March brought warmer weather and the health of the Pilgrims improved, but many had died during the long winter. The cold snow and sleet was exceptionally heavy, interfering with the workers as they tried to construct their settlement. The first winter was devastating to the Pilgrims. Harbor: protected area on the coast threat: a danger But the Patuxets were a peaceful group and did not prove to be a threat. The Pilgrims' biggest concern was attack by the local Native Americans. A large brook offered a resource for fish. It was there that the Pilgrims decided to settle. They joined together and named themselves the "Pilgrims."Īlthough they had first sighted land off Cape Cod, they did not settle until they arrived at Plymouth, which had been named by Captain John Smith in 1614. The long trip led to many disagreements between the "Saints" and the "Strangers." After land was sighted, a meeting was held and an agreement was worked out, called the Mayflower Compact, which guaranteed equality and unified the two groups. Many passengers became sick and one person died by the time land was sighted on November 10th. Since there was the danger of fire on the wooden ship, the food had to be eaten cold. The long trip was cold and damp and took 65 days. Forty-four Pilgrims who called themselves the "Saints," sailed from Plymouth, England, along with 66 others, whom the Pilgrims called the "Strangers."
6, 1620, the Pilgrims set sail for the New World on a ship called the Mayflower. It was agreed that the Pilgrims would be given passage and supplies in exchange for working for their backers for seven years. Their trip was financed by a group of English investors, the Merchant Adventurers. So they decided to leave Holland and travel to the New World. They considered the Dutch frivolous and their ideas a threat to their children's education and morality.įleeing: running away from, escaping prospered: do well, live well frivolous: not serious morality: belief system After a few years their children were speaking Dutch and had become attached to the Dutch way of life. In 1609, a group of Pilgrims left England for the religious freedom in Holland where they lived and prospered. The Pilgrims, who celebrated the first thanksgiving in America, were fleeing religious persecution in their native England.
Once you have read the story of Thanksgiving, take the reading comprehension quiz to test your understanding of the text. Difficult words are explained at the end of each paragraph. Improve your understanding of the holiday by reading the story that follows. Thanksgiving dinner usually includes the traditional Thanksgiving turkey. Traditionally, it is a holiday that Americans spend together with their families. Thanksgiving is one of the most popular holidays in the United States.
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