Because of strong winds and severe storms, the Mayflower lost its course. The brave group of colonists finally had to land at Plymouth on the rocky coast of Massachusetts in December 1620. It was the middle of the stern northern winter. Terrible months of starvation, disease, and death were ahead of them. Only the strongest of the Pilgrims survived that winter. Many women gave their own pitiful rations to their children and died for lack of food for themselves. The Governor of the Plymouth Colony, John Carver, died in April 1621. In his place, the Pilgrims elected William Bradford.
Conditions began to improve in the spring of 1621. There were wild vegetables. There were berries and fruit. Fish and game were plentiful. Therefore, they were able to get enough fresh meat despite their lack of skill or experience in hunting and fishing. The colonists health improved with the warm weather and their better diet.
In the fall, they looked back over the past year. They were both regretful and thankful. Only fifty of the original one hundred passengers remained. The price in human lives and tragedy had been great. On the other hand, they saw new hope for the future. A splendid harvest was behind them. They were ready for the second winter with confidence. They had eleven crude houses for protection against the severe winter. Seven were for families, and four were for communal use. Best of all, they had established a treaty of friendship with their Indian neighbours under Chief Massasoit in the summer. The woods and forests became safe. When the Mayflower returned to England that summer, there were no colonists aboard.
At the end of their first year in their new home, the Pilgrims wanted to celebrate with a real holiday. Governor Bradford decided on December 13, 1621 as the day for giving thanks to God.
The colonists fired a cannon as a salute at dawn on that first Thanksgiving Day, afterwards they moved to the meeting house in a procession. This house took the place of a church for them. There they offered humble thanks to God. After the religious ceremony, a great feast and three days of celebration began. Massasoit and his Indian warriors were guests.
The hunters came back with wild turkeys, geese, and ducks. The Indians brought deer meat. In addition, there were fish, clams, and oysters. The Pilgrim housewives probably cooked some of their dried strawberries or cherries. However, there was no sugar. Therefore, they were unable to prepare English jam or jelly. The Indians contributed many kinds of vegetables, especially pumpkins. Today pumpkins are both food and decoration for almost every Thanksgiving table.
淘金高阶英语六级巅峰阅读 短句问答21:饮食健康
淘金高阶英语六级巅峰阅读 篇章阅读29:自然环境
英语六级阅读理解精炼50篇30: 火鸡漫谈(含答案)
淘金高阶英语六级巅峰阅读 篇章阅读35:医疗消费
淘金高阶英语六级巅峰阅读 篇章阅读12:文化出版
英语六级阅读理解精炼50篇46: 回归(含答案)
英语六级必读美文023:国际妇女节
英语六级阅读理解精炼50篇44: 电视误区(含答案)
英语六级阅读理解精炼50篇49: 海底总动员(含答案)
淘金高阶英语六级巅峰阅读 篇章阅读13:文化研究
英语六级必读美文010:美国人的帮助方式
英语六级阅读理解精炼50篇33: 古埃及陵墓之谜(含答案)
英语六级阅读理解精炼50篇11: 我为奔牛狂(含答案)
英语六级(二):选词填空答案及解析
淘金高阶英语六级巅峰阅读 篇章阅读22:饮食健康
英语六级阅读理解精炼50篇23: 道教(含答案)
英语六级阅读理解精炼50篇25: 基督教(含答案)
英语六级必读美文011:美国人的婚姻方式
淘金高阶英语六级巅峰阅读 篇章阅读21:汽车系统
英语六级阅读词汇理解(选词填空)答案解析
淘金高阶英语六级巅峰阅读 篇章阅读26:能源问题
淘金高阶英语六级巅峰阅读 短句问答26: 饮食健康
淘金高阶英语六级巅峰阅读 篇章阅读11:移民教育
淘金高阶英语六级巅峰阅读 篇章阅读27:气候研究
英语六级阅读理解精炼50篇09: 语言趣话(含答案)
英语六级(二):仔细阅读答案及解析
淘金高阶英语六级巅峰阅读 篇章阅读17:智力测试
英语六级阅读理解精炼50篇05: 身体姿势会说话(含答案)
淘金高阶英语六级巅峰阅读 篇章阅读15:阅读学习
淘金高阶英语六级巅峰阅读 篇章阅读14:教育改革
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