So, will the real Thanksgiving please step forward?

It is that wonderful time of the year again where we gather together with family and fill our bellies with yummy goodies. It is a time to reflect on the many blessings God has given us throughout the year.

As a teacher, it is also the time of the year to teach about the brave Pilgrims who suffered great travail to come to this country in search of religious freedom. It is a time to remember Squanto and his sufferings and the path that eventually led him to help the Pilgrims and make his home with them. It is a time to remember the celebration of endurance and survival that embodied that first Thanksgiving feast.

And, it is also a time to learn more about the truth behind a holiday that we know less about than we think. I started on my own journey towards learning more about that first Thanksgiving when I noticed an ad in facebook. The ad stated something to the effect that the Pilgrims initially wanted to start this land on the foundation of socialism but were forced to abandon that pursuit due to famine and death. It seemed to me the ad was glorifying this noble pursuit of socialism. I could be wrong, because I wasn't about to click on the ad. Instead, I googled "Thanksgiving socialism" and found this enlightening article: The Great Thanksgiving Hoax. It has made me even more aware of the need to find and purchase primary sources--such as the Bradford book mentioned in the article--in order to better interpret and understand history.