Let Us Talk Turkey

It is widely assumed that the first Thanksgiving occurred in 1621 and was celebrated by the Pilgrims, English settlers, and local Native Americans. It will come as a surprise to many that 1) the meal in 1621 was not the first Thanksgiving in North America and, in fact, not even a thanksgiving feast, 2) turkey was probably not served and 3) there were no Pilgrims!?The Native American people had celebrated the harvest, in one form or another, for several thousands of years prior to European colonization.
The details may be lost in passage of time and we know Indians who came to help the settlers in their dire need and taught them farming lost much since that time.
Your guess is as good as mine.
They lost their open spaces to roam and then their bison on which their livelihood depended.( Bisons were whiteman's sport till the game lasted). Then came 'Go West, young man' period and the railways connected the growing nation. The settlers needed more room and progressively the Indians found themselves hemmed in. Reservations did something to the native spirit.
These turn of events didn't leave the spirit of the nation unaffected. They could genuinely thank God without having to look over their shoulders. The sight of Indians, you see, reduced to drinking and gambling was enough spoil their festive spirit.
The nation can only have something to really thank for when the Indians can also in every respect be part of the freedom it enjoys. Then we may really speak turkey.
At present it is only a thanksgiving of superficial kind and calculated to fill the pockets of mercantile class.
benny