Have you ever considered what the original Thanksgiving dinner was really like?

History shows us that most of our beloved holiday traditions are actually quite different from the three-day harvest feast shared in 1621. Learning the historical account of the First Thanksgiving is a fun and meaningful history lesson to explore with your kids.

In this post, we’re diving into five surprising facts about the First Thanksgiving, plus a free, printable traditional recipe from the A Treasured Thanksgiving unit study. Get ready to cook and learn a little history in your own kitchen

In this blog post:

• The First Thanksgiving: Exploring the true Thanksgiving story
• 5 surprising facts about the real Pilgrim meal (No pie!)
• Cook like a Colonist: Free traditional Thanksgiving recipe PDF
• Dive Deeper into History with the A Treasured Thanksgiving unit study

The First Thanksgiving: Exploring the true Thanksgiving story

Thanksgiving is a treasured time for family, gratitude, and wonderful food. Imagine the fun of learning how different modern holiday traditions are from the First Thanksgiving harvest celebration in 1621.

While the modern Thanksgiving holiday doesn’t exactly match the historical events, our family traditions are beautiful and worth keeping! By studying primary resources and oral traditions, we can uncover the amazing, true story of the Wampanoag and the Pilgrims who met in Massachusetts after the Pilgrim journey to America.

By learning facts about the First Thanksgiving in 1621, children will discover the genuine challenges, compromise, and collaboration that led two groups of people to celebrate together. Learning about their first encounters and the bountiful feast will give your family a deeper, richer appreciation for the spirit of gratitude and friendship at the heart of the holiday.

5 surprising facts about the First Thanksgiving (No pie!)

Test what your children know about the First Thanksgiving against these fun historical facts about the First Thanksgiving.

1. Myth: The Pilgrims wore only black, white, and buckled hats.

• Fact: Many works of art depicting the First Thanksgiving, such as The Landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth by Currier & Ives (a lithographic print) and The First Thanksgiving by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris, depict the Pilgrims wearing black and white, formal clothing. It is true that black and white were worn by the most devout Separatists on Sundays and for formal occasions, but everyday Pilgrim clothing actually featured colors like earthy greens, reds, yellows, and brown dyes. Buckles on hats, belts, and shoes were not in fashion until later in the 17th century. Buckles became a popular addition to the iconic “Pilgrim” look decades after the 1621 feast. Learn more about how the Pilgrims actually dressed here.

2. Unknown Fact: It wasn’t actually called “Thanksgiving.”

• Fact: To the Pilgrims, a “Thanksgiving” was a religious event that was focused on fasting and prayer, not on eating a meal together. It relates to the idea in 2 Chronicles 7:14 where the people are called to humble themselves, pray, seek God, and repent. “Thanksgiving” was a solemn day of fasting and prayer. However, there was a three-day event in 1621 that was a secular harvest celebration of feasting, games, and shooting firearms. They cooked corn, pumpkins, beans, fish, and deer that the Native Americans brought to share. The celebration lasted three days. The Pilgrims and Natives ate together and enjoyed games, races, and contests. 

3. Unknown Fact: The Wampanoag guests significantly outnumbered the colonists.

• Fact: The celebration lasted for three days and included about 50 surviving colonists and around 90 Wampanoag men, including their leader, Massasoit. The Wampanoag guests, which were unplanned, made up nearly two-thirds of the people at the feast. The year before the Thanksgiving feast event, sickness had spread through many Wampanoag villages in a terrible epidemic (the Great Dying). During that time, many Wampanoag people died, and whole villages were weakened or empty. At the feast, the Wampanoag brought a massive contribution of food to share (including five deer) for the meal.

4. Myth: The alliance was based purely on friendship.

• Fact: While there was cooperation, the relationship established between the Wampanoag leader, Massasoit, and the Plymouth colonists was a political alliance. The Wampanoag were looking for allies to defend against a powerful rival tribe, the Narragansett, whose population had not been as devastated by European diseases as the Wampanoag. The alliance offered mutual defense and trade, and it was mutually beneficial — it helped the Pilgrims survive after a brutal first winter.

5. Myth: The menu was basically the same as ours: turkey, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie.

• Fact: Forget the modern Thanksgiving menu of turkey, casseroles, and pie! The 1621 feast likely included venison (deer), wildfowl (ducks or geese), and seafood (mussels, eels, or lobster).
  • No Mashed Potatoes: Potatoes were not yet common in North America.
  • No Pie: They had no wheat flour for crusts and very little sugar or butter. Pumpkin or squash would have likely been served boiled or stewed, perhaps in a hollowed-out pumpkin shell with spices.
  • No Cranberry Sauce: Cranberries were available, but they needed sugar to be palatable, but sugar was a rare and expensive commodity.

For traditional Thanksgiving recipes rooted in history, see details below.

Cook like a Colonist: Free traditional Thanksgiving recipe PDF

Are you ready to try a recipe and experience food inspired by the First Thanksgiving? Try this recipe for Plymouth-Style Succotash from A Treasured Thanksgiving below (Free Printable PDF).

The Wampanoag had lived on their land in North America for thousands of years before the Mayflower arrived. They grew the Three Sisters, which were corn, beans, and squash. One of their favorite dishes was succotash, a stew made from these foods that gave them strength through the seasons. 

This recipe for Plymouth-Style Succotash features the Three Sisters: corn, beans, and squash. This dish is made by simmering vegetables together to make a warm vegetable dish. This recipe is from the A Treasured Thanksgiving Traditional Cookbook, which is included in the unit study.

Note that this recipe and others in A Treasured Thanksgiving are designed to reflect what is known to have been available at the 1621 Thanksgiving feast. (For example, the Wampanoag did not use salt until English settlers arrived.) 

Children accustomed to a modern diet may not find these recipes tasty or palatable, depending on their preferences and interest in trying new foods. The goal of the recipes in A Treasured Thanksgiving is to taste a sampling of what the First Thanksgiving feast may have been like and to expose children to new foods and sensory experiences.

Download the FREE Plymouth-Style Succotash recipe from A Treasured Thanksgiving here (Printable PDF).

Dive deeper into history with the A Treasured Thanksgiving Unit Study

Ready to explore the real history of Thanksgiving?

A Treasured Thanksgiving is a 2-week, Charlotte Mason-inspired unit study that guides your entire family in an authentic exploration of the 17th-century events at Plymouth. This study provides a thorough look at the historical context, including:

• The challenges of the Pilgrims’ voyage and early settlement.
• The sophisticated culture and resilience of the Wampanoag nation.
• The complexities of their first alliance and shared harvest.

Connect historical details to your daily life through hands-on activities, including art studies, poetry, geography, and practical projects like traditional baking. Your family will spend the two weeks before the holiday focusing on the themes of gratitude, survival, and encounter.

The 2025 revised edition has been updated to be more accessible and truly open-and-go, featuring a modern book list and easy-to-use daily learning summaries for children of all ages.

Will you try this traditional Thanksgiving recipe with your family this year? Share your thoughts in the comments below.