ThanksgivingbeganwiththefirstEuropeansettlersinAmerica.Theygatheredtheircrops,celebratedandgavethanksforthefood.
TraditionsaysPilgrimsettlersfromEnglandcelebratedthefirstthanksgivinginsixteentwenty-one.ThereisevidencethatsettlersinotherpartsofAmericaheldearlierthanksgivingcelebrations.ButthePilgrims'thanksgivingstoryisthemostpopular.
ThePilgrimswerereligiousdissidentswhofledopPssioninEngland.TheywentfirsttotheNetherlands.ThentheyleftthatcountrytoestablishacolonyinNorthAmerica.ThePilgrimslandedinsixteentwentyinwhatlaterbecameknownasPlymouth,Massachusetts.
TheirvoyageacrosstheAtlanticOceanwasdifficult.TheirfirstmonthsinAmericaweredifficult,too.AboutonehundredPilgrimslandedjustasautumnwasturningtowinter.Duringthecoldmonthsthatfollowed,abouthalfofthemdied.
