Jessica Crabtree

#1: Links & Resources

Some useful links about Thanksgiving’s history

First and foremost I have to recommend the first episode of the American Experience series We Shall Remain. “After the Mayflower” gives a perceptive and thorough background of the Plymouth Colony and the relationship between the colonists and the Wampanoag. The reenactments are told primarily from the Native viewpoint and are extremely authentic. Very good for anyone interested in the subject – and best of all, you can watch it online for free, direct from the PBS website.

We Shall Remain: After the Mayflower

Smithsonian Magazine: “Native Intelligence” by Charles C. Mann – This is a very exhaustive historical writeup on early Wampanoag-colonist relations, the culture and politics of the region, and the background of the “first Thanksgiving.” Very highly recommended reading.

Plimoth Plantation – This is an organization similar to Colonial Williamsburg. It’s a historical society that uses reconstructions and reenactments for educational purposes. There are many good resources on their website including photos, essays, and an outstanding interactive for school-age kids about the 1621 Thanksgiving.

-Thanksgiving at Plimoth
http://www.plimoth.org/discover/thanksgiving/

-About the Wampanoag
http://www.plimoth.org/features/wampedusite.php

-The Food at the First Thanksgiving
http://www.plimoth.org/discover/thanksgiving/plenty.php

-Interactive: The First Thanksgiving
http://www.plimoth.org/education/olc/intro.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wampanoag

Homesite of the Mashpee Wampanoag
http://mashpeewampanoagtribe.com/

http://www.pequotmuseum.org/

Educational pamphlet about Thanksgiving (PDF)
http://americanindian.si.edu/education/files/NMAI_Harvest_Study_Guide.pdf

The “Original” Colonial Thanksgiving at St. Augustine:

http://www.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/2007-11-20-first-thanksgiving_N.htm

http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/112107/nes_218975232.shtml

November 7, 1811: Battle of Tippecanoe

The Battle of Tippecanoe was one of the most pivotal events in the history of North America. An alliance of Native American forces led by Shawnee medicine man Tenskwatawa (“The Prophet”) confronted American militia under Gen. William Henry Harrison near modern-day Lafayette, Indiana in an ad hoc preemptive strike that determined the fate of Native American resistance east of the Mississippi.

The confederacy, representing nations as far away as the Lakota, had formed at the instigation of Tecumseh in reaction to the massive losses of Native American land obtained in the fraudulent Treaty of Fort Wayne. The devastated societies of the Shawnee and other nations of the Old Northwest faced an existential threat from the expansion of American settlement , spurring a movement to reclaim their shrinking homelands and boost national sovereignty. After numerous failed attempts to appeal the outrageous treaty, Tecumseh spent the year of 1811 traveling the length of the continent, from the Creek nation of Georgia to the Ojibway of Michigan, urging solidarity among the tribes. He left his allies stationed at the command nexus at Prophetstown, Indiana under the supervision of his brother Tenskwatawa. But the American forces under Harrison took advantage of his absence to provoke the tense allies into an attack.

With the Native defeat at Tippecanoe, the confederacy suffered a blow from which it never recovered. The defeat of allied British and Indian forces in the War of 1812 further ensured American hold on the continent, and Tecumseh’s death in 1813 deprived Indian nations throughout the Midwest of their most proficient leader. It remained for Tecumseh’s southern allies – among them the Cherokee and Choctaw – to realize the accuracy of his warnings; the defeat at Tippecanoe was followed by the Trail of Tears no less than 20 years later. As for his Western allies, their initial encounters with the American military in the Midwest set the stage for the Indian Wars of the Great Plains that lasted the duration of the century.

PBS American Experience: We Shall Remain – “Tecumseh’s Vision”

For anyone who is more interested in the subject I highly recommend the second episode of American Experience’s We Shall Remain docudrama series. “Tecumseh’s Vision” is probably the best show on Native history I’ve seen to date. It’s very compelling both with its accuracy (and brilliant portrayals) its handling of a significant chapter in history that is given far too little regard.

The companion site has a load of information and media about the background and making of the film as well as resources for researchers.

Below: Tecumseh as played by Michael Greyeyes

August 12, 1676: Death of Metacomet (also known as King Philip) at the end of a desperate conflict against English encroachment

What You Don’t Hear at Thanksgiving

So we all know the story. The Pilgrims land at Plymouth Rock, meet Squanto who saves them from starvation, and eventually celebrate a successful harvest with their good friends the Wampanoag in the first Thanksgiving. They live happily ever after.

Think again. Few ever stop to think what happened after Thanksgiving (hint: it wan’t Christmas). Maybe that’s because it was one of the bloodiest and most treacherous episodes in American history. What began as a close alliance between Wampanoag leader Massasoit and the Pilgrim settlers quickly eroded as English families began immigrating into the region by the shipload – often thousands in a year – importing diseases, devouring scarce resources, and naturally, disregarding treaty agreements.

An outstanding documentary on the background of King Philip's War - Watch it online here

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PBS American Experience’s new series We Shall Remain premieres April 13. It is a groundbreaking 5-part docudrama about American history as seen through Native eyes. You can watch previews and sign up for news feeds and updates here:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/weshallremain/