ARTICLE:

Let me take you to the 17th century (1600’s)

Southern New England was once home to the people of the first light (AKA: the Ninnimissinuok (Nee-Nee-miss-on-nok)) 

And it contained various Native tribes (*Pawtucket, Massachusett, Nipmuck, Pokanoket, Niantic, Mohegan and Pequot.)

The political tribal leaders (*AKA: Sachems) traded with Europeans to bring in profit for their community. 

This was happening for over a century, way before the pilgrims.

Things took a turn when Europeans came and kidnapped a bunch of locals to sell them as slaves. 

There were a bunch of attempts for Europeans to take over but the Ninnimissinuok basically said FOH. 

They held a strong team that outnumbered the Europeans and they were also armed with bows and arrows.

But in 1616 Europeans exposed the Natives to new diseases that were brought into the Dawn Land, killing a mass number of Native people. 

From years 1616- 1619: 90% of them were wiped out in many areas a long the coast. 

That’s 90% in 3 years. WTF

A political leader of one of these areas named Massasoit saw that they were in danger of being taken over by a rival Native American groups that weren’t hit by the disease. 

The reason why is because, ’well 90% of them are dead and they have one of the best areas to call home’ (Narraganset: enemy vs Wampanoag) 

Messy right? Oh, I’m just getting started.

Lets meet the Pilgrims of England

Pilgrims were called Separatists at the time, which was a branch of the English Puritans.

King James didn’t like the idea of having these religious Pilgrims, mainly because their religious views opposed Englands views. 

And these Pilgrims didn’t mind breaking the laws to spread the Christian word. 

Establishing a happy Christian community in England felt impossible for the Pilgrims 

so they ended up fleeing to Holland. Where they were allowed to worship.

They weren’t satisfied with stationing in Holland because they were scared that they would lose their culture and adjust to the Dutch people of Holland’s liberal ways.

So they thought … “why dont I just F* up America.” (*Lets build a christian commonwealth- for this kids reading this for history class)

They went back to England to speak with King James and begged him for a patent to be allowed to build a colony in America. 

 King James just wanted them out his hair so he said ‘yea, do what you want, just don’t bring that to my area. Which your sudsy ass shoes’

The plan was for the Pilgrims to return a profit by paying everything off in fish. 

The Mayflower ship then sailed off on it’s journey to America (sept 6, 1620) (102 passengers, 49 saints: separatists, 53 other: servants, investors, and recruits)

The pilgrims ran into Cape Cod ready to scoop up mad fish,

But then they realised, ‘damn Idk how to fish’… so they didn’t bring the profit that they promised or food to survive 

As they were looking for scraps to keep them a live.. 

scraps meaning them: stealing from homes, digging up graves, finding something to eat by any means necessary. 

They ended up running into their first encounter with Natives. It wasn’t nice.

The Natives forced the Pilgrims off their land.

The Pilgrims starting sailing again, 

with the hope to find a more established colony and warmer weather, 

but the harsh waves went against them and pushed them to Massachutests. 

On December 12th the pilgrims laded in New Plymouth. 

They started building a home but within the 3 months, 44 people died because of poor living conditions (*No shelter, Disease: scurvy, illness from the Mayflower ship as people found themselves frozen to death)

Think about it, it was December. Look Idk if you’ve ever spent a winter in NY or Boston or anywhere in the upper east coast, but that, that is nothing to play with. 

That weather makes my timbs cry and I dont like it. And they didnt like it either.

But a pleasant surprise soon came along.

In March a Native named Samoset strolled through New Plymouth greeting the pilgrims, in English.

They said ‘what, how tf is he speaking English?’

Samoset then tells them about this new village that they’re building on called Patuxet (Pow-tuk-set). 

They took over this land because the old residents which were the Patuxet tribe all died from the pandemic. 

This land was now taken over by the Wampanaog tribe and their chief: Massasoit was monitoring them.

The pilgrims were down to trade with the Natives so they can learn to live. 

The Natives came through furs and a group of helpers that would teach the Pilgrims how to survive, and work the land.

One Native called Squanto told the Englishmen that Massasoit had arrived to meet them. 

Massasoit had horrible encounters with Englishmen before, so he was a bit weary on dealing with them. 

But Englishman Edward Winslow, convinced him that they were only seeking peace and help. 

They even signed a peace treaty of protection with the Englishmen’s Governor, called Governor Bradford  

The treaty mentioned that the Pilgrims would help the Natives fight off enemies (*other tribes & French) by giving access to their advanced weapons, 

in return for mutual protection and help from Squanto. 

Massasoit was sold.

Squanto taught them how to grow crops, cook, and acted as an interpreter 

To the pilgrims he was Gods gift to them. 

But what they didn’t know was that 7 years earlier Squanto was kidnapped by Europeans, from his land in Patuxet (1614) and sent to Spain to be sold as a slave. 

He was bought by a London merchant who taught him English and then arranged for him to return to his home in Patuxet. 

When Squanto returned to Patuxet 5 years had passed (1619) and his home was now gone because of the pandemic.

Thats when he ran into Massasoit. 

Massasoit took him in because he was suspicious of him since he was abroad for so long, 

he also needed an English translator to talk with the new English settlers. 

