While it is true that a day of thanksgiving was noted in the Massachusetts Bay and the Plymouth colonies afterward, it is not accurate to say it was the basis for our modern Thanksgiving, Ms. Sheehan said. PhotoAnd Plymouth, Mr. Loewen noted, was already a village with clear fields and a spring when the Pilgrims found it. It’s been taught that the Pilgrims came because they were seeking religious freedom, but that’s not entirely true, Mr. Loewen said. Like those who settled Jamestown, Va., in 1607, the Pilgrims came to North America to make money, Mr. Loewen said. The deadly conflicts that came after, though, created an undercurrent that is glossed over, Mr. Loewen said.

Source: New York Times November 21, 2017 11:26 UTC