By Robert Tracy McKenzie | The