|
|
Don't Know Much About Thanksgiving
listen:
  Tonight on the Front Porch, we're going beyond the legends and learning what really happened on that first Thanksgiving. Pop historian Ken Davis will take us back to 1620 and let us in on some of the little-known facts about the holiday. He'll dispel common misconceptions about Thanksgiving, regarding everything from the celebration's origins to the Pilgrims' hygiene. Ken Davis is the author behind the "Don't Know Much" series of books, including Don't Know Much About History and Don't Know Much About the Universe.
|
Support FromHighlightsNavigationUser login | ||||
I hope you will mention that the indians were already quite familiar with Europeans by this time -- for more than a hundred years, Europeans had come to fish and trade, and more than a few indians had been brought to Europe.
Squanto was one of those; he was apparently brought to England at the age of 14, and spent a year and a half with Sir Fernando Gorges, who was planning the New England colony. Squanto sailed back to New England with Captain John Smith, and after acting as his translator for awhile, went home. Unfortunately, another captain (Hunt) was illegally rounding up indians to sell as slaves. Squanto was taken to Malaga, Spain. There, some Franciscan Monks aquired him and several of the other indians. Squanto was with them for six years, but finally got back to England and stayed with one of the people (John Slany) involved with the Newfoundland colony, Cuper's Cove. He was sent to Newfoundland, and also reconnected with Gorges. After several other trips, both back to England and to explore the coast, Squanto was finally given leave to go home. When he arrived, he found that his entire village of perhaps 2000 people had died or fled from disease.
The Wampanoag living in that area had very nearly been wiped out, probably a disease brought by a sick French captive. From about 15000-20000 people, the disease had only left about 1000 alive. Massasoit, the sachem, feared that the neighboring Narraganset would invade and take over. So when the English appeared, he decided no to chase them away, as he had other exploratory groups, but to use them as a allies against the Narraganset. He sent Samoset, visiting from Damariscotta, to meet with the English. He either did not trust or did not want to risk Squanto. But Samoset's English was not very good, and within a few days Squanto was sent to the English. He ended up staying with them, and here is where "Squanto, the Pilgrim's friend" approaches the storybook version of the story.
I hope that some of this story makes it on the air. I find it much more interesting and human than the normal cartoonish portrayal of the first Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, I probably can't call in, because I will be visiting my father for the holiday, but I will listen over the internet.