Thanksgiving
This was the Mayflower, the ship that took two months to cross the Atlantic from Plymouth and gave birth to Thanksgiving
Feast, family, football, friendship... but what was the story behind the sailing flower where it all originated?
In September 1620, the Mayflower set sail from Plymouth, England, carrying 102 passengers on a mission they likely romanticized before reality hit. These passengers, now celebrated as the Pilgrims, weren’t the first to cross the Atlantic – but their voyage turned out to be one of the most storied in American history. And for good reason: it was a slog. Sixty-six days of cramped, leaky misery aboard a ship designed for hauling wine and dry goods, not people.
The passengers crammed into the Mayflower’s gun deck, a space with a very low ceiling, shared their journey with livestock and the occasional bucket of seawater. Strong westerly gales pummeled the ship, which didn’t help the already bleak sanitary conditions. Leaks sprang, tempers flared, and seasickness, while common, was probably the least of anyone’s worries.
Where did the Mayflower land?
The Pilgrims were fleeing religious persecution, but noble aspirations didn’t make the Atlantic any less brutal. After over two months of rough seas, on November 9, 1620, they finally spotted land: Cape Cod. It was a huge relief – except it wasn’t where they’d intended to end up. They’d been aiming for the Hudson River, but heavy weather had other ideas.
By November 11, they anchored in Provincetown Harbor, where the men aboard drafted and signed the Mayflower Compact. This document, a somewhat hasty but historic agreement, laid out basic principles of self-governance. It’s often cited as a cornerstone of American democracy, which is impressive for something written by men who’d just survived two months in a floating wooden box.
The grim first winter and the origins of Thanksgiving
The relief of making landfall was short-lived. The Pilgrims spent the brutal winter of 1620-1621 battling disease, exposure, and malnutrition. By spring, nearly half of them – and much of the ship’s crew – had died. It’s a grim reminder that even when you’ve finally reached your destination, the struggle isn’t necessarily over.
But the survivors were resilient. They established Plymouth Colony, with help from Indigenous people like the Wampanoag, whose contributions were essential to their survival. By the fall of 1621, the colonists had enough of a harvest to hold a celebratory feast. That event, a mix of gratitude and relief, later became enshrined as the first Thanksgiving, though it bore little resemblance to today’s turkey-filled holiday.
The Mayflower: a ship, a symbol
The Mayflower was no luxury liner, and its passengers weren’t pampered adventurers. Yet the story of their voyage has become a symbol of determination and the pursuit of freedom. While half of them didn’t make it to the second Thanksgiving, their legacy continues in the annual November tradition.
So when you’re piling your plate with stuffing and pie, it’s worth sparing a thought for the Pilgrims – and maybe raising a glass to the battered little ship that carried them across the Atlantic. Let’s just be glad we have airplanes now.
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