22 novembre 2012

Thanksgiving

Today Thanksgiving is celebrated in the USA.

Here is a simple summary :

In November 1620,pilgrims arrived at Plymouth Rock in America  aboard the  Mayflower (= name of their ship) They wanted to  escape religious persecution   and /or poverty in their country. (mainly England)

They had suffered through a devastating winter in which nearly half their number died.

   They had to eat but farming was not easy . So the Indians showed them new plants  and new animals.  Without3 the help of the Indians, all would have perished.

    Though it was not called Thanksgiving at the time, the first Thanksgiving feast was celebrated in 1621 by the pilgrims of the Plymouth colony along with about 90 Wampanoag Indians who had helped them. 

    After the first harvest4, Governor William Bradford proclaimed a day of thanksgiving and prayers to God. They wanted to thank the Indians as well as God .  The food, which was eaten outdoors, included corn, geese, turkeys, ducks, eel, clams, leeks, plums, cod, bass, barley, venison and corn bread. The feast lasted 3 days. Though the exact date is unknown, the feast clearly took place in late autumn.

You can also watch this video here

 

Or see how today Barack Obama pardons a turkey

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