Have you
ever thought that maybe the holidays that we celebrate today are not what they
have always been in years past? Thanksgiving is a holiday that has always
seemed to be about being able to see your family and socialize with those that
you never really see. Everything that I have thought that I knew about
Thanksgiving is not really the complete story of how Thanksgiving came about
and was thought of in the past. Thanksgiving has not always been the holiday
that we know and love today.
Many people
throughout the country are oblivious to what Thanksgiving is really about.
Although, this cannot be completely blamed on the average citizen because there
are many possible sources of error that infect the public with these ideas.
From high school textbooks, animated TV shows and movies, and even children’s
books these ideas are relayed throughout many generations of kids and adults.
The foods are also not exactly the same today as they once were in the original
Thanksgiving Feast, this can be put on the shoulders of the advertisers that
pushed for these marketing ideas to families. The fight between different
brands and companies to market their product for Thanksgiving is known as “brand
wars.” Many people associate turkey and cranberry sauce with Thanksgiving
today, both turkey and cranberry sauce may not have even been set at the table
for that first Thanksgiving. Turkey was pushed hard in the 1920’s because there
were so many things that came with turkey such as roasters, thermometers, and
ranges in order to correctly cook the turkey for the family. Historically, what
we think of as Thanksgiving today is far from how Thanksgiving was thought of
in the past.
Many people
are unfamiliar on how and why Thanksgiving was instituted as a national
holiday. It all started with the “Mother of Thanksgiving” also known as Sarah
Hale. Hale started off as a poet and writer, writing tunes such as “Mary had a
little lamb.” Hale was also a powerful influencer in the push for women’s
education and fight for equal rights. Hale grew up celebrating the Thanksgiving
holiday with her family and friends. Hale soon began to fight for Thanksgiving
becoming a national holiday. Hale believed that if she could get it to pass
then the tension would soon ease between the North and South with this new
holiday. She also believed that the making of this holiday would give something
for both sides to fight for and bring the country back together. Eventually,
Hale got her way and President Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a holiday in 1863
soon after some victories in the Civil War.
How most
people view Thanksgiving came about is not entirely historically accurate. Many
believe the pilgrims came to America in search of freedom, but this is not true
because there was freedom available in Holland. Sadly, the tale is reversed in
that the pilgrims actually came in search for money and riches. The pilgrims
were actually not originally named “pilgrims” they were called separatists. The
natives were not originally invited to the first feast, and it is still unknown
why they were present on the day of the feast. It is not certain if turkey was
served at that first meal but we know for sure that deer meat was a large part
of the feast. Around 90 natives attended, this was double the number of
pilgrims that were in attendance. Unfortunately, the feast was not as happy as
we believed it to end because it ended in chaos, capturing, and death for the
Indians, even Squanto who helped and aided the pilgrims upon their arrival.
Thanksgiving
has not always been the holiday that we know and love today. The first feast
ended in chaos, brutality, violence, and even leaving some Indians as prisoners
of the pilgrims. Many people are unfamiliar with how Thanksgiving truly began
which I feel should be changed and retaught to those who truly don’t know the
real story of Thanksgiving The evolution of Thanksgiving has been exciting and
new, I would love to see the story of Thanksgiving evolve into the real and
true story that I now know even if it sacrifices some of the glamour and
serenity that we see America as today.
NYTs: Everything You Learned About Thanksgiving is Wrong
History.com: Abraham Lincoln and the "Mother of Thanksgiving"
Smithsonian: The Invisible Way That Marketers Set the Menu for Your Thanksgiving FeastNPR.org: "Masking Memories" Thanksgiving in disguise
NYTs: Everything You Learned About Thanksgiving is Wrong
History.com: Abraham Lincoln and the "Mother of Thanksgiving"
Smithsonian: The Invisible Way That Marketers Set the Menu for Your Thanksgiving FeastNPR.org: "Masking Memories" Thanksgiving in disguise
This is a vintage ad for Cranberry juice/sauce. |
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