Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash
The First Thanksgiving Was a Three-Day Feast (and Turkey Wasn't the Star)
A survival menu, not a turkey ad
In 1621, Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag shared three days of food. Venison, duck, goose, mussels and ground corn showed up; wild turkey maybe, but not as the headliner. Forget pie—no flour, no ovens.
More hanging out than protocol
They mixed games, target practice and a lot of improvised diplomacy. It was a “thanks for making it through the year” feast, not the postcard-perfect dinner we picture now.
How turkey stole the show
Thanksgiving became a U.S. holiday in 1863. Turkey only locked in during the 20th century because it was plentiful, easy to raise, and marketing crowned it the king of the table.
