Words to Study: fisherman, warriors, goodies, preserve, captured, robes, difficulties, fertilize, crest, harvest, soil, pact, feast, collection
The Pilgrims were very happy when they saw a redskinned Indian who came and welcomed them in English. They had seen several Indians working in the woods, but they had not noticed that they could speak in English.
The Indian’s name was Samoset. He came from Maine (point to Maine on the map), where he had learned to speak a little English from the fishermen who came to this part of the coast.
Samoset brought another friend who spoke English very well. His name was Squanto. This Indian had been captured by some white men years ago and had been sold as a slave in England. Later he had been allowed to come back to his land.
Squanto liked the white men, and the Pilgrims liked him. They asked him to move in with them. They were very happy. This Indian helped the Pilgrims on the farm, teaching them how to fertilize the soil with fish before planting the corn. Thanks to him, they had much more food to eat during the winter than before.
Sometime later another Indian came to Plymouth where the Pilgrims lived. His name was Massooit. He was accompanied by 50 warriors; they wore robes of beaver, deer, and other wild animals. Massooit had a crest of turkey feathers on his head. When Captain Miles Standish saw the warriors, he was worried that the white men would have problems with them, but Massooit said not. They were good Indians. The white men and the Indians formed a pact and were very good friends for many years.
But there was a problem: these Indians ate too much, and the Pilgrims did not have enough food for themselves. At this time the Pilgrims were not familiar with all the foods form the sea. (Here the teacher will recall to the students all the food that the Indians ate from the sea and the wilderness.)
These Indians taught the Pilgrims how to hunt and fish, how to grind the corn, and how to cook the beans. The Pilgrims also tasted maple syrup. The Indians also taught the white men how to grow pumpkins and squash and how to prepare the food. The Pilgrims also learned how to preserve the deer meat and the fish, so the meat would not spoil.
The first Thanksgiving was after the Pilgrims learned all these things about farming and preparing food. The leader of the group had the idea of having a harvest feast. He decided to celebrate the feast in October after the collection of the fruits. At this time of the year they had good corn. Many men went into the woods to hunt wild turkeys. They brought enough turkeys to last for several weeks. They invited Massooit, who had taught them all these good things, and his friends, the warriors. The Indians brought some Indian food, and together they had a great feast.
We celebrate our Thanksgiving in November. We add to this dinner other goodies, such as: cranberry sauce, apple sauce, ice cream, etc.
Questions for Discussion:
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1.
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Name some of the things that the Indians taught to the white men.
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2.
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Who attended the first Thanksgiving celebration?
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3.
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When was the first Thanksgiving celebrated?
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4.
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When do we celebrate Thanksgiving today?
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Related Activities:
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1.
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Go to the library and look for some Indian recipes.
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2.
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Decorate the bulletin board with turkeys colored by the students, and with pictures of fruits and vegetables grown by the Indians and Pilgrims.
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Recommended Films:
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1.
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Mary’s Pilgrim Thanksgiving (p,i,m)
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2.
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Indians for Thanksgiving (pi) (f sr)
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3.
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The First Settlers: the Pilgrims and Puritans
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4.
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The Thanksgiving Story (pi) (fsc)
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5.
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Early Explorers and Pioneers (i,m)
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6.
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Establishment of Social Life in a Wilderness
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7.
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Establishment of New England Colonies (im)
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