The First Thanksgiving as a Moment of Cooperation
In many American classrooms, students learn that the “First
Thanksgiving” took place in 1621, when English settlers known as the
Pilgrims shared a harvest feast with the Wampanoag people. According
to this traditional story, the Pilgrims had struggled through a harsh
first winter in what is now Massachusetts. Many had died from disease
and cold. When the next autumn came, they had a better harvest and
wanted to give thanks. Wampanoag leader Ousamequin (often called
Massasoit) and more than ninety of his people came and joined the
colonists in a three-day celebration.
From this point of view, the event is seen as a rare moment of peace
and cooperation between Native people and English settlers. The
Wampanoag had taught the newcomers important skills, such as how to
grow corn in local soil and where to fish and hunt. At the 1621 feast,
both groups likely brought food—such as deer, wild birds, corn, and
squash—to share. There were no sugary pies or mashed potatoes yet, but
there was music, games, and public speeches. The English also gave
thanks to God for their survival.
Supporters of the traditional Thanksgiving story say that this feast
symbolizes values many people still admire: sharing, gratitude, and
friendship across cultures. They note that the Wampanoag and the
English had signed a peace agreement and helped defend one another
from enemies for several years. In this telling, the “First
Thanksgiving” stands as a hopeful reminder that even in difficult
times, different communities can work together and give thanks
side by side.
Questioning the “First Thanksgiving” Story
While many people picture the 1621 feast as the beginning of a long,
friendly relationship, some historians and Native leaders see the
Thanksgiving story very differently. They point out that the Wampanoag
had already suffered greatly before the Pilgrims arrived. European
fishing and trading ships had brought new diseases to the region,
killing many Native people. When the English settled at Plymouth, they
built their town on land that Native families had once used for
villages and fields. The 1621 gathering, from this perspective, was
not just a happy meal, but also a tense political meeting during a
dangerous time.
The Wampanoag were surrounded by rival Native nations and by growing
numbers of European settlers. Ousamequin made an alliance with the
English partly to protect his people. The feast may have helped
strengthen that military agreement, but it did not erase the power
imbalance between the two sides. Within a few decades, conflicts over
land, resources, and control exploded into violent wars, including
King Philip’s War in the 1670s, which was devastating for many Native
communities in New England.
Critics of the simple “First Thanksgiving” story also note that the
modern holiday was shaped much later. National Thanksgiving celebrations
became more common in the 1800s, and President Abraham Lincoln made it
an official yearly holiday during the Civil War. Some Native people
now mark Thanksgiving as a “National Day of Mourning,” remembering
broken promises, lost lands, and the struggles that followed colonization.
From this perspective, the cheerful picture of Pilgrims and Native
people peacefully sharing a meal hides a much more painful and complex
history.