5 Myths about Thanksgiving
November 16, 2011, By Jack Heffron 1 comment
In keeping with our Man of the House tradition of giving you conversation starters for upcoming holidays, when they're most desperately needed, we once again bust a few myths—this time about Thanksgiving.
You'd think that a holiday so deeply rooted in American history would have far fewer misconceptions than, say, Valentine's Day, which we all sort of accept is a crock. But after a good bit of research I've concluded that nearly everything we're been taught to believe about Thanksgiving is wrong. Rather than attempt to burst every bubble, let's look at five of the most egregious misnomers.
1. Buckle and Blunderbuss BS.
Despite the evidence of countless paintings, illustrations and kids' plays, the Pilgrims at the first Thanksgiving didn't look at all as we've been led to believe. No tall black hats, no black-and-white clothing, no big buckles on, well, everything. At the feast way back in 1621, they probably wore much simpler and more colorful clothing.
The depiction now familiar to us gained popularity in the 19th century and has stuck around ever since. Historians believe a black-and-white outfit was reserved for Sunday services and tended to be the preferred style of the Puritans rather than the Pilgrims—two very different groups, even though we now often lump them together. Big buckles on hats and shoes didn't come into fashion until much later, but in the 19th century, the look evoked a quaint, homey quality that illustrators felt appropriate for the holiday.
A myth I hate to squash: The Pilgrims didn't kill their first meal with the short-barreled, flared-muzzle blunderbuss we always see them carrying in illustrations. (What boy didn't love the look of those guns?!) Historians argue about whether or not the Pilgrims would have had such firearms, which were still pretty new in 1620, when the Mayflower set sail for America. And even if they did bring a few along to the New World, they wouldn't have used them for hunting. The blunderbuss was a powerful short-range firearm most often carried by cavalry and seamen for close combat. It lacked the long-range accuracy needed for hunting.
We also usually see in illustrations the Pilgrims and Wampanoag Indians seated together at long tables, enjoying their meal, but, in fact, the feast lasted for three days. People ate at various times throughout the celebration—whenever they were hungry or the spirit moved them. They wouldn't have sat down all at once. And, lacking utensils, they would have eaten with their hands. Not even Norman Rockwell could have made that a pretty picture.
NEXT: The Pilgrims Ate What We Eat on Thanksgiving
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