The Pilgrims

1. Sought religious livery in England & Holland.
2. Left Plymouth Harbor in September 1620. Landed at Cape Cod Nov. 9th after 65 days in the crowded quarters of the Mayflower.
3. They had hoped to land farther South and in much more favorable surroundings.
4. After 2 days of earnest prayer, the Pilgrims decided to seek a place to build near Plymouth Harbor.
5. From the Delaware to the Arctic, they had only the Indians and Barren cold country.
6. They sought a fit harbor, sweet water, and suitable building space.
7. They found an abandoned Indian Village with a supply of corn.
8. On December 23, they started cutting trees to build. Cold winds and driving rain hindered.
9. John Alden, John Carver, William Brewster, William Mullions, William Bradford, Samuel Fuller, Capt. Miles Standish and others had to learn how to swing axes and build houses.
10. There were 18 men from England, France, and Ireland. There were 54 from Scotland.
11. The cold winter soon froze the ground and none were able to keep the cold out.
12. There were no dishes, only spoons, and all cooking was in pots or on ash leaves.
13. Illness afflicted them almost daily, death visited the settlement. At one time only 7 men were able to move about and care for the sick.
14. Of the 18 wives who came on the Mayflower, only 4 lived till Spring.
15. Governor Carver died on April 5, and Bradford became Governor.
16. Friendly Indians came to their aid in the Spring. (Squanto, the only survivor of the Indian Village, came to live with them).
17. Autumn of 1621, found the houses and barns full of corn, beans, barley, peas, etc.
18. That November, 1621, the Pilgrims celebrated Thanksgiving.
19. The Colonies had different times for their Thanksgiving.
20. George Washington set a day of thanks in 1789, (after the War was over).
21. Lincoln set the last Thursday of November as Thanksgiving.

How Much We have to be Thankful For!
1. In 50 yrs. a depression, millionaires became Paupers over night, Bread-lines were formed by healthy men unable to find work at $1.00/day. Suicide became a way out.
2. We have found 2 great Wars and are now in the longest war of our Nation.