Changes

:''"Wee ordaine that the day of our ships arrivall at the place assigned for plantacon in the land of Virginia shall be yearly and perpetually keept holy as a day of Thanksgiving to Almighty God."'' [http://www.virginia.org/site/features.asp?FeatureID=50]

:''"Wee ordaine that the day of our ships arrivall at the place assigned for plantacon in the land of Virginia shall be yearly and perpetually keept holy as a day of Thanksgiving to Almighty God."'' [http://www.virginia.org/site/features.asp?FeatureID=50]

 

The [[Pilgrims]] had arrived in 1620, crossing the [[Atlantic Ocean]] to separate themselves from the official [[Church of England]] and practice freely their form of Puritanism. Arriving at Plymouth Colony—part of today’s Massachusetts—too late to grow many crops, and lacking fresh food, the Pilgrims suffered terribly during the winter of 1620–1621. Half the colony died from disease. The following spring, local Wampanoag Indians taught the colonists how to grow corn (maize) and other local crops unfamiliar to the Pilgrims, and also helped the newcomers master hunting and fishing.

The [[Pilgrims]] had arrived in 1620, crossing the [[Atlantic Ocean]] to separate themselves from the official [[Church of England]] and practice freely their form of Puritanism. Arriving at Plymouth Colony—part of today’s Massachusetts—too late to grow many crops, and lacking fresh food, the Pilgrims suffered terribly during the winter of 1620–1621. Half the colony died from disease. The following spring, local Wampanoag Indians taught the colonists how to grow corn (maize) and other local crops unfamiliar to the Pilgrims, and also helped the newcomers master hunting and fishing.

==Symbols of Thanksgiving==

==Symbols of Thanksgiving==

[[Image:FreedomFromWant.JPG|right|thumb|200px|''Freedom From Want'', aka ''The Thanksgiving Dinner'', by Norman Rockwell]]

[[Image:FreedomFromWant.JPG|right|thumb|250px|''Freedom From Want'', aka ''The Thanksgiving Dinner'', by Norman Rockwell]]

*Turkey, corn (maize), pumpkins and cranberry sauce are symbols that represent the first Thanksgiving. These symbols often are depicted on holiday decorations and greeting cards. Corn in particular is held to represent the survival of the Pilgrim colonies. Used as a table or door decoration, corn or maize represents the harvest and the fall season.   

*Turkey, corn (maize), pumpkins and cranberry sauce are symbols that represent the first Thanksgiving. These symbols often are depicted on holiday decorations and greeting cards. Corn in particular is held to represent the survival of the Pilgrim colonies. Used as a table or door decoration, corn or maize represents the harvest and the fall season.   

      

      

==See also==   

==See also==   

 

*[[George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation]]   

*[[George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation]]   

*[[Abraham Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation]]

*[[Abraham Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation]]