9 Shocking Facts About the True History of Thanksgiving

The First Thanksgiving Wasn’t the First

The 1621 feast between Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people is often described as the "First Thanksgiving," but it wasn’t the first gathering of its kind. Indigenous communities had been holding harvest celebrations for centuries before European settlers arrived. These celebrations were deeply spiritual, honoring the earth’s bounty and the interconnectedness of life. The Pilgrims’ feast was one moment among many, not the origin of the Thanksgiving tradition.

The 1621 Feast Wasn’t About “Giving Thanks”

The Pilgrims’ three-day gathering with the Wampanoag wasn’t focused on gratitude the way modern Thanksgiving is portrayed. It was primarily a harvest celebration, and its significance to the Pilgrims was more practical than sentimental. The Wampanoag, led by Chief Massasoit, provided food and assistance to the struggling colonists, but the event wasn’t framed as an annual tradition—or even a particularly peaceful one.

The Wampanoag Paid a Heavy Price for Their Generosity

While the Wampanoag initially helped the Pilgrims survive harsh winters by teaching them how to grow crops and sharing their food, this relationship didn’t last. Within a generation, English settlers had seized Wampanoag land, decimated their population through disease, and waged war against them. The very people who made the Pilgrims’ survival possible were later displaced and oppressed, a fact that’s rarely acknowledged in the Thanksgiving narrative.

Thanksgiving Became a National Holiday for Political Reasons

Thanksgiving didn’t become a national holiday until 1863—more than two centuries after the 1621 feast. President Abraham Lincoln declared it a federal holiday during the Civil War, hoping to unite a deeply divided country. This proclamation wasn’t about honoring Native American contributions or reflecting on shared history; it was a political move designed to foster unity among the Union states.

The Myth of a Peaceful Meal Erases Violence

The story of Thanksgiving often glosses over the reality of colonization. In the decades following the Pilgrims’ arrival, conflicts like King Philip’s War erupted, resulting in the deaths of thousands of Indigenous people. The Wampanoag and other tribes suffered massacres, forced relocations, and cultural erasure. The sanitized Thanksgiving myth erases these violent truths, creating a false image of harmony between settlers and Native Americans.

Thanksgiving Has Roots in Suppression

In 1637, years after the so-called "First Thanksgiving," Massachusetts Bay Colony Governor John Winthrop declared a day of thanksgiving—not to celebrate a feast, but to mark the massacre of 700 Pequot men, women, and children during the Pequot War. For some Indigenous people, the holiday represents a legacy of violence and colonization rather than unity and gratitude.

Native Americans Observe a National Day of Mourning

For many Indigenous communities, Thanksgiving is not a day of celebration but a day of mourning. Since 1970, the United American Indians of New England have held an annual National Day of Mourning on Thanksgiving Day in Plymouth, Massachusetts. This event honors Indigenous ancestors and highlights the ongoing struggles Native communities face, from land rights to systemic inequality.

The “Turkey and Pilgrims” Story Was Created for Children

The cheerful, oversimplified version of Thanksgiving featuring Pilgrims in buckled hats and Native Americans in feathered headdresses was largely created for school curriculums and popular culture. This narrative gained traction in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, promoting a feel-good version of American history. It was designed to create a shared national identity, even if that meant ignoring or distorting the truth.

The Takeaway: A Time to Reflect, Not Just Feast

Thanksgiving is a complex holiday with a tangled history that often goes unacknowledged. While it’s a time for gratitude and togetherness, it’s also an opportunity to educate ourselves about the realities of colonization and the lasting impacts on Indigenous communities.

This Thanksgiving, consider ways to support Indigenous communities, learn more about their histories, and reflect on how we can move toward a more inclusive and honest acknowledgment of the past. After all, gratitude and truth go hand in hand.