3 comments | Would the Mayflower Pilgrims have survived without Native American help? Dr Rachel Herrmann explores how the first Thanksgiving proved crucial to the survival of the Plymouth colony. | HistoryExtra | Facebook

In 1620 the Mayflower sailed to Plymouth with 102 passengers seeking religious freedom. That first winter was brutal and claimed many lives, leaving only 52 Pilgrims alive for a 1621 harvest celebration. Among them were 5 women, 24 men, and 24 children. They feasted with 90 Wampanoag men who shared deer and vital agricultural knowledge. This modest celebration, held in simple shelters with meals on the ground, marked a beginning of a joint tradition of gratitude and survival. | The History Archi