THE REAL FIRST THANKSGIVING

One of the biggest stereotypes of Thanksgiving is the image of the first Thanksgiving taking place with the Pilgrims in the United States. Actually the first Thanksgiving took place in Canada:

In the year 1578, the English navigator Martin Frobisher held a formal ceremony, in what is now called Newfoundland, to give thanks for surviving the long journey. He was later knighted and had an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean in northern Canada named after him - Frobisher Bay. Other settlers arrived and continued these ceremonies.

At the same time, French settlers, having crossed the ocean and arrived in Canada with explorer Samuel de Champlain, also held huge feasts of thanks. They even formed "The Order of Good Cheer" and gladly shared their food with their Indian neighbours. After the Seven Year's War ended in 1763, the citizens of Halifax held a special day of Thanksgiving.*

We did however get many of our traditions from the first Thanksgiving celebrated by the Pilgrims in Plymouth. Click here to learn more about stereotypes that we have developed concerning the first Thanksgiving.

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*This information is courtesy of
http://www.craigmarlatt.com/craig/canada/symbols_facts&lists/thanksgiving.html