It was the best of times, it was the worst of times for the Pilgrims in the British Colonies.  

Courageous men and women who desired religious freedom left their homes and families behind for an incredible opportunity, but one full of risks.

Only about a third of the passengers on the Mayflower were "Separatists," those desiring escape from religious persecution after separating themselves from the beliefs and practices of The Church of England.   The rest were hired hands, craftsmen, and adventurers, all seeking a new life somewhere else.  

You see, life in 15th Century England wasn't a walk in the park for most folks.  So when the opportunity to take huge risks and make huge sacrifices to try something new came along, they did not say "No way!"  They went for it. 

Headed for Virginia, rough seas sent them off course and they landed in what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1620. 

That first winter was rough, man.  Nearly half of the original 102 passengers died from sickness and thebrutal New England cold, including most of the women.   Nearby, there were Natives who hadn't been quite as friendly as Squanto and Massasoit would be the following year.  So they buried their dead at night to keep the Natives from figuring out just how few of them there were left. 

After optimism, faith, and a leap in the dark, they were plunged into some pretty terrible times.

But things changed the following year. 

The colonists befriended the local Wampanoag people (with their chief, Massasoit, and Squanto) who taught them how to not only survive but thrive in their new environment.   They helped them learn farming techniques that would help their own English seeds grow better--cabbage, cucumbers, carrots, and leeks.  They introduced them to new crops that were more suited to the climate, like beans and squash and corn.  They taught them to harvest the native sea life and to hunt the white-tailed deer and other wildlife, including--maybe--turkeys.  They introduced them to native wild plants that provided food as well, like cranberries, walnuts, garlic, chestnuts, and Jerusalem artichokes.

By autumn, the pilgrims were finally making it, and we all know what happened next.  That communal feast, white colonists and their Native friends gathering together for the first Thanksgiving.  

Aren't we grateful that our Thanksgiving feast is as close as the nearest supermarket?

And aren't we grateful that we have things like Magic Markers, Colored Pencils, and Crayons?  Because any modern Thanksgiving feast is only better with something to color.

Artistic Chaos has you covered there!

We have a whole slew of Thanksgiving themed coloring products, from posters, to banners, to washable reusable tablecloths to 18-foot coloring rolls.  Something for everyone! 

Follow the link to our COMPLETE THANKSGIVING COLORING COLLECTION! 

 

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*Images generated by AI