FEAST AND CELEBRATE

FIRST AMERICAN THANKSGIVING

Our harvest being gotten in, our Governor sent four men

on fowling, so that we might after a special manner rejoice

together after we had gathered the fruit of our labor. They

four in one day killed as much fowl as, with a little help beside,

served the comany almost a week. At which time, amongst

other recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the

Indians coming among us, and among the rest their

greatest King Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom

for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went

out and killed five deer, which they brought to the

plantatation and bestowed on our governor, and upon

the captain, and others.

~ Edward Winslow, recalling Thanksgiving celebration

in Plymouth, 1621