. I remember in Elementary school that we used to have certain classes dress like Indians and certain classes dress like the pilgrims. And we would make gifts and exchange them. This might be a real nice story but it is not why we celebrate Thanksgiving. The other version you can find is that it was really a day to celebrate our slaughtering of Indians. This of course comes from the “I hate America because it is evil” crowd. We even have quite a few of those in government today. You know the ones who say “America is a bad country”, and we’re just “downright mean.” But what is the real story and what should we be teaching our kids? What does the history of Thanksgiving show us about America’s success?

The Pilgrims

Most people know what the Mayflower was. The boat that carried the pilgrims over here right? Yes, but who were the people on that boat and what happened when they got here? A group of pilgrims led by William Bradford, set sail for what is now America. From August 1st, 1620 – November 11th, 1620 they traveled across the Atlantic. They were leaving the oppression of King James I. They dreamed of starting a place of freedom. Where anyone could prosper without fear of the government. Freedom to worship God without government intervention. They journeyed to the “New World”. They arrived in what is now New England to a cold desolate place as Bradford writes in his journal. Many starved to death or died of illness as they tried to survive in this new place. They risked everything to come over here and start this great country! Not only did they need to survive day to day but they also needed to set up a way of life.

As you can read in Bradford’s journal, who was made governor of this colony. Their first attempt to manage the colony was a “share” system. Everyone one worked to give everything to a common store. Everything you owned including property and house belonged to the community. When you needed something you just went to the store and got it. This was our first attempt at Socialism. As detailed in Bradford’s journal, this was a failure. There were some who were working hard to provide for the community and  some who were just taking and not doing their part. This made those who worked get discouraged and the supplies dropped, they lived in famine. This is what Bradford wrote:

“The experience that was had in this common course and condition, tried sundry years … that by taking away property, and bringing community into a common wealth, would make them happy and flourishing – as if they were wiser than God,… For this community (so far as it was) was found to breed much confusion and discontent, and retard much employment that would have been to their benefit and comfort. For young men that were most able and fit for labor and service did repine that they should spend their time and strength to work for other men’s wives and children with out any recompense … that was thought and injustice.”

The bottom line here is that those who were capable of working were not doing so because they did not like the idea that their work went to someone else who refused to work. Not only does this hurt those who are working but the production of the entire community is hurt because there is not as much work being done as there could be. When people work hard not only do they gain reward but as a country we all gain. More food is produced, buildings go up faster etc… . Bradford saw this failure for what it was. He had 2 choices, keep trying it with more government involvement, or try something else.

The new plan that Bradford came up with was to give each person a plot of land to do with as they wish. They could farm, hunt, or whatever they could do. But there was no more community store, you had to work to feed yourself or have a trade that would earn you food. If you couldn’t farm, maybe you could make farm tools to trade for food. You determined how much you worked and how much you earned. This was an amazing success Bradford writes:

“for it made all hands industrious, so as much more corn was planted than otherwise would have been.”

It now made more sense to plant more corn because you got to keep it! And what was left over was sold to gain other goods. We call this Capitalism! It saved the first colony that was headed for disaster. It triggered an enormous growth! So much that they made trade posts to trade the surplus to the Indians for other goods. Reports of this success are what brought more pilgrims so they could prosper as well! It was only after this did they have a feast to celebrate their success. This was a celebration of private property and the freedom to work hard and keep your earnings! The success of Capitalism and the prosperity it brought.

This was not an isolated event. Other colonies tried the same thing and failed, when they changed to free enterprise and capitalism they prospered! In Jamestown it is reported that with every boat that brought new settlers only about half would survive. These colonies were living in famine for years before abandoning socialism. It was only when free market was brought in that they had reason to celebrate. Many of the colonies would celebrate this success with a feast.

A Day of Thanksgiving

Although these feasts were happening throughout the colonies from time to time it was not considered to be a national celebration. 1776 was the first time all of the colonies had a Thanksgiving celebration. Then in 1789 George Washington proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving. But, this day was not made a yearly holiday until 1862 starting with President Lincoln, every president since has proclaimed it a National holiday. In these proclamations thanks was given for different things. Under Lincoln the thanks were given for victories in the war. Later the thanks became more for the general prosperity of America. The actual day for the holiday changed a few times, from the last Thursday of November to the 3rd and finally in 1941 made the 4th Thursday of the month.

Thanks to who?

The most important thing to note is that all of the proclamations were thanks given to God! Not to the Indians, not to Socialism, to God. It is important to note that a woman named Sara Josepha Hale had much to do with this day becoming a holiday. In 1852 she wrote:

“Thanksgiving Day is the national pledge of Christian faith in God, acknowledging him as the dispenser of blessings.”

In 1854 she wrote:

“… the hymn of thanksgiving should be simultaneously raised, as the pledge of brotherhood in the enjoyment of God’s blessings during the year.”

God has always been the reason for Thanksgiving, His blessings. This has slowly eroded away as the years go by. We now have new stories of Thanksgiving and how it was thanking the Indians, who saved us. We speak less of thanking God and more of just thanking whatever makes us feel good. Just read the proclamations of Thanksgiving by the Presidents here. You will notice that God is mentioned less and less each year. George Washington’s 1789 proclamation had 14 references to God. George Bush’s 2007 proclamation had 4.

So this Thanksgiving when you sit down with your family, make sure you know why we celebrate it and who we thank. Take the time to teach your kids the history of this great nation and how we prospered by working hard.

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