Fred,
Thanks so much for pointing out the historical accuracies in the Pilgrims'
Thanksgiving. Yes, I will correct the apostrophe. Even my English teacher
friend missed that!
I know Algonquin Indians do not usually use tents, but thought they might
when the were out of the village for the night. I guess they would have just
slept on the ground inside the village wall, or have them return to their
village en masse.
I couldn't find a better picture for the runner. I changed the color of the
running outfit to make it look more like a skin. I guess I didn't fool
anyone! I am not artistic, and must depend on clip art and pictures I
harvest from the Internet. Often pictures on the Internet are smaller than I
need, and I mess them up a bit when I change them to fit the space - 400 x
350 pixels.
The reason for hopscotch was that it was listed on the Plimoth Plantation
site as one of the games Pilgrim children played. I did get into it a bit
much, but thought the modern children, who may or may not play hopscotch
would enjoy it. Tennis was also mentioned as a Pilgrim game, but I couldn't
imagine how they could have made rackets out of stuff available.
The Plimoth Plantation listed a possible menu for the Feast, and made no
mention of fish, so I left it out. They said swan was a desired fowl for
eating, and I knew it would give kids pause to think about using a beautiful
bird for basic food. They would certainly gross out over eel, and I may
substitute the eel for the swan in the story.
I will take out the potatoes. You are right that sweet potatoes are a
Virignia crop. I thought the English ate a lot of potatoes, but you say not
at that time, so I will change it, and limit the veggies to corn beans and
squash. I'm not sure that the Indians taught the Pilgrims to grow corn,
beans and squash in the first year, but will allow it since it does show
that the Indian instructed the Pilgrims rather than the other way around.
I will take out the reference to Plimoth Rock, since I also saw on the
Internet last night when I was checking some of my sources, that that was
added later.
Internet sources say that the Thanksgiving feast was late October to early
November. The feast was supposed to be just after the harvest and there
would have been something blooming even if just weedy flowers.
Thanks so much for the thoughful corrections. I'll let the list know when
I've made them, so you can help me with anything I've still messed up on. I
do like to keep history accurate as far as I can for the kids.
Anne
Anne Pemberton
[log in to unmask]
http://www.erols.com/stevepem
http://www.erols.com/apembert
http://www.educationalsynthesis.org
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Frederick Fausz" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, November 10, 2006 9:14 AM
Subject: Re: The PilgrimS' Thanksgiving and JAMESTOWN LIVE!
> Regarding the web story, "At the Pilgrim's [sic, shouldn't it be the
> Pilgrims']
> Thanksgiving," there are MANY inaccuracies that need to be addressed:
>
> According to noted Plymouth/Plimoth Plantation authorities,
> James & Patricia Deetz (The Times of Their Lives), the DECEMBER 1621
> feast did NOT include:
> cranberry sauce or cranberries,
> pumpkin pie (flour and sugar in short supply)
> tables or benches (everyone sat on the ground or on stumps)
> potatoes (not widely appreciated in Europe until the 1780s)
> sweet potatoes (probably first introduced into New England by
> VIRGINIANS in 1764)
> probably NO dairy products, since cattle came in 1623
> probably NO barns or oxen either that early
> probably NO carrots or onions or raisins, either
> also, where would you find "fresh flowers" in late December in New
> England?
>
> What they did serve: Turkey, Venison, Maize, alcoholic beverages, ducks,
> geese (why would you need swans?), FISH, Lobster and other seafood,
> and probably EELS (yes, gross out the kids')
> You may want to emphasize that everyone ate with Spoon, Knife, and Hands
> (no forks), which kids would enjoy
>
> * * Remember that the recreated Plimoth Plantation is made to look like
> 1627, not earlier, and voyages subsequent to the Mayflower were necessary
> for bringing over livestock and other necessities + alot more colonists
>
> * * AND Plymouth Rock (no rock at all) was NEVER mentioned by original
> eyewitnesses and is a myth concocted in the late 18th century (at least
> Pilgrim myths had PR value, however bogus, that can still attract a
> crowd--
> unlike Jamestown 400)
>
> NOW, the misleading illustrations:
>
> Please NO feather headresses, which perpetuates the all Indians-as Sioux
> mythology; the Pilgrims didn't wear much black, either, perferring
> color-
> ful clothing. Gift of blanket probablematical as well
>
> NO tipi / teepee like "tents" >> not the New England Algonquian way
>
> NO modern runner outfit (p 20); kids today still think everyone had Nikes
>
> Why hopscotch? Why so much space devoted to it?
>
> Frankly, I think all this feel-goodism about Euros and Indians is
> pathetic,
> considering the fate of all the tribes, friendly and hostile, alike. To
> be
> honest
> with our children, who know more about violence, war, drugs, racism,
> sexual
> predators, political folly, and adult hypocrisy more than we realize, we
> should
> be teaching the Thanksgiving version from the movie, Addams Family Values:
>
> "We cannot break bread with you. You have taken the land which
> is rightfully ours. Years from now my people will be forced to live
> in
> mobile homes on reservations. Your people will wear cardigans and
> drink highballs. We will sell our bracelets by the roadside. You
> will
>
> play golf and enjoy hot hors d'oeuvres. My people will have pain and
> degradation. Your people will have stick shifts. The gods of my
> tribe
> have spoken: Do not trust the Pilgrims!"
>
> Best,
>
> Fred Fausz
> St. Louis
>
> To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions
> at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html
To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions
at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html
|
