There are some very interesting facts
about the origin of Thanksgiving in America. It is believed that the
celebration of Thanksgiving in America was probably originated from the
harvest-home ceremonies. These harvest-home ceremonies were originally
held in England. During such ceremonies certain days were reserved to
thank God for blessing the people with plentiful crops and bountiful
harvest.
Therefore later it became a tradition, according to which, even in
modern times this holiday takes place late in the Fall Season, after the
crops have been collected. Although the form of celebrations of
thanksgiving has changed a lot with the time but traditionally still it
is the time for serious religious contemplation, church services and
prayers. These days the Thanksgiving Day is celebrated in the United
States as a family affair, complete with sumptuous dinners and happy
reunions and get together.
However the fact about the origin of the Thanksgiving is that the first
observance of Thanksgiving in America was entirely religious in nature
and it did not involve any form of feasting. It was on 4th December 1619
when a group of 38 English settlers arrived at Berkeley Plantation on
the James River...a location, which is now known as Charles City,
Virginia. The charter of this group required that the day of their
arrival to that place, be observed as a Day of Thanksgiving to God.
On the other hand the first Thanksgiving in the New England area was
celebrated in 1621, a little less than a year after the Plymouth
colonists had settled in America. The Plymouth colonists were popularly
known as the Pilgrims. It is believed that they had set sail from
Plymouth, England on a ship called the 'Mayflower' on September
6, 1620.
Actually the pilgrims were fortune hunters, bound for the resourceful
'New World'. And the Mayflower was a small ship crowded with
men, women and children, besides the sailors on board. Aboard did
passengers comprise the 'separatists', who called themselves the 'Saints',
and others, whom the separatists called the 'Strangers'.
Mayflower Compact
When finally the land was sighted in November following 66 days of a
lethal voyage, a meeting was held and an agreement of truce was worked
out between the 'Saints' and the 'Strangers'. It was called the
'Mayflower Compact'. This agreement ensured the equality between the
members of these two groups. And then the two groups merged together to
be recognized as the 'Pilgrims' instead of the 'Saints' and the
'Strangers'. And they elected John Carver as their first governor.
  
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