Home » Thanksgiving » Thanksgiving History Thanksgiving History   The history of Thanksgiving dates back to September 6, 1620. The history of Thanksgiving is about the pilgrims and their thankful community feast at Plymouth, Massachusetts. The history of Thanksgiving begins with the first English settlers in the northeastern part, which is now called the United States. These settlers were called pilgrims. The pilgrims who set sail from Plymouth on a ship were fortune hunters, bound for the resourceful ‘New World”. The Mayflower was a small ship crowded ship with men, women and children. Aboard the ship were passengers comprising the separatists, who called themselves the Saints, and others whom the separatists called the Strangers. The history of Thanksgiving is basically the story of the pilgrims and their thankful community feast at Plymouth Massachusetts. The pilgrims although sighted land off Cape Cod did not settle until they arrived at a place called Plymouth. The place called Plymouth was named after Captain John Smith who had already settled down there for five years. The pilgrims finally decided to settle down at Plymouth. The history of Thanksgiving concerns the Native Americans who came to the rescue of the pilgrims and helped them with food. The pilgrims were taught to grow crops and vegetables. The winter came and passed by without much harm and now it was the perfect time to celebrate. It was celebrated with a feast. Thus the first American Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621, to commemorate the harvest reaped by the Plymouth colony after a harsh winter. Days of Thanksgiving were celebrated throughout the colonies after all harvests.