When you think of the first Thanksgiving, you probably imagine a friendly gathering between the Pilgrims and Native Americans, sharing a hearty meal. But the reality of that event was far from the peaceful picture we’ve grown accustomed to. History tends to gloss over the uncomfortable truths that shaped that moment, leaving us with a sanitized version that feels more like folklore than fact.
It turns out that the first Thanksgiving was full of harsh realities, from the Pilgrims’ ongoing struggles to survive to the fragile relationship between settlers and Native Americans. What started as a feast to celebrate the harvest was also a political move, meant to secure alliances and resources in an unfamiliar land. The food may have been plentiful, but the challenges were even greater.
This list isn’t meant to ruin your holiday spirit but to shed light on the complexities behind an event that’s become such a big part of American culture. It’s about pulling back the curtain and acknowledging that, just like any historical moment, Thanksgiving has layers we often forget, or simply don’t want, to talk about.
1. The Pilgrims Were Desperate for Help
When the Pilgrims arrived in what would become Plymouth, Massachusetts, they were not greeted with the resources or welcome they’d hoped for. After enduring a brutal first winter, during which many died from exposure and illness, they were desperate for assistance. Starvation loomed large, and the future looked bleak. They knew they needed allies to survive in this new and harsh environment.
Enter the Wampanoag tribe, led by Massasoit. The tribe had its own issues, primarily due to population losses from disease, but they chose to help the Pilgrims. Without their intervention, including teaching the settlers how to grow native crops like corn and use fish as fertilizer, the Pilgrims might not have made it through another winter.
2. Disease Was Rampant
While the Wampanoag tribe played a crucial role in aiding the Pilgrims, they had already been hit hard by diseases brought by earlier European explorers. These diseases, to which the Native Americans had no immunity, devastated entire villages. This meant that while the Wampanoag helped the Pilgrims, they were also struggling with their own survival.
The Pilgrims themselves were not immune to illness either. Their voyage on the Mayflower and the subsequent harsh winter had taken a toll, leaving many of the settlers who survived weakened. The first Thanksgiving wasn’t just a celebration of survival; it was a brief moment of relief amid ongoing suffering from diseases that would continue to affect both groups for years to come.
3. The Menu Wasn’t What You Think
When we think of Thanksgiving today, we imagine turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. But the first Thanksgiving feast looked very different. There’s no solid evidence that turkey was even on the menu. Instead, the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag likely dined on deer, thanks to a contribution of five freshly killed deer from the Native Americans.
Seafood, such as mussels and lobster, was abundant and probably featured more prominently than anything we consider traditional today. As for side dishes like mashed potatoes and stuffing? Potatoes hadn’t made their way to New England yet, and sugar, necessary for pies and cranberry sauce, was in short supply. The meal was likely a mix of wild game, local seafood, and whatever crops or berries that could be harvested at the time.
4. The Pilgrims’ Arrival Wasn’t Peaceful
Although the Thanksgiving story highlights cooperation, the Pilgrims’ arrival in New England was anything but peaceful. The land where the Pilgrims settled had previously been home to the Patuxet tribe, most of whom had been wiped out by European diseases before the Pilgrims even arrived. The few survivors, including Squanto, a Patuxet man, had been enslaved or displaced.
Tensions between European settlers and Native Americans were high across the continent, and while the Pilgrims may have formed a temporary alliance with the Wampanoag, they still represented a foreign threat to the native population. It wasn’t long before conflicts arose between settlers and various Native American tribes.
5. The Pilgrims and Native Americans Had Different Agendas
While we often imagine the first Thanksgiving as a warm, mutual gathering, both the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag had their own agendas. For the Pilgrims, securing the help of the Wampanoag was essential for survival. They needed food, knowledge of the land, and protection from other Native American tribes.
For the Wampanoag, allying with the Pilgrims had its advantages too. They were in a weakened state after losing so many of their people to disease and saw the settlers as potential allies in their struggles against rival tribes. It was less about friendship and more about strategic survival on both sides.
6. There Was No Long Table Gathering
The image of a long table lined with Pilgrims and Native Americans is a hallmark of modern Thanksgiving iconography, but it’s not historically accurate. The first Thanksgiving was likely an outdoor affair, with people gathering in small groups around makeshift tables or eating on the ground. The event stretched over three days and was far less formal than our modern holiday dinners.
Rather than a singular meal, the celebration was more like a series of feasts and gatherings. The Wampanoag likely outnumbered the Pilgrims, with around 90 Native Americans attending compared to the 50 or so surviving settlers.
