Now since my last name is Powell I have traced my family back to Wales. We came in through James Town the Chesapeake bay to Richmond then to Amelia Co. just east of Richmond then on to Franklin County around 1800. Franklin County gained it's fame during the Prohibition era. We were pumping out illegal moonshine at such a high rate that the federal government had to shut us down after the law was repealed. Our district attorney was actually the Boss Hog as in the 'Dukes of Hazard' TV show. Our county became an exact microcosm of what the Administrative State (or the Swamp) is now just on a county wide scale.
Allow me to introduce: Virginia First 1607 Project. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzg-yyhZPP0. This organization got together and produced a high quality documentary on the history of the start of America. This they did after the 1619 Project with all their revisionism. The Virginia First 1607 Project will show you that this country was mainly found from the state of Virginia more than any of the later colonies. I plead that you watch it and give some feedback to me. ccdp@proton.me
As a Mayflower descendant, I truly appreciate your great article. I will save it for my grandchildren -- because I doubt that they will hear the real story at school.
I checked that Mayflower 400 article, and in all its whiny verbiage about slavery -- which, they admit, the Pilgrims did NOT practice, so why even bring it up -- I didn't find a word about these historical facts:
(1) that slavery has been common throughout human history, all over the world, and the Roman empire was based on it, thanks to its many wars that turned conquered enemies into slaves;
(2) that most or perhaps all of America's Indian tribes practiced slavery, also by turning conquered enemies into slaves;
(3) that this was the same method that early medieval Europeans including Jewish merchants had used, selling conquered Slavic and Germanic peoples to Moslems in Spain and North Africa; and this is so according to the famous historian Henri Pirenne, in "Medieval Cities", pp 13-15, and also p. 23);
(4) that the prominence of Slavic people among slaves was the origin of the term 'slave';
(5) that Arab raiders roamed as far as Iceland to capture white people to sell in North Africa;
(6) that according to Terry Jones in "Medieval Lives", pp. 20/21, before William the Conqueror's invasion in 1066 most of England's rural population were slaves;
(7) That according to historians Lacey and Danziger in "The Year 1000", pp. 46/47, during famines it was common for impoverished free men to volunteer to become slaves for the local Lord, in a ceremony in which they placed their heads in their Lord’s hands; yet it was common for those Lords when they died to return those slaves to freedom in their wills (pp 25/26)
(8) That according to the same source (pp 45/46), in Anglo-Saxon law, slavery was a common penalty for certain crimes, because long-term imprisonment was impractical then;
(9) that the United States was not the world's greatest slave owner, but slavery was much more common, and slaves were more numerous, in the Caribbean and Brazil;
(10) that the US contained quite a few black slave owners;
(11) that we owe to Jim Wills this gem, an eloquent illustration of the WAAAYYY overhyped “black slavery” mania in this country. On Sept 7 he wrote about some people who left in a fury when they spotted a sign at a roadside produce stand that announced “NO COLLARDS”;
(12) that we’re perfectly justified in expressing our disgust at all these Slavery/Racial Grievance profiteers, and their massive Social Justice campaigns, say between 1963 and 1993, when the main result of all that has merely produced hate, envy and, above all, crime in the “black community”. Consider that during that time, the black crime rate increased 800%; and subsequently we’ve been treated to massive BLM riots for “social justice” that caused dozens of deaths, hundreds of injuries, billions of property damage … and for what? So a few BLM grifters could buy fancy mansions.
(13) I could go on, but I’ve reached my unlucky number.
I think the only thing the Canadian’s get right is calling the people who came to the Americas from Asia before the Europeans is First Nations people. I suppose Europeans could then be called the Second Nations people. We are all of us immigrants just differing in when our ancestors or we ourselves arrived
Now we're supposed to call them Indigenous Peoples, according to the politically correct people and yes with capitals. I prefer First Nations and that's what many of the Canadian tribes call themselves.
Both sides of my family - mother and father - came to Canada before there was a Canada - in the 16th and 17th centuries -- some of them settled in the U.S., too. My husband's family is a founding family of Quebec - right back to the 1500s.
Not really. Just got here early. That's what the French did at the time when they were developing the fur trade. Then they and the British fought over what is now Quebec/ parts of North America in 1759. Merci. For us Thanksgiving is in October and it is a British tradition, not a French one.
Yep, the Pilgrims settled the land and didn't steal it from anyone. There are no People that enjoy being subject to another so they move and are still doing so today in America. Fights happen because agreements are broken.
Favorite Thanksgiving carol? No contest. "I Thank You" by ZZ Top.
Happy Thanksgiving. And if someone wants to try to ruin your Thanksgiving with a political lecture on the evil of the pilgrims (Thanksgiving being one of two days of the year -- the other being Columbus Day -- when the Left suddenly hates globalism and migration), just tell them to stuff it. The Thanksgiving turkey, that is. Stuff the turkey. With delicious bread stuffing.
