Long ago, people called Pilgrims left their home in England and came across the ocean to America in a boat called the Mayflower. They built their own houses, planted seeds they had brought with them, and made friends with the Indians, who were already living in America. The Indians taught them how to plant corn and hunt and fish for animals that they could eat. In the fall, when the corn was ready, the Pilgrims picked it. It was their first harvest, and when they had finished, they had a party to celebrate and give thanks that they had enough food to last through the winter. The party,called the First Thanksgiving, was held outside, and everyone came, including the Indians. Now every year we celebrate Thanksgiving to remember the brave Pilgrims and to give thanks for all of our
blessings.
 

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Who were the Pilgrims
The name Puritan was first applied to any person who belonged to  the  Protestant in England.Puritan religious beliefs were first expressed  in England in the late 1500's. the actual name puritan was first applied around 1566.The basic beliefs varied , yet they held one simple common idea. They wanted simple religious beliefs, simple order of worship and a simple  organization of the church.
Why did they leave England
    Disagreement among the Puritans led to small  groups breaking away from the Church of England  during the reign of King James I. These independent groups were known as Seperatists or Brownist after Robert Brownist one of their early leaders. The Seperatists under the leadership of William Brewster in 1608 fled from England to Holland to avoid persecution. While in Holland theSeperatists dicovered they prefered farming tocity life and they feared their children were becomingmore Dutch than English. There was also the loaming threat of war between Spain and Holland.
America appealed to them
    The Separtists longed to return to their English way of life and still keep their own kind of worship. The new land in America appealed to them. A group of English merchants agreed to finance a trip to the new land. In July 1620 the group  under the leadership of William Brewster was led back to England.
   September 1620 they set sail for the new land in America. They landed in what is now Provincetown Harbor on November 20, 1620 and settled Plymouth Colony on the shore of Cape Cod Bay. The term Pilgrim might of been taken from William Bradfords History. Bradford wrote "they knew they were pilgrims when they left Holland."
The Mayflower
     The Mayflower: Built in 1610 and looked like any other ship of its time. It consisted of two decks, three masts and resembled a cods head and a mackerel's tail in shape. It was probably 90 feet long and weighed 180 tons. It is believed that Christopher Jones one of its quater owners served as master. One hundred and two passengers were aboard.
A day of giving thanks decreeded
    The first Thanksgiving: After facing many perils and hardships during the first winter, nearly half of the colonists had died. New hope grew  in the summer of 1621. Govenor William Bradford  decreed a three day feast to be held.This event was never repeated. The first "Thanksgiving Day" set aside for the special purpose of prayerand celebration was held.
     In July 1623. The women of the colony spent many days prepairing for the feast. The children lent
 a hand turning roasts on a spit over the  open fires. Indiand brought wild turkeys and venison.The men of the colony brought geese, ducks, and fish.The women served the meats with Journey Cake cornmeal bread with nuts, and succotash. The feast of giving thanks to God who had seen them through and provided for them was held outside at long tables.
Years later becomes National Holiday

 Later Thanksgivings in the U.S. The custom of Thanksgiving spread from Plymouth to other New England Colonies and on. For many years there was no regular day given, President Lincoln proclaimed that the last Thursday in November 1863, as a "day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficen Father" Each year afterward for 75 years the President would formally proclaim Thanksgiving should be celebrated on the last Thursday in Nov.  Congress ruled in1941 that the fourth Thursday in November would be observed as a legal federal holiday.
On this day people give thanks with feasting and prayer for the blessings they may have received
during the year.