What is Thanksgiving?

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Leaving England.........................................3 Finding Land...............................................4 Lots of Hard Work......................................5 Friendly Squanto........................................6 Celebrating the First Thanksgiving..........7 Today...........................................................8 Glossary.......................................................9

LOTS OF HARD WORK

They had much to do. New homes would need to be built for shelter. Crops needed to be planted so they would have food to eat. It would be very hard work. They did not have stores to buy food or clothes from. Water for drinking, cooking, and washing had to be carried from a stream.

FINDING LAND

When the pilgrims reached land, they called it Plymouth Rock. This would be their new home. They were tired, hungry, and sick from the long, wet, and difficult journey.

LEAVING ENGLAND

Four hundred years ago, the King of England told the pilgrims they would be put in jail and lose their homes if they wouldn't go to his church. The pilgrims did not like this, so, they left England and crossed the ocean on a ship called the Mayflower.

TODAY

Thanksgiving is a holiday we still celebrate today because we are thankful like the pilgrims were. We can be thankful for food to eat, friends to laugh and play with, and family to love. What are you thankful for?

CELEBRATING THE FIRST THANKSGIVING

The next year, the pilgrims had extra food from their harvest. Squanto and other Native Americans in his tribe were invited by the pilgrims to come celebrate! They were so happy and grateful. For three days, they danced, played games, and feasted on duck, deer, fish, nuts, berries, and pumpkin. This was the very first Thanksgiving.

FRIENDLY SQUANTO

The first winter was very hard and cold. Almost half of the pilgrims died. Thankfully, the pilgrims made friends with Squanto, a Native American. He saved the pilgrims by teaching them about the land, how to hunt, fish, and grow crops.

crop - a plant farmers grow in large amounts, usually for food grateful - thankful harvest - the gathering of a crop holiday - a day on which work, school, or any regular activities are officially stopped Mayflower - the name of the ship Pilgrim's traveled on Plymouth Rock - The place where the Pilgrims landed shelter - a place giving protection from bad weather or danger

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