11/28/24: To avoid repetition, allow me to simply add this: If football fans this weekend look confused, chalk it up to the NY Post listing all of the NFL SUNDAY games (12/01/24) being played on "SATURDAY" (11/30/24). Yep. 4,500,000 ticket holders on Saturday are going to be sitting in empty stadiums --- if YOU my dear friends don't stage an intervention!!! And with that, have a happy holiday and much needed rest. Who knew that all this would have its origins in the Pilgrims 400+ years ago?
If Martians invaded and conquered earth, would earthlings now be known as “Native Martians?” No. So let’s skip the “Native American” appellation, shall we? They’re “Indians.” I’ve stayed in hotels in Kernville, CA, and in Wyoming, in which the local tribes have had printed and disseminated to each room, pamphlets asking them not to be called “Native Americans.” It’s just Prog BS, just like LatinX idiocy.
It is good for us to remember where we came from; that our ancestors weren't superheroes, but ordinary men and women on an extraordinary adventure to find their way in a savage new land, and possibly find real freedom in the bargain.
What bitter hearts these revisionists have! They seem only satisfied (if you can call it that) to denigrate our history and the people involved, and why? What point would they prove? That those people had human failings? DUH...
If only they could see beyond the end of their upturned noses, perhaps they could appreciate what those people ultimately gave us: a land where the only thing that can hold us back from achieving is our own mental or spiritual limitations.
I am grateful for a passel of things today, mostly for my family and friends, no matter where they are. Unfortunately, Loki, Little Bear and I have picked up colds from someplace - likely the 3.5 y.o. petri dish otherwise known as granddaughter Avi! - so we will be spending the day at home, only venturing out to deliver the delicious meal Loki has been preparing to our parents. My 93 y.o. Mom is staying with Loki's Mom and Dad so as not to acquire the cold from us. Thus our day is a little less crowded, a little less chaotic, and everybody gets to share the delicious eats. Who's got it better than me?
Even the Pilgrims learned the tragedy of community ownership of property. A hard lesson. But, the community rebound was due to the grace of God and HIS Angel Sqanto.
My favorite isn't listed. "We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing"
Now, I do not know if it was sung at the first Thanksgiving but I know it was sung at my grandma's house for years and years. Therefore it is my favorite. I hope everyone has a wonderful day.
Now since my last name is Powell I have traced my family back to Wales. We came in through James Town the Chesapeake bay to Richmond then to Amelia Co. just east of Richmond then on to Franklin County around 1800. Franklin County gained it's fame during the Prohibition era. We were pumping out illegal moonshine at such a high rate that the federal government had to shut us down after the law was repealed. Our district attorney was actually the Boss Hog as in the 'Dukes of Hazard' TV show. Our county became an exact microcosm of what the Administrative State (or the Swamp) is now just on a county wide scale.
Allow me to introduce: Virginia First 1607 Project. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzg-yyhZPP0. This organization got together and produced a high quality documentary on the history of the start of America. This they did after the 1619 Project with all their revisionism. The Virginia First 1607 Project will show you that this country was mainly found from the state of Virginia more than any of the later colonies. I plead that you watch it and give some feedback to me. ccdp@proton.me
As a Mayflower descendant, I truly appreciate your great article. I will save it for my grandchildren -- because I doubt that they will hear the real story at school.
Thank you!
Like Moses taking the Israelites to the promised land.
I checked that Mayflower 400 article, and in all its whiny verbiage about slavery -- which, they admit, the Pilgrims did NOT practice, so why even bring it up -- I didn't find a word about these historical facts:
(1) that slavery has been common throughout human history, all over the world, and the Roman empire was based on it, thanks to its many wars that turned conquered enemies into slaves;
(2) that most or perhaps all of America's Indian tribes practiced slavery, also by turning conquered enemies into slaves;
(3) that this was the same method that early medieval Europeans including Jewish merchants had used, selling conquered Slavic and Germanic peoples to Moslems in Spain and North Africa; and this is so according to the famous historian Henri Pirenne, in "Medieval Cities", pp 13-15, and also p. 23);
(4) that the prominence of Slavic people among slaves was the origin of the term 'slave';
(5) that Arab raiders roamed as far as Iceland to capture white people to sell in North Africa;
(6) that according to Terry Jones in "Medieval Lives", pp. 20/21, before William the Conqueror's invasion in 1066 most of England's rural population were slaves;
(7) That according to historians Lacey and Danziger in "The Year 1000", pp. 46/47, during famines it was common for impoverished free men to volunteer to become slaves for the local Lord, in a ceremony in which they placed their heads in their Lord’s hands; yet it was common for those Lords when they died to return those slaves to freedom in their wills (pp 25/26)
(8) That according to the same source (pp 45/46), in Anglo-Saxon law, slavery was a common penalty for certain crimes, because long-term imprisonment was impractical then;
(9) that the United States was not the world's greatest slave owner, but slavery was much more common, and slaves were more numerous, in the Caribbean and Brazil;
(10) that the US contained quite a few black slave owners;
(11) that we owe to Jim Wills this gem, an eloquent illustration of the WAAAYYY overhyped “black slavery” mania in this country. On Sept 7 he wrote about some people who left in a fury when they spotted a sign at a roadside produce stand that announced “NO COLLARDS”;
(12) that we’re perfectly justified in expressing our disgust at all these Slavery/Racial Grievance profiteers, and their massive Social Justice campaigns, say between 1963 and 1993, when the main result of all that has merely produced hate, envy and, above all, crime in the “black community”. Consider that during that time, the black crime rate increased 800%; and subsequently we’ve been treated to massive BLM riots for “social justice” that caused dozens of deaths, hundreds of injuries, billions of property damage … and for what? So a few BLM grifters could buy fancy mansions.
