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Thanks giving day massacre

kingpin

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A professor told me something in class that I have never heard before, i dont know weither to believe him or not. He told me that Thanksgiving holiday was not a celebration of how the natives Americans and Pilgrims showed thanks for what they had. He said that it was a day comemorating the defeat of native Americans.

I never knew this, i know there are usually two sides to people in that day in age. A good example would be Thomas Jefferson's illegitimate children, and the slave he had an affair with.Is this really one of those not so proud momemts in American hitstory? or is it all hoopla?
 
kingpin said:
A professor told me something in class that I have never heard before, i dont know weither to believe him or not. He told me that Thanksgiving holiday was not a celebration of how the natives Americans and Pilgrims showed thanks for what they had. He said that it was a day comemorating the defeat of native Americans.

I never knew this, i know there are usually two sides to people in that day in age. A good example would be Thomas Jefferson's illegitimate children, and the slave he had an affair with.Is this really one of those not so proud momemts in American hitstory? or is it all hoopla?

No - I do not believe that this is the case. Sometimes professors are kooky like that. Does this guys name happen to be Ward Churchill? I tried looking for a website that says such a thing and couldn't find it (and there are websites that will say almost anything).

I know that the day was only officially declared a holiday during the civil war. Only radical fringe groups would use it as an opportunity to oppose the colonization.

That being, I do think that a lot of evil things were done to the Native Americans, and an unintended genocide took place. There were long periods of peace with the Native Americans. A lot of the land was bought through treaties and such. It wasn't just one ruthless war over land lasting hundreds of years.
 
You're right, your teacher is totally nuts.

On November, these pilgrims always celebrated a traditional holiday called "Harvest Home". It was a feast, for which they'd give thanks to god for their harvest not matter how small it was.
Since Squanto and his tribesmen were the sole reason why the pilgrims survived, they were invitied to their first "Harvest Home" in the New World.
 
well, i kinda had an idea that he was a little off. He is a black socialist type. It hink he would say anything to get people to believe him. thanks for help
 
Actually, to the contrary, there is more than a grain of truth to what your professor says, regardless to whether he is a "black sociologist" type or not. One has to wonder just how would a band of Christians celebrate a feast of Thanksgiving to the "Almighty" with Indians who to say it delicately, held no such recognition of a Christian god. At the very least you'd have to ask yourself, why would the colonist invite Indians to such a celebration, when indeed most of them held the Indians in low esteem, despite the fact that had it not been for them bringing the "grub" and teaching these people how to become self sufficient, most if not all of the colonists would have starved to death.

William L. Katz, a historian, has researched and written extensively on both Indians and Blacks in early America. A true student of history might want to acquaint themselves with his work, lest they be shocked and discover that there really is no such thing as the tooth fairy and the Easter Bunny.

Have a look at www.williamlkatz.com for starters. It contains a number of well researched accounts of early American history that are not taught in mainstream US history courses. Of course the reasons for that are likely to be the subject of yet another topic.

2Pops
 
its interesting viewing history from both Perspectives. my favorite is cristopher columbus. We all idealized him in one way or another when we were little kids, the man who discovered the new world. But then came highschool, and we read some research on Columbus... pretty fked up sadistic guy. And we have a holiday in his honor.
 
Oh great, first Christmas, now Thanksgiving!:doh
 
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