V*E
发帖数: 1642 | 1 【 以下文字转载自 Military 讨论区 】
发信人: VUE (信人), 信区: Military
标 题: Re: Sao Mang: thanksgiving
发信站: BBS 未名空间站 (Fri Nov 26 23:07:33 2010, 美东)
Although they had first sighted land off Cape Cod they did not settle until
they arrived at Plymouth, which had been named by Captain John Smith in 1614
. It was there that the Pilgrims decide to settle. Plymouth offered an
excellent harbor. A large brook offered a resource for fish. The Pilgrims
biggest concern was attack by the local Native American Indians. But the
Patuxets were a peaceful group and did not prove to be a threat.
The first winter was devastating to the Pilgrims. The cold, snow and sleet
was exceptionally heavy, interfering with the workers as they tried to
construct their settlement. March brought warmer weather and the health of
the Pilgrims improved, but many had died during the long winter. Of the 110
Pilgrims and crew who left England, less that 50 survived the first winter.
On March 16, 1621 , what was to become an important event took place, an
Indian brave walked into the Plymouth settlement. The Pilgrims were
frightened until the Indian called out "Welcome" (in English!).
His name was Samoset and he was an Abnaki Indian. He had learned English
from the captains of fishing boats that had sailed off the coast. After
staying the night Samoset left the next day. He soon returned with another
Indian named Squanto who spoke better English than Samoset. Squanto told the
Pilgrims of his voyages across the ocean and his visits to England and
Spain. It was in England where he had learned English.
Squanto's importance to the Pilgrims was enormous and it can be said that
they would not have survived without his help. It was Squanto who taught the
Pilgrims how to tap the maple trees for sap. He taught them which plants
were poisonous and which had medicinal powers. He taught them how to plant
the Indian corn by heaping the earth into low mounds with several seeds and
fish in each mound. The decaying fish fertilized the corn. He also taught
them to plant other crops with the corn.
The harvest in October was very successful and the Pilgrims found themselves
with enough food to put away for the winter. There was corn, fruits and
vegetables, fish to be packed in salt, and meat to be cured over smoky fires.
The Pilgrims had much to celebrate, they had built homes in the wilderness,
they had raised enough crops to keep them alive during the long coming
winter, they were at peace with their Indian neighbors. They had beaten the
odds and it was time to celebrate.
The Pilgrim Governor William Bradford proclaimed a day of thanksgiving to be
shared by all the colonists and the neighboring Native Americans. They
invited Squanto and the other Indians to join them in their celebration.
Their chief, Massasoit, and 90 braves came to the celebration which lasted
for 3 days. They played games, ran races, marched and played drums. The
Indians demonstrated their skills with the bow and arrow and the Pilgrims
demonstrated their musket skills. Exactly when the festival took place is
uncertain, but it is believed the celebration took place in mid-October.
The following year the Pilgrims harvest was not as bountiful, as they were
still unused to growing the corn. During the year they had also shared their
stored food with newcomers and the Pilgrims ran short of food.
The 3rd year brought a spring and summer that was hot and dry with the crops
dying in the fields. Governor Bradford ordered a day of fasting and prayer,
and it was soon thereafter that the rain came. To celebrate - November 29th
of that year was proclaimed a day of thanksgiving. This date is believed to
be the real true beginning of the present day Thanksgiving Day.
The custom of an annually celebrated thanksgiving, held after the harvest,
continued through the years. During the American Revolution (late 1770's) a
day of national thanksgiving was suggested by the Continental Congress.
In 1817 New York State had adopted Thanksgiving Day as an annual custom. By
the middle of the 19th century many other states also celebrated a
Thanksgiving Day. In 1863 President Abraham Lincoln appointed a national day
of thanksgiving. Since then each president has issued a Thanksgiving Day
proclamation, usually designating the fourth Thursday of each November as
the holiday.
Thanksgiving
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