(13) I could go on, but I’ve reached my unlucky number.
watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzg-yyhZPP0
I think the only thing the Canadian’s get right is calling the people who came to the Americas from Asia before the Europeans is First Nations people. I suppose Europeans could then be called the Second Nations people. We are all of us immigrants just differing in when our ancestors or we ourselves arrived
Now we're supposed to call them Indigenous Peoples, according to the politically correct people and yes with capitals. I prefer First Nations and that's what many of the Canadian tribes call themselves.
All of us alive today arrived by immigration or birth less than 150 years ago.
Both sides of my family - mother and father - came to Canada before there was a Canada - in the 16th and 17th centuries -- some of them settled in the U.S., too. My husband's family is a founding family of Quebec - right back to the 1500s.
Always suspected you were pedigreed. Joyeuse Action de grâce😇
Not really. Just got here early. That's what the French did at the time when they were developing the fur trade. Then they and the British fought over what is now Quebec/ parts of North America in 1759. Merci. For us Thanksgiving is in October and it is a British tradition, not a French one.
Yep, the Pilgrims settled the land and didn't steal it from anyone. There are no People that enjoy being subject to another so they move and are still doing so today in America. Fights happen because agreements are broken.
Thanks, Don, for another year of essential reading.
I have never seen a better piece on the history of Thanksgiving. I am grateful that we are blessed with a chronicler as talented as Don Surber.
Favorite Thanksgiving carol? No contest. "I Thank You" by ZZ Top.
Happy Thanksgiving. And if someone wants to try to ruin your Thanksgiving with a political lecture on the evil of the pilgrims (Thanksgiving being one of two days of the year -- the other being Columbus Day -- when the Left suddenly hates globalism and migration), just tell them to stuff it. The Thanksgiving turkey, that is. Stuff the turkey. With delicious bread stuffing.
11/28/24: To avoid repetition, allow me to simply add this: If football fans this weekend look confused, chalk it up to the NY Post listing all of the NFL SUNDAY games (12/01/24) being played on "SATURDAY" (11/30/24). Yep. 4,500,000 ticket holders on Saturday are going to be sitting in empty stadiums --- if YOU my dear friends don't stage an intervention!!! And with that, have a happy holiday and much needed rest. Who knew that all this would have its origins in the Pilgrims 400+ years ago?
If Martians invaded and conquered earth, would earthlings now be known as “Native Martians?” No. So let’s skip the “Native American” appellation, shall we? They’re “Indians.” I’ve stayed in hotels in Kernville, CA, and in Wyoming, in which the local tribes have had printed and disseminated to each room, pamphlets asking them not to be called “Native Americans.” It’s just Prog BS, just like LatinX idiocy.
I've seen the joke online: Are you an Indian? Feather or dot?
11/28/24: "We're the UnAmericans, damnit!"
Good morning, and a Happy Thanksgiving to all.
It is good for us to remember where we came from; that our ancestors weren't superheroes, but ordinary men and women on an extraordinary adventure to find their way in a savage new land, and possibly find real freedom in the bargain.
What bitter hearts these revisionists have! They seem only satisfied (if you can call it that) to denigrate our history and the people involved, and why? What point would they prove? That those people had human failings? DUH...
If only they could see beyond the end of their upturned noses, perhaps they could appreciate what those people ultimately gave us: a land where the only thing that can hold us back from achieving is our own mental or spiritual limitations.
I am grateful for a passel of things today, mostly for my family and friends, no matter where they are. Unfortunately, Loki, Little Bear and I have picked up colds from someplace - likely the 3.5 y.o. petri dish otherwise known as granddaughter Avi! - so we will be spending the day at home, only venturing out to deliver the delicious meal Loki has been preparing to our parents. My 93 y.o. Mom is staying with Loki's Mom and Dad so as not to acquire the cold from us. Thus our day is a little less crowded, a little less chaotic, and everybody gets to share the delicious eats. Who's got it better than me?
Have a great day everyone!
I never blamed the "rock", Don.
Demonstrative narrative. Well received.
Even the Pilgrims learned the tragedy of community ownership of property. A hard lesson. But, the community rebound was due to the grace of God and HIS Angel Sqanto.
Thanksgiving Blessings from Brasil.
O/T but akin is the John Nantz op-ed today in Townhall which I feel is a must read.
My favorite isn't listed. "We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing"
Now, I do not know if it was sung at the first Thanksgiving but I know it was sung at my grandma's house for years and years. Therefore it is my favorite. I hope everyone has a wonderful day.