Flocabulary-Thanksgiving

In September 1620, about 100 English colonists sailed to America on a ship called the Mayflower. These men and women planned to settle in the New World. They wanted to start a new life and build homes in America. Some on board the ship, the Pilgrims, were religious separatists.

What is the meaning of the word "settle" in the passage above?

• to bring to an end

• to make a home

• to decide

• to pay a bill

People onboard the Mayflower first spotted land in early November 1620. They had arrived in Cape Cod Bay, which is now a part of Massachusetts. Their first winter in America was brutal. Most of the colonists stayed on the ship because there was no shelter on the land. It was very cold, and many people got ill. There also was not enough healthy food. By the spring, only about half of the passengers had survived to move to land.

According to the passage, why was the first winter in America difficult for the colonists?

• because they were not used to eating seafood

• because their homes were destroyed

• because they were not used to snow

• because many people became sick

In March of 1621, the colonists moved off the Mayflower. They began to settle a colony, which they called Plymouth. They met a Native American from the Patuxet tribe named Squanto, or Tisquantum. Squanto spoke English because he had been a slave in London, England. The colonists were weak after the hard winter. Squanto offered to help them forge an alliance with the Wampanoag, a tribe of Native Americans. An alliance is a relationship in which people or groups agree to work together.

Based on the passage, which of the following is an example of an alliance?

• England and France making a plan to stop pollution

• translating English into French

• Two siblings fighting about which movie to watch

• three people dropping garbage from their cars onto the highway

The autumn harvest season of 1621 was fruitful. The Plymouth colonistshad successfully planted and collected crops to eat. They had a fall feast to celebrate the abundance of food. Members of the Wampanoag tribe joined the colonists for this big meal. The feast lasted for three days. There was plenty to eat, though no record of the exact menu exists. They probably ate fowl, like wild turkey, deer, mussels, ducks, corn, beans, lobster, squash and pumpkin. This grand feast is considered the very first Thanksgiving. The colonists and Native Americans ate together and expressed gratitude for the harvest. They gave thanks for their survival.

What is the main idea of this passage?

• The Plymouth colonists harvested food in 1621.

• In 1621, the Plymouth colonists feasted and gave thanks with members of the Wampanoag tribe at what is considered the first Thanksgiving.

• The first Thanksgiving lasted three days.

• The colonists probably ate fowl, deer, mussels, ducks, lobster, beans and vegetables, but nobody knows for sure.

Peace between the Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag tribe lasted for about 50 years. But as more colonists arrived in America from Europe, Native Americans were pushed out of their land. Millions were wiped out by sickness. Many were forced to become slaves. Some Native Americans today think that most Thanksgiving celebrations make it seem as though European colonists were more peaceful with Native Americans than they were. Many Native Americans view Thanksgiving Day as a National Day of Mourning. They use this day to show sadness for the violent conflicts that killed their people.

Which of the following is the best title for the passage above?

• Why Native Americans Hold a Day of Mourning

• Peace between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag

• Native American History

• Slaves in the Colonies

Why did the Pilgrims travel to the New World?

• They wanted to explore Plymouth

• They wanted to pray their own way

• They were forced to leave England

• They were invited by Native Americans

Some of the colonists joined the trip hoping for

• the opportunity to get rich

• the opportunity to learn to fish and hunt

• the opportunity to learn about Native American culture

• the opportunity to start a new religion

What is the name of the ship the colonists sailed in September 1620?

• The Sunflower

• The Plymouth

• The Mayflower

• The Massachusetts

The first winter in Plymouth was hard, so the colonists

• went back to England

• stayed on their ship

• moved in with Native Americans

• built a town on the shore

What skills did Squanto use to help the colonists?

• cooking skills

• sewing skills

• interpretation skills

• ship-building skills