Thanksgiving??

[highlans]

Being from the uk I do not understand your thanksgiving could some one please explain the history behind it thankyou.

[DianaB]

I'll try and give you a brief (?) history lesson. If I leave anything out maybe someone can help out.

The Pilgrims were the first to arrive in America, I can't remember the year. When they arrived it was a very hard time for them because they had to build housing and grow gardens with winter coming soon after they arrived here. They became sick and lost many people during the winter and provisions were extremely low. When spring arrived the people who were left began their gardens and plowed and planted their fields with help from the Indians. They were able to build better housing and became more prepared for the next winter. In the fall, after everything was harvested, the Indians and the Pilgrims got together and had a huge feast. It is called Thanksgiving because they were giving thanks to God.

[RLC12345678]

Here....read this. It tells the Thanksgiving Story in detail. It is basically the same thing Diana said, but gives more detail.

http://wilstar.com/holidays/thankstr.htm

[Janet]

WOW!!! You guys are good. I always knew of course why we celebrated, but it was nice for all the details to be refreshed. A really nice history lesson. If we had small children in the house, it would be a great article to read before the meal. huh, I just may do it anyway....

Thanks ladies,

[Lindsey]

Thanksgiving is also celebrated in Canada, but for different reasons. The first Canadian "Thanksgiving" was when an English explorer was trying to find a passage to the Orient but instead landed on what is now Newfoundland. He gave thanks for being safe after a long journey. After that, it was also a celebration for other explorers, settlers, etc. Finally it became that Thanksgiving was a day to give thanks for a bountiful harvest. Since we are further north, our harvest season is much earlier and Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second weekend of October every year.

[Lindsey]

I'm going to add something here, although I don't want to start anything up... The way I was taught about Canadian/American history in high school outlined the source of the American Thanksgiving history as quite different than is taught in American schools... This site shows the history from the Indian point of view, which is how much of our history courses were taught. I feel that it's a case of history being re-written which has been done thousands of times in history.

[DianaB]

I sure that the Indians did have a different view point. There's always 2 sides to every story. I've never thought about how the Indians viewed Thanksgiving.

[highlans]

Thankyou all for that have learnt something today, being 51 never done well at school will start puting my questions to you all and perhaps will educate myself a little better. Thanks all.

[Marilyn]

The history of man, wherever he has been is wrought with sadness and bloodshed. There is nothing that we today can do to change what happened in the past, though we do need to understand it, and learn from it. We also need to look to the future and try to be a peaceful people, respectful of our friends and ever watchful of our enemies, even though we must attempt to love all men (and women). Let's all wherever we are enjoy our day of Thanksgiving mindful of all that we have to be thankful for and remembering the sacrifices that got us where we are.

Have a blessed Thursday, wherever you are and whatever you are doing!!

I always thought that it was neat that both my Mother and I had our birthdays on Thanksgiving in different months. She is an early October baby and I am a late November baby. She's Canadian and I'm American.

[Tink]

Years ago I saw a teeshirt that had a gorgeous silhouette of a brave on his horse in front of a sunset with a crossbow in his raised hand. The caption below was "What if?" I found that to be SO profound. If the natives had had the wherewithal to protect themselves, this country might have a very different history.

It's because most of us are the spawn of immigrants that I find it SO ironic now when I hear Americans complain about the current immigration situation. I personally can't begrudge anyone for wanting to come here when my own great grandparents did the same about 100 years ago. At least they aren't coming here trying to kill us all off to take what we have like the Europeans did to the natives!

Happy Thanksgiving EVERYONE. I hope we DO learn from history so we never repeat it.

Originally Posted by Tink

Years ago I saw a teeshirt that had a gorgeous silhouette of a brave on his horse in front of a sunset with a crossbow in his raised hand. The caption below was "What if?" I found that to be SO profound. If the natives had had the wherewithal to protect themselves, this country might have a very different history.

It's because most of us are the spawn of immigrants that I find it SO ironic now when I hear Americans complain about the current immigration situation. I personally can't begrudge anyone for wanting to come here when my own great grandparents did the same about 100 years ago. At least they aren't coming here trying to kill us all off to take what we have like the Europeans did to the natives!

Happy Thanksgiving EVERYONE. I hope we DO learn from history so we never repeat it.

Well Said!!!!

[Gina]

Originally Posted by Tink

Years ago I saw a teeshirt that had a gorgeous silhouette of a brave on his horse in front of a sunset with a crossbow in his raised hand. The caption below was "What if?" I found that to be SO profound. If the natives had had the wherewithal to protect themselves, this country might have a very different history.

It's because most of us are the spawn of immigrants that I find it SO ironic now when I hear Americans complain about the current immigration situation. I personally can't begrudge anyone for wanting to come here when my own great grandparents did the same about 100 years ago. At least they aren't coming here trying to kill us all off to take what we have like the Europeans did to the natives!

Happy Thanksgiving EVERYONE. I hope we DO learn from history so we never repeat it.

I have to disagree to an extent, the Americans are not complaining about the immigrants coming into our country. Yes we have all had family coming to the USA but they came in legally. There is a big difference, your ancestors went through the proper channels. They did not get a free ride they had to become citzens and learn the language and culture. Today we have to comform to the immigrants wants and needs we have become the minority. The immigrants are welcomed as all have been in the past but they must do it legally.. Think about it....

[Janet]

Originally Posted by Gina

I have to disagree to an extent, the Americans are not complaining about the immigrants coming into our country. Yes we have all had family coming to the USA but they came in legally. There is a big difference, your ancestors went through the proper channels. They did not get a free ride they had to become citzens and learn the language and culture. Today we have to comform to the immigrants wants and needs we have become the minority. The immigrants are welcomed as all have been in the past but they must do it legally.. Think about it....

You have hit the nail on the head with this one. I agree 100%!!!

At least they aren't coming here trying to kill us all off to take what we have like the Europeans did to the natives!

How do we know that for sure? With all the terrorist crap going on? It's a little unnerving at times.

[Janet]

Sorry, I hope my last reply doesn't cause any kind of bad debate...but our little town is not what it use to be. So sad and becoming very dangerous!