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Six Thanksgiving Myths
By Colleen Messina
When you think of the first Thanksgiving, you might have a vision of Pilgrims in
black outfits munching on turkey legs. Many ideas that we have about the first
Thanksgiving are not correct. An idea that is not true is sometimes called a myth.
Here are some Thanksgiving myths for you to digest.
Myth #1: The Pilgrims wore black and white outfits, buckles, and pointed hats.
Pilgrims did wear black when they went to church on Sunday, but they did not wear
black for the first Thanksgiving feast. The men probably wore tan, green, brown, and
beige, while the women usually wore red, deep green, and gray. And they weren't
quite as stylish as some people think because they didn't have any buckles on their
shoes. Buckles didn't appear on the fashion scene until the late 17th century.
Myth #2: Thanksgiving always was in November. The Pilgrims had their first
feast sometime between September 21 and November 11. The weary Pilgrims did
take a spectacular break from their busy schedule. The dinner lasted for three whole
days! The Pilgrims probably remembered their old English harvest festivals on this
special day. These festivals were usually on September 29.
Myth #3: The Pilgrims celebrated Thanksgiving every year after 1621. The Pilgrims did not do a
Thanksgiving dinner every year. It took a long time before it became a real holiday. Abraham Lincoln made it a
national holiday with his 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamation. Later, President Franklin D. Roosevelt decided that
the fourth Thursday in November was an excellent permanent day for this celebration.
Myth #4: The biggest meal that the Pilgrims ate was in the evening. Actually, the Pilgrims ate their biggest
meal at noon, and this meal was called dinner. Another name for the noon meal was noon meat. Everyone has a
different time for their Thanksgiving feast since it is usually the only meal served, and you remain stuffed for
hours.
Myth #5: The Pilgrims were celebrating a wonderful harvest. The harvest of 1621 was not very bountiful
after all. However, the Pilgrims were grateful to be alive. Their wheat, barley, and peas that came over from
England did not do very well. The only crop that flourished was corn. The corn crop did so well because of a
generous man named Squanto. He belonged to the Wampanoag tribe. He knew all about corn and taught the
Pilgrims everything.
Myth #6: The Pilgrims invented Thanksgiving. Many civilizations have celebrated harvest festivals for
hundreds of years. In the Middle East, people offered wheat to the "Mother of Wheat." Do you think that she
might have been Mother Nature's niece? During the Middle Ages, Europeans celebrated the harvest on November
11. This was the day of the Feast of Saint Martin. The Aztecs celebrated a corn goddess. Honoring a harvest was
a tradition that spanned many cultures.
We might have some ideas about Thanksgiving that aren't quite right. It is still a special day full of friends,
family, gratitude, and wonderful food. And here is another amazing fact: the Calorie Control Council has figured
out that the average American consumes as many as 4,500 calories on Thanksgiving Day. Now that is a lot to
digest!
Name
Date
Six Thanksgiving Myths
Questions
1. How many day(s) did the original feast last?
A. one
B. three
C. half a day
D. two
2. What color clothing did the Pilgrims wear to church on Sunday?
A. black
B. red
C. yellow
D. green
3. When did the Pilgrims eat their biggest meal?
A. noon
B. evening
C. night
D. morning
4. True or False: The harvest of 1621 was excellent.
A. False
B. True
5. How many calories does the Calorie Council say that Americans consume on Thanksgiving?
A. 3,500
B. 4,500
C. 2,500
D. 5,500
6. Which president made the fourth Thursday in November the day for Thanksgiving?
A. Abraham Lincoln
B. George Washington
C. George W. Bush
D. Franklin D. Roosevelt
7. Who helped the Pilgrims raise a successful corn crop?
A. the corn goddess
B. Sacajawea
C. John Smith
D. Squanto
8. Which culture was mentioned in the article that celebrated a corn goddess?
A. Aztecs
B. Egyptians
C. Mayans
D. Greeks
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Why do you think that Squanto shared his understanding about corn with the Pilgrims? What kind of person do
you think he might have been in order to do that?
Describe your idea of a perfect Thanksgiving Day. Do you think anyone in your family might consume 4,500
calories on Thanksgiving Day?