7. The Winter Was Brutal, Not Festive
Though we associate Thanksgiving with fall celebrations, the first year the Pilgrims spent in the New World was anything but a cozy autumn experience. The winter of 1620-1621 was brutal, and almost half of the Mayflower passengers didn’t survive it. Of the original 102 Pilgrims, only 53 were left by the time they celebrated their first Thanksgiving.
The survivors were weakened by disease, malnutrition, and exposure to harsh conditions. By the time they gathered for their harvest feast, it was more a testament to their endurance than a joyous occasion. It’s easy to forget just how dire the situation was before that first meal.
8. The Pilgrims Didn’t Have Homes to Retreat To
By the time the Pilgrims sat down for their feast, they didn’t have the cozy log cabins we tend to picture in modern Thanksgiving imagery. Their housing situation was still quite basic. The settlers lived in hastily constructed homes made from the materials they could gather, far from the warm and inviting cottages we see in depictions.
Most of their homes were drafty, barely keeping out the cold, and the risk of illness remained high due to poor sanitation and exposure to the elements. Their living conditions were stark and challenging, making the survival of that first winter all the more impressive.
9. The Pilgrims’ Journey Wasn’t Just About Religious Freedom
We often hear that the Pilgrims fled England to escape religious persecution, but the story is more complicated. The group of Separatists, who we now call Pilgrims, did indeed leave England for religious reasons, but their initial destination wasn’t the New World. They first sought refuge in the Netherlands, where they lived for several years.
However, they found life there difficult and economically unstable, which ultimately led them to seek a new start in America. So, while religious freedom was a factor, economic concerns played just as big a role in their journey.
10. The Journey Across the Atlantic Was a Nightmare
The Pilgrims’ journey on the Mayflower wasn’t the romantic adventure it’s often portrayed as. In reality, the voyage was a nightmare filled with violent storms, seasickness, and overcrowding. The ship was originally designed to carry cargo, not passengers, so the conditions onboard were cramped and unsanitary.
Many of the passengers fell ill during the journey, and many died before even reaching the New World. Those who survived were weakened and malnourished, which only made the challenges of establishing a new colony in an unfamiliar land even more difficult. The hardships of the voyage were a grim prelude to the struggles they would face after landing.
11. Native American Lands Were Already Being Encroached Upon
Another harsh reality is that the Pilgrims weren’t arriving in a completely unoccupied land. Native American tribes had long lived in the region, and European settlers had been encroaching on their territories for years. By the time the Mayflower arrived, many Indigenous tribes had already experienced the loss of their lands and resources due to European settlers.
While the first Thanksgiving is often portrayed as a symbol of peace and cooperation between the Pilgrims and Native Americans, it also marked the beginning of a long period of displacement, conflict, and exploitation for the Indigenous peoples of America.
12. Most of the Native American Contributions Are Overlooked
When we think of Thanksgiving, the focus is often on the Pilgrims’ gratitude for their survival. But what’s frequently overlooked is the immense contribution the Native Americans made to that survival. Without the help of the Wampanoag, particularly Squanto, the Pilgrims would likely have perished in their first year.
Squanto taught the Pilgrims how to cultivate corn, fish in the rivers, and harvest shellfish—skills that were essential to their survival. These contributions often get overshadowed by the narrative of Pilgrim perseverance, but the Native Americans’ role in the first Thanksgiving was crucial to the colony’s eventual success.
13. The Long-Term Impact on Native Americans Was Devastating
While the first Thanksgiving might have been a peaceful gathering, the long-term impact of European colonization on Native Americans was anything but. The arrival of settlers like the Pilgrims eventually led to widespread displacement, cultural erasure, and violence against Native American tribes. Within a few decades of the first Thanksgiving, conflicts between Native Americans and European settlers would escalate into wars that decimated Indigenous populations.
This harsh reality contrasts sharply with the idealized version of Thanksgiving that we often celebrate today. It’s important to recognize that while the holiday is meant to symbolize gratitude and togetherness, it also serves as a reminder of the devastating consequences of colonization for Native Americans.
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With an honors degree in financial engineering, Omega Ukama deeply understands finance. Before pursuing journalism, he honed his skills at a private equity firm, giving him invaluable real-world experience. This combination of financial literacy and journalistic flair allows him to translate complex financial matters into clear and concise insights for his readers.
With an honors degree in financial engineering, Omega Ukama deeply understands finance. Before pursuing journalism, he honed his skills at a private equity firm, giving him invaluable real-world experience. This combination of financial literacy and journalistic flair allows him to translate complex financial matters into clear and concise insights for his readers.
