5G14 Thanksgiving

Why did the pilgrims leave England?

• They wanted to bring slaves back to England

• They wanted to find spices

• They wanted freedom to practice their own religion

• They wanted to find gold

Who taught the pilgrims how to grow their own food?

• Samoset

• David

• Squanto

• Joe

What was the name of the ship that the Pilgrims sailed on?

• La Nina
• La Pinta
• La Santa Maria
• The Mayflower

Where did the Pilgrims land?

• Jamestown, Virgina
• Plymouth, Massachussetts
• New York
• Maryland

Why did the Pilgrims have a hard winter?

• Not enough ships
• Unfriendly Native Americans
• Not enough food or shelter
• Too many turkeys

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

Answer explanation

because many people became sick

The sentence “It was very cold, and many people got ill” supports this answer.

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. Squanto used his interpretation skills. He translated the Native Americans' language into English. The colonists and Native Americans began to work peacefully together. Members of the tribe taught the colonists how to fish, hunt and grow plants. The colonists then learned to harvest, or collect, the food that they grew, like corn and beans.

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

Answer explanation

England and France making a plan to stop pollution

According to the passage, “An alliance is a relationship in which people or groups agree to work together.” Based on this definition, “England and France making a plan to stop pollution” is an example of an alliance.

The autumn harvest season of 1621 was fruitful. The Plymouth colonists had 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.

Answer explanation

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

This passage is mostly about what happened at the first Thanksgiving in 1621. The details in this passage support this main idea.

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

Answer explanation

Why Native Americans Hold a Day of Mourning

This passage is mostly about the violence and hardships Native Americans faced as European colonists arrived in America, which is why, today, many Native Americans hold a Day of Mourning on Thanksgiving. The details in this passage support this main idea.

Today, Americans celebrate Thanksgiving every year on the fourth Thursday of November. It's an official holiday. Much like the Pilgrims did, people express gratitude on this day. It is a holiday for giving thanks for abundance. People show that they are grateful for good things like family, friends, food and health. Many people take time to talk about something specific that they are thankful for. People often have a feast, just like the colonists and Native Americans. The menu usually includes turkey, potatoes, stuffing and pumpkin pie. Cornucopias are popular decorations. These "horns of plenty" are often filled with fruits and vegetables. Many people volunteer to help the poor or sick on Thanksgiving Day. Parades are also a common tradition across the country.

Based on this passage, Thanksgiving celebrations today

• are nothing like the first Thanksgiving.

• always feature parades, cornucopias and pies.

• include some traditions from the first Thanksgiving.

• are three days long.

Answer explanation

include some traditions from the first Thanksgiving.

According to the passage, "Much like the first Thanksgiving, people express gratitude," and they "often have a feast, just like the colonists and Native Americans." These details show that today's Thanksgiving celebrations include some traditions from the first Thanksgiving.