The Real Thanksgiving: The 10 Best Native American Harvest Dishes

[xchrom]

http://blogs.villagevoice.com/forkintheroad/2011/11/the_real_thanks.php


Library of Congress

In 1620, a group of religious extremists set sail from Plymouth, England, on a ship called the Mayflower. The pilgrims basically wanted to set up a theocracy in the New World, and found a couple of British investors to foot the bill. So off they went, hoping that their slice of paradise -- pretty much an IRL version of "The Scarlet Letter" -- waited for them somewhere on the Hudson River.

Long before their journey, the settlers ignored a couple of things: for example, that Native Indians already had a civilization on that land and stuff. They also didn't know about the 1995 film adaption of Hawthorne's novel, which is a shame, because Demi Moore is really great in the movie.

Anyway, some two months later, the 102 faithful landed near Cape Cod -- markedly far from their original destination. This might or might not have made their whole land grab scheme illegal under British law, but whatever. They drafted a social contract on ship, the Mayflower compact. The document promised that the colony's leaders would keep shit together, and that the new settlements would protect everyone's rights to work like slaves and pray like zealots.

A handful ventured to shore, but the majority stayed on board throughout the winter, where they "suffered from exposure, scurvy and outbreaks of contagious disease." Thankfully, the land-lubbing adventurers befriended U.S. natives, who taught them how to farm sustainably and live peaceably amongst them.

[Citizen Worker]

1. Living peaceably failed to take. Estimates of the native population at the time of the pilgrim's

arrival was 10-12 million people. Today in what we know as the US the native population is under two million. Yes, peace is a noble aspiration but we gave that up in favor of conquest.

[Kali]

2. I think you mean at the time of European arrival

the "pilgrims" arrived over 100 years after first contact

here is a fun excerpt re: common misperceptions of history

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x9831178

[msongs]

3. I think you mean at the time of Christians' arrival.

[grasswire]

4. that young woman seated at the table could be my gr grandmother Elizabeth Tilley

Elizabeth was orphaned the first winter in Plimoth -- no family left in the New World. The Carver household took her in. At age 16 she married their manservant, John Howland. They had ten children and prospered, although I can only imagine what went through her mind as a 13-year-old girl alone. John had fallen off the Mayflower at sea (caught hold of a halyard and back on board the ship), so I suppose he was just grateful to be alive and on land.

[MisterP]

5. O.T.--Original Thankster