So Massasoit sent one of his warriors named Hobamok to live amongst the new settlers, and keep an eye on Squanto (*1621)

By fall or autumn, for you English people, 

the new settlers grew a huge harvest and had a big ass feast to celebrate. (*Beans greens tomatoes) 

They were shootings guns, partying, getting turnt tf up, it was lit.

One myth is that the Natives were invited to Thanksgiving, 

the real truth is that The Natives heard the Pilgrims shooting and yelling, so they came to see what was going on. 

Come to find out these dudes were having a full on feast. 

Chief Massasoit was like ‘this is my land. I taught your ass how to cook, so obviously me and 90 of my homies are pulling up.’ 

‘Like how you not invite me to the BBQ’

So the Natives joined the celebration by bringing a huge supply of food from their side. 

And I’m sure they cooked it better.

The pilgrims and natives ate together for 3 days. 

*Stuffing your face with fire food was not what Thanksgiving meant to the Pilgrims. 

What it meant to them was, a day of fasting while giving thanks to God in prayer.

And this was the famous Thanksgiving day that you heard about.

You ready for the real Thanksgiving story?

Before I get into how brutal and disgusting these settlers were

I’m gonna tell you to head over to my America Was Never Great store

Trust me after this youre gonna be like damn, I feel this message

This is the last stock of black hats that I’ll be selling, so get them while you can.

I also have a Black Friday sale going on right now so check it out. 

Thank you for those that have bought from my store already, 

I loved all the pictures and messages that you sent me 

and I’m so happy that you’re supporting and spreading a strong message. 

America was never great, but we can definitely make it better.

Lets get back into it:

So you remember Squanto. 

Listen to this.

During the 1st year of New Plymouth, Squanto had been stirring up a master plan.

He recognised his power of being the only English speaking Native and came up with a plan to takeover Chief Massasoit spot.

He convinced the local natives that he was in full control of the Englishmen, 

he can keep them in line and he was could tell them when to be peaceful or seek war. 

Hobamok was suspicious of Squanto and warned the Englishmen’s governor, Governor Bradford. 

Soon they discovered Squantos plan and told Massasoit.

Massasoit demanded for Squanto to be killed.

Bradford said ‘whoa whoa chillll bro, dont do that, Squanto is valuable, nah.’ 

But according to the treaty Squantos life belonged to the Natives. So he said ok fine. 

Bradford was about to hand over Squanto but then a mysterious ship appeared in the ocean. 

The natives and Englishmen switched the focus to the ship. Which delayed the conversation about executing Squanto.

This mysterious ship carried 60 Englishmen that planned to build a colony nearby (Massuchtests) 

They abused, murdered and reaped the Massachutes Tribe with an aim to kill them off. 

New Plymoths leaders were soon informed and showed up to Massachutes to save their Native neighbours 

Overtime more Pilgrims started to land in these Native areas (This was called the Great Migration period 1620-1640) 

And they soon outnumbered the Natives. 

Chief Massasoit died within this period, and the Pilgrims took this as a chance to go against every respectful thing in the peace treaty for the Natives. 

After the 1st thanksgiving

New settlers started to takeover Native land and did the by slaughtering the Natives 

They build up a hatred for them based on how they looked, their beliefs, and their culture. 

They felt that they were below them. 

In 1637 the real thanksgiving was then celebrated all because of John Winthrop 

He declared the day of thanksgiving as the day where colonial soldiers celebrated the massacre of over 700 Pequot men women and children. 

They boxed the tribe in and burned them alive, then clubbed and shot the rest. 

Surviving children over age 14 were sold as slaves and those younger were slaughtered.

These massacres of started to grow and grow and grow. 

and after every massacre a thanksgivings was celebrated to praise their victory. 

These celebrations started getting out of hand, because there were so many killings. 

People were celebrating and feasting all the time, 

so George Washington ordered that only one day of thanksgiving will happen each year to celebrate all the massacres. 

The festival was celebrated for years but it wasn’t a holiday, just a celebration,

That all changed when Abraham Lincoln declared it a national holiday. 

Mainly to cool down white Americans, because this was declared during civil war. (*1863)

Basically it was made to unify white Americans and to bring them together. 

This wasn’t Lincoln’s way to celebrate the Natives, this was to celebrate the genocide of the Natives and the white Americans taking over.

If anything Lincoln ordered the greatest mass hanging in US History, to kill Native Americans, on the same day he signed the emancipation proclamation. 

This was the origin of the American holiday that we know today. 

Then in the 1900’s when America wiped out 100 million Native Americans, leaving almost none, 

they made a fake sugar coated Thanksgiving myth, that could be put into textbooks and taught to all of the youth in America. 

What a holiday.

You might be thinking this happened so long ago, so it’s not relevant but Native Americans are still suffering today 

and still stripped of their rights and being unfairly treated by the powers of America. 

A lot of laws that are still into practice damage their community and these laws are supported by racism and appropriation. 

Native American Representative Faleomavaega, has formed Native American Heritage Month (*November)

 which praises their culture and the Native American’s huge influence on the foundations of the USA.

This month is encouraged to provide benefits of self esteem, pride, and self awareness to Native Americans. 

It’s a month to learn about tribes, hear stories, spend with family and learn Native history.