Mayflower Myths

Mayflower Myths This article is provided courtesy of History.com

The Mayflower brought the group of English settlers now known as the Pilgrims to North America. Leaving England in the fall of 1620, the Pilgrims were attempting to land near the mouth of the Hudson River, but instead ended up in Cape Cod Harbor. Plymouth, the colony established there by the Pilgrims in 1621, became the first permanent European settlement in New England. The story of the Pilgrims and their harvest feast has since become one of best- known in American history, but you may not know it as well as you think. Discover the facts behind these well-known Thanksgiving myths!

MYTH: THE FIRST THANKSGIVING WAS IN 1621 AND THE PILGRIMS CELEBRATED IT EVERY YEAR THEREAFTER.

Fact: The first feast wasn't repeated, so it wasn't the beginning of a tradition. In fact, the colonists didn't even call the day Thanksgiving. To them, a thanksgiving was a religious holiday for which they would go to church and thank God for a specific event, such as the winning of a battle. On such a religious day, the types of recreational activities that the Pilgrims and Wampanoag Indians participated in during the 1621 harvest feast-dancing, singing secular songs, playing games-wouldn't have been allowed. The feast was a secular celebration, so it never would have been considered a thanksgiving in the pilgrims' minds.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Mayflower was originally supposed to sail with a sister ship, the Speedwell, but it proved unseaworthy, and the Mayflower made the journey alone.

MYTH: THE ORIGINAL THANKSGIVING FEAST TOOK PLACE ON THE FOURTH THURSDAY OF NOVEMBER.

Fact: The original feast in 1621 occurred sometime between September 21 and November 11. Unlike our modern holiday, it was three days long. The event was based on English harvest festivals, which traditionally occurred around the 29th of September. After that first harvest was completed by the Plymouth colonists, Gov. William Bradford proclaimed a day of thanksgiving and prayer, shared by all the colonists and neighboring Indians. In 1623 a day of fasting and prayer during a period of drought was changed to one of thanksgiving because the rain came during the prayers. Gradually the custom prevailed in New England of annually

During the American Revolution, a yearly day of national thanksgiving was suggested by the Continental Congress. In 1817 New York State adopted Thanksgiving Day as an annual custom, and by the middle of the 19th century many other states had done the same. In 1863 President Abraham Lincoln appointed a day of thanksgiving as the last Thursday in November, which he may have correlated with the November 21, 1621, anchoring of the Mayflower at Cape Cod. Since then, each president has issued a Thanksgiving Day proclamation. President Franklin D. Roosevelt set the date for Thanksgiving to the fourth Thursday of November in 1939 (approved by Congress in 1941.)

MYTH: THE PILGRIMS WORE ONLY BLACK AND WHITE CLOTHING. THEY HAD BUCKLES ON THEIR HATS, GARMENTS, AND SHOES.

Fact: Buckles did not come into fashion until later in the seventeenth century and black and white were commonly worn only on Sunday and formal occasions. Women typically dressed in red, earthy green, brown, blue, violet, and gray, while men wore clothing in white, beige, black, earthy green, and brown.

MYTH: THE PILGRIMS BROUGHT FURNITURE WITH THEM ON THE MAYFLOWER.

Fact: The only furniture that the Pilgrims brought on the Mayflower was chests and boxes. They constructed wooden furniture once they settled in Plymouth.

MYTH: THE MAYFLOWER WAS HEADED FOR VIRGINIA, BUT DUE TO A NAVIGATIONAL MISTAKE IT ENDED UP IN CAPE COD MASSACHUSETTS.

Fact: The Pilgrims were in fact planning to settle in Virginia, but not the modern-day state of Virginia. They were part of the Virginia Company, which had the rights to most of the eastern seaboard of the U.S. The Pilgrims had intended to go to the Hudson River region in New York State, which would have been considered "Northern Virginia," but they landed in Cape Cod instead. Treacherous seas prevented them from venturing further south.

Definition noun 1. the gathering of ripe crops, or the amount gathered.

The farmer hired people to help with the harvest.

There was a good harvest of grapes this year.

verb 1. to gather in a crop.

Many farmers use large machines to harvest wheat from the fields.

Advanced Definition noun 1. the gathering of ripe crops, the crops or the amount so gathered, or the season in which they are gathered.

Even small children helped out with the harvest of the crops.

It was a small harvest that year.

We met at harvest.

2. the product of an action, process, or event.

The movement yielded a harvest of new ideas.

transitive verb 1. to gather (ripe crops); pick or reap.

Farmers will harvest their corn soon.

2. to gather a crop from (a field or garden).

More workers were needed to harvest the fields.

3. to gather (results).

She harvested three prizes at the fair.

ReadWorks.org · © 2020 ReadWorks®, Inc. All rights reserved. Definitions and sample sentences within definitions are provided by Wordsmyth. © 2015 Wordsmyth. All rights reserved. ReadWorks Vocabulary - harvest

intransitive verb 1. to gather ripe crops; pick or reap.

