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THE EVOLUTION OF

Today’s Thanksgiving is an offshoot of 3 separate traditions.

One tradition is the harvest festival. The event we call the "First Thanksgiving" at Plymouth, held by the Pilgrims and their Native American neighbors in 1621, was an informal harvest festival. While both the Pilgrims and the Native Americans would have expressed their thanks to God on a daily basis, this festival was a secular celebration.  It was, however, deeply influenced - as was every aspect of Pilgrim life - by their deep knowledge of, and regard for, Scripture. The celebration was a one-time event.  The colonists did not intend to establish an annual holiday and there was no official "Thanksgiving proclamation."

The 1621 celebration is described in a contemporary source known as Mourt’s Relation :
"... our harvest being gotten in, our Governour sent foure men on fowling, that so we might after a more speciall manner rejoyce together, after we had gathered the fruit of our labours the foure in one day killed as much fowle, as with a little helpe beside, served the Company almost a weeke, at which time amongst other Recreations, we exercised our Armes, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and amongst the rest their greatest King Massasoyt, with some nintie men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five Deere, which they brought to the Plantation and bestowed on our Governour, and upon the Captaine, and others. And although it be not always so plentifull, as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so farre from want, that we often wish you partakers of our plentie."