Happy Thanksgiving. Here’s a little history about the day. "The First Thanksgiving The first thanksgiving feast was celebrated in 1621 by the pilgrims of the Plymouth colony along with about ninety Indians. The Pilgrims had suffered through a devastating winter in which nearly half their number died. Without the help of the Indians, all would have perished. After the first harvest, Governor William Bradford proclaimed a day of thanksgiving and prayer to God. The food, which was eaten outdoors, included corn, geese, turkeys, ducks, clams, plums, cod, bass, barley, venison and corn bread. The feast lasted 3 days, races and other games were played during the celebration. Though the exact date is unknown, the feast clearly took place in late autumn. In 1623, a period of drought was answered by colonists with a proclamation of prayer and fasting. This prayer and fasting was changed to another thanksgiving celebration when rains came during the prayers. Later that year, Governor Bradford proclaimed November 29 as a time for pilgrims to gather and give thanks. “Inasmuch as the great Father has given us this year an abundant harvest of Indian corn, wheat, peas, squashes and garden vegetables, and made the forest to abound with game and the sea with fish and clams, and inasmuch as he has protected us from the ravages of the savages, has spared us from the pestilence and granted us freedom to worship God according to the dictates of our own conscience. Now I, your magistrate do proclaim that all ye Pilgrims, with your wives and ye little ones, do gather at ye meeting house, on ye hill, between the hours of nine and twelve in the daytime on Thursday, November ye 29th, of the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and twenty-three, and the third year since ye Pilgrims landed on ye Plymouth Rock, there to listen to ye Pastor and render Thanksgiving to ye Almighty God for all his blessings.” – Governor Bradford November 29, 1623 Throughout American history, there were many thanksgiving proclamations and celebrations. In 1789 George Washington proclaimed a National Thanksgiving Day on the last Thursday in November, in honor of the new United States Constitution. Thomas Jefferson, the third president, later discontinued it, calling it “a kingly practice.” But in 1863, Sarah Josepha Hale, the author of the poem “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” convinced Abraham Lincoln to proclaim Thanksgiving a national holiday. For the date she chose the last Thursday in November because of Washington’s proclamation. In 1941, it was officially changed to the fourth Thursday in November.” And the Mayflower Compact - we used to read at Thanksgiving. THE MAYFLOWER COMPACT "In the name of God, Amen. We, whose names are underwritten, the Loyal Subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord, King James, by the Grace of God, of England, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, e&.Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the Honour of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia; do by these presents, solemnly and mutually in the Presence of God and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation, and Furtherance of the Ends aforesaid; And by Virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions and Offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the General good of the Colony; unto which we promise all due submission and obedience.In Witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names at Cape Cod the eleventh of November, in the Reign of our Sovereign Lord, King James of England, France and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Domini, 1620." There followed the signatures of 41 of the 102 passengers, 37 of whom were members of the "Separatists" who were fleeing religious persecution in Europe. This compact established the first basis in the new world for written laws. Half the colony failed to survive the first winter, but the remainder lived on and prospered. 1 Mr. John Carver <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Carver> 2 William Bradford <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Bradford_(Plymouth_governor)> 3 Mr. Edward Winslow <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Winslow_(Mayflower_passenger)> 4 Mr. William Brewster <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Brewster_(Mayflower_passenger)> 5 Mr. Isaac Allerton <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Allerton> 6 Capt. Myles Standish <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myles_Standish> 7 John Alden <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Alden> 8 Mr. Samuel Fuller <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Fuller_(Mayflower_physician)> 9 Mr. Christopher Martin <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Martin_(Mayflower_passenger)> 10 Mr. William Mullins <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Mullins> 11 Mr. William White <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_White_(Mayflower_passenger)> 12 Mr. Richard Warren <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Warren> 13 John Howland <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Howland> 14 Mr. Stephen Hopkins <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Hopkins_(Mayflower_passenger)> 15 Edward Tilley <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Tilley> 16 John Tilley <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Tilley_(Mayflower_passenger)> 17 Francis Cooke <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Cooke> 18 Thomas Rogers <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Rogers_(Mayflower_passenger)> 19 Thomas Tinker <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Tinker> 20 John Rigsdale 21 Edward Fuller <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Fuller_(Mayflower)> 22 John Turner 23 Francis Eaton <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Eaton_(Mayflower_passenger)> 24 James Chilton <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Chilton> 25 John Crackstone <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Crackstone> 26 John Billington <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Billington> 27 Moses Fletcher <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moses_Fletcher> 28 John Goodman 29 Degory Priest <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degory_Priest> 30 Thomas Williams <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Williams_(Mayflower)> 31 Gilbert Winslow 32 Edmund Margeson 33 Peter Browne <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Browne_(Mayflower_passenger)> 34 Richard Britteridge 35 George Soule <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Soule_(Mayflower_passenger)> 36 Richard Clarke 37 Richard Gardiner 38 John Allerton <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Allerton> 39 Thomas English 40 Edward Doty <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Doty> 41 Edward Leister George Holcombe 14900 Yellowleaf Tr. 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