The farmers are harvesting in their fields.

adjective 1. of, for, or occurring at the time of the gathering of crops.

The harvest crew is still out in the field.

Are you coming to the harvest dance?

These are some examples of how the word or forms of the word are used:

1. "Handling is really critical," adds Chin. That includes everything that happens from harvest until foods reach your home. 2. Kwanzaa is an African American holiday that celebrates the harvest of first crops. The holiday ends on January 1st. 3. Having a cat on a farm can prevent the rats and mice from eating the crops the farmer has harvested. 4. The Reems students are focusing on vegetables-corn, broccoli, kale, and squash. Every year, they harvest about 32 kilograms (70 pounds) of veggies. 5. Think of all the energy required to plant, grow, harvest, transport and cook your lunch, and you can start to understand that energy is a key to life! 6. One day, a few dozen elephants tried slurping up the last stalks of rice from a paddy that had already been harvested. Some were growing testy from hunger. 7. What's it like to live in the mountains? "Because we have a lot of space we get to have horses and chickens," she says. Savannah's family harvests eggs from the chickens for breakfast. 8. So Zhu and other scientists have begun chasing another way to make harvesting the sun's energy a reality. "If we can't make solar energy very efficient, maybe we can make it cheaply," he says. 9. In Cambodia, many farmers grow corn, beans and rice. For hundreds of years, farmers there have used oxen to pull heavy plows so they can plant seeds. When the crops are ready, the farmers load their harvest into carts.

Advanced Definition noun 1. a story or body of stories based on tradition or legend, originating in the oral history of a preliterate society and incorporating its beliefs about the origins of the world, the causes of natural events, and the origins of the society's customs and practices.

According to the Greek myth, Prometheus stole fire from the gods and gave it to man.

2. a story, theme, or personage that may or may not be factual, preserved in oral or written form as an embodiment of a people's ideals and accepted truths.

There are various myths surrounding King Arthur.

3. a story or belief, or body of stories or beliefs, that has no demonstrated basis in fact but is accepted as true without examination or investigation.

It is a myth that lightning never strikes again in the same place.

The author of the book takes on the myth of Western cultural superiority.

4. an invented or imaginary story, person, or thing.

Who started this myth about the company being sold?

Spanish cognate mito: The Spanish word mito means myth.

These are some examples of how the word or forms of the word are used:

1. One important ancient Greek creation myth is told in a poem called Theogony. The poem tells how the world began. 2. Lice spread from person to person, but it's a myth that they're linked to bad hygiene. The bloodsucking bugs are equally happy in clean or dirty hair. 3. This particular Greek myth served to warn against the dangers of pride and vanity, as well as caution those seeking to compete against or humiliate the gods. 4. In one ancient myth, three goddesses are fighting over who is the most beautiful. Venus, Juno, and Minerva compete for a golden apple, to be given to the most beautiful goddess. 5. In one version of the myth, Athena shredded Arachne's cloth into pieces when she saw how the girl had insulted the gods. But both women knew who the victor was, and Arachne realized that she would never be able to touch a loom again.

Definition noun 1. the beliefs and ways of doing things that are passed down from parents to children.

Many people celebrate holidays by carrying out old family traditions.

Advanced Definition noun 1. the process of handing down a culture's beliefs, customs, and mores from one generation to the next.

Tradition has preserved many of our ancient customs.

2. the beliefs, customs, and mores of a culture or group handed down from one generation to the next, or any one of these.

Tradition calls for the bride to wear white on her wedding day.

She is bound by tradition to live with her husband's family.

He accused his father of being blinded by tradition.

It is a tradition in our family to open presents on Christmas Eve.

Spanish cognate tradición: The Spanish word tradición means tradition.

These are some examples of how the word or forms of the word are used:

1. According to the British tradition, a tax could only be enacted-or "levied"-after elected officials agreed on it. 2. Many American museums have wonderful exhibits displaying traditional sculpture from many different parts of Africa. 3. Those who oppose the NCAA's new rules say that the schools are honoring the traditions of Native American tribes by the names and mascots the schools choose. 4. It is important to remember that Native Americans had established customs, beliefs, traditions, and general ways of living well before European influences began to spread across

the continent. 5. In the Buddhist faith, lanterns symbolize the knowledge that is given to the world, since lanterns provide light. Traditionally, the act of lighting a lantern gives respect to Buddha. 6. Before he left China, Saich was initiated as a master teacher of the Matrix approach, which meant he could initiate his own students in Japan into the tradition as well. 7. Precious religious icons such as Kachina dolls, ceremonial masks, and prayer sticks were seized and destroyed. These traditions and traditional objects were essential to the lives of the Pueblo people. 8. In Rick's family, the tradition was to sing "Happy Birthday" while the cake was still in the kitchen. Only when the song was over would mom bring out the cupcakes, candles lit and frosting shimmering. 9. Centuries ago, traditional Penobscot people crafted their own tools, including arrowheads, baskets, boats, and snowshoes. Today, Penobscot Indians have access to the same modern amenities that all Americans do, but many still make their own tools.

Name: ______Date: ______1. Where did the Pilgrims land when they came to North America?

A. Canada B. Virginia C. The Hudson River D. Cape Cod Harbor

2. What does the author list in this article?

A. the types of food at the first harvest feast B. the colors of clothing that Pilgrims wore C. the different cities where colonists settled D. the ways in which the Indians helped the Pilgrims

3. The Plymouth colonists had strong religious beliefs.

What evidence in the text supports this conclusion?

A. "To them, a thanksgiving was a religious holiday in which they would go to church and thank God for a specific event, such as the winning of a battle." B. "Gradually the custom prevailed in New England of annually celebrating thanksgiving after the harvest." C. "The pilgrims had intended to go to the Hudson River region in New York State, which would have been considered "Northern Virginia," but they landed in Cape Cod instead." D. "The original feast in 1621 occurred sometime between September 21 and November 11. Unlike our modern holiday, it was three days long."

4. Based on the article as a whole, what is a myth?

A. something that people think is a lie, and that is a lie B. something that people believe to be true, and that is true C. something that people believe to be true, but that may not be true D. something that people think is a lie, but that is actually true

A. "The feast was a secular celebration, so it never would have been considered a thanksgiving in the pilgrims' minds." B. "The story of the Pilgrims and their harvest feast has since become one of best-known in American history, but you may not know it as well as you think." C. "Gradually the custom prevailed in New England of annually celebrating thanksgiving after the harvest." D. "Plymouth, the colony established there by the Pilgrims in 1621, became the first permanent European settlement in New England."

6. Why might the author have chosen to use headings that start with "Myth:" throughout the entire article?

A. to hint that people today do not believe that Thanksgiving is important B. to show that people today think of the Pilgrims as imaginary heroes C. to help put the content of the article into groups based on the myth they address D. to prove that the statements in the headings are all completely true

7. Choose the answer that best completes this sentence.

The pilgrims landed in Cape Cod instead of the Hudson River region ______treacherous seas prevented them from venturing further south.

A. because B. although C. however D. for example

8. What did the pilgrims think of as a "thanksgiving?"

10. Would Pilgrims have considered today's Thanksgiving to be a true "thanksgiving" in their eyes? Why or why not? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.

Name: ______Date: ______1. What is a meaning of the word harvest?

A. the gathering of a ripened crop B. the business of managing a bank C. a railcar where passengers ride

2. What is another meaning of the word harvest?

A. the coldest season of the year B. the season for gathering crops C. a brown powder made from cocoa

Please use each answer choice only once. Choose the one word that best completes the sentence.

3. There, on the rolling prairie, they built a sod house, plowed the soil, planted seeds, and _____ wheat.

A. harvester B. harvested C. harvesting D. harvest

4. I'll do the hard work of planting and _____, and we can split the profit right down the middle.

A. harvester B. harvested C. harvesting D. harvest

5. All over the world, people hold festivals at _____ time.

A. harvester B. harvested C. harvesting D. harvest

7. Please write your own sentence using the word harvest.

8. What would you like to remember about the meaning of the word harvest so that you can use it when you write or speak?

Name: ______Date: ______1. What is a meaning of the word tradition?

A. a specific practice of long standing B. the quality of being able to perform C. a device that has steps for climbing

2. What is another meaning of the word tradition?

A. a visitor to whom hospitality is extended B. a kitchen appliance used for cooking food C. an inherited pattern of thought or action

Please use each answer choice only once. Choose the one word that best completes the sentence.

3. _____, carousels had only horses, but merry-go-rounds included other animals.

A. traditions B. tradition C. traditional D. traditionally

4. She cooks _____ food the traditional way and she knows how to eat it properly, with her fingers, too!

A. traditions B. tradition C. traditional D. traditionally

5. Building an ice palace has become a _____ at this festival.

A. traditions B. tradition C. traditional D. traditionally

7. Please write your own sentence using the word tradition.

8. What would you like to remember about the meaning of the word tradition so that you can use it when you write or speak?

Name: ______Date: ______1. What is a meaning of the word myth?

A. one who instructs B. a male grandchild C. an imaginary tale

2. What is another meaning of the word myth?

A. the act or process of absorbing or of being absorbed as, B. a commonly-held but false belief, a common misconception C. the table in Christian churches where communion is given

Please use each answer choice only once. Choose the one word that best completes the sentence.

3. Greek _____ is filled with gods and fanciful characters.

A. myth B. mythology

4. It is a _____ concocted to scare kids.

A. myth B. mythology

5. Please write your own sentence using the word myth.

ReadWorks.org · © 2020 ReadWorks®, Inc. All rights reserved. Mayflower Myths - Vocabulary: myth 6. What would you like to remember about the meaning of the word myth so that you can use it when you write or speak?