As startup entrepreneurs we need to take a day of rest to be thankful and grateful to have what we have, but did you know that the Pilgrims and their business investors actually caused the Pilgrims suffering, mostly it was the Pilgrim’s issue? What was the reason for their thanksgiving and what was the cause?
Pilgrims Life and Thanksgiving. The Pilgrims landed in November 1620 with 101 people (about half died within months) and in 1621 had their first thanksgiving. While thanks were given as was the custom for these religious people, it was not a very successful year of food production. They were trained by the Indians how to grow food, albeit needing some time to get proficient at it. They were given land to grow the food on. They had houses to live in and clothes on their back sufficient to do the work. So why did they have to ration out their food and scrounge for more?
Because their first efforts at food production were defined as one of communal living, mostly called today as the redistribution of wealth. In this case wealth is being defined as the rewards of ones total efforts and talents applied to a particular task or endeavor. All of the Pilgrim’s production was one where the results were put into a storehouse for “the common good” and portioned out as was needed by each individual and family. However, this resulted in a bunch of “freeloaders” that would not or by way of trickery did not want to work and the Governor
found them in the streete at play, openly; some pitching the barr and some at stoole-ball, and shuch like sports. So he went to them, and tooke away their [play] implements, and tould them that was against his consciente, that they should play and others worke. Source: William Brandford, 173
Because of the communal aspects of their results, many did not want to work and some resorted to stealing from the storehouse, from the Indians, and from each other and in some cases rationing had to be instituted to keep them alive. However, a decision was made:
And so assigned to every family a parcell of land, according to the proportion of their number for that end, only for present use (but made no devission for inheritance), and ranged all boys and youth under some familie. This had very good success; for it made all hands very industrious, so as much more torne was planted then other waise would have bene by any means the Govr or any other could use, and saved him a great deall of trouble, and gave farr better contente. The women now wente willingly into the feild, and tooke their litle-ons with them to set torne, which before would aledg weaknes, and inabilitie; whom to have compelled would have bene thought great tiranie and oppression. William Brandford, 216
Now notice this key ingredient: communal or collectivist living is the taking of your wealth, via community acts and redistributing it among others. That’s far different than one deciding to give your wealth to others by your own volition or choice to whom you decide to give it to. It was when the Pilgrims switched from this communal living to private property, owning your own wealth, and then “taxes” being imposed that improvements were made in their overall economic situation, i.e. producing enough food to live and to make a living. Source: Pilgrims switching from communal living to private property. A historical primary source is William Bradford, the second governor of the Pilgrims, and his history writings, Of Plymouth Plantation.
In 1622 that’s when the real Thanksgiving bountiful harvest was recognized.
President George Washington’s Thanksgiving Proclamation. As President, on October 3, 1789, George Washington made the following proclamation and created the first Thanksgiving Day designated by the national government of the United States of America:
Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor, and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me “to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.
Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be. That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks, for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation, for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his providence, which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war, for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed, for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted, for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions, to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually, to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed, to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shown kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord. To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and Us, and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.
Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.
National Thanksgiving Celebrations. Who set aside this day of Thanksgiving? President Lincoln. He was the first president to announce and set aside a national day of thanksgiving for everyone in America, here is his Proclamation of Thanksgiving.
So, our Thanksgiving should be not only for the food and blessings we have received, but also the lessons learned as to how to keep the food and blessings flowing.
From the Jewish and Christian Bible: ”Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the LORD is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.” (Psalm 100:4-5)
Sources:
WikiPedia link about Thanksgiving.
First recorded histories of thanksgiving.
