The origins of Thanksgiving can be traced back to the beginnings of American history, originating with the early settlers of Plymouth, Massachusetts. Known as Puritans on English soil, these settlers, dissatisfied with the incomplete Reformation of the Church of England and the political repression and religious persecution by the King and the Church of England, broke away from the Church of England and left for the Netherlands, later deciding to move to the land across the Atlantic in the hope of living freely and religiously as they wished.
In 1620, the famous ship Mayflower arrived in America with 102 Puritans who could not bear the religious persecution in England. That winter, they encountered unimaginable hardship and were starving and cold. The Indians brought them the necessities of life and taught them how to hunt, fish and grow corn. With the help of the Indians, the settlers finally had a good harvest and on the day of the harvest celebration, in accordance with religious tradition, the settlers set a day of thanks to God and decided to invite the Indians to celebrate the festival with them as a token of gratitude for their sincere help.
