The Scriptures provide clear principles for establishing a successful economic system which the Pilgrims looked to. The Pilgrims, of course, did not simply invent these ideas out of thin air but they instead grew out of the intimate familiarity the Pilgrims had with the Bible. In short, it represented one of the most significant economic revolutions which determined the early characteristics of the American nation.
#Pilgrims first thanksgiving free#
In essence, the Pilgrims decided to abandon the socialism which had led them to starvation and instead adopt the tenants of the free market.Īnd what was the result of this change? Well, according to Bradford, this change of course, "had very good success for it made all hands very industrious, so as much more corn was planted than otherwise would have been." Eventually, the Pilgrims became a fiscally successful colony, paid off their enormous debt, and founded some of the earliest trading posts with the surrounding Indian tribes including the Aptucxet, Metteneque, and Cushnoc locations.
And so, "they began to think how they might raise as much corn as they could, and obtain a better crop than they had done, that they might not still thus languish in misery." And, "after much debate of things" the Pilgrims under the direction of William Bradford, decided that each family ought to "trust to themselves" and keep what they produced instead of putting it into a common storehouse. The Pilgrims, however, were not the type of people to keep doing what does not work. Unsurprisingly this, "was found to breed much confusion and discontent." Governor William Bradford explained that under the common storehouse the people began to "allege weakness and inability" because no matter how much or how little work someone did they still were given the same amount of food. Even the Pilgrims, who were a small group with relatively homogeneous beliefs were unable to successfully operate under a socialistic system without starvation and death being only moments away. The problem with this mode of economics is that it only fails every time. People were assigned jobs and the fruits of their labor would be redistributed throughout the people not based on how much work you did but how much you supposedly needed.
In its essence it was basically socialism. But why did this happen? Well, at that time the Pilgrims operated under what is called the "common storehouse" system. Indeed, shortly thereafter they endured a time of crop failure and extreme difficulties including starvation and general lack. It is often forgotten, however, that after the first Thanksgiving everything was not smooth sailing for the Pilgrims. That fall the Pilgrims, despite all the hardships, found much to praise God for and they were joined by Chief Massasoit and his ninety braves came who feasted and celebrated for three days with the fifty or so surviving Pilgrims.
#Pilgrims first thanksgiving how to#
However, they had been met by native Americans such as Samoset and Squanto who miraculously spoke English and taught the Pilgrims how to survive in the New World. Tragically, nearly half of the Pilgrims had died by famine and disease during their first year. This year marks the four hundredth anniversary of the first Thanksgiving celebrated by the Pilgrims and their Wampanoag allies in 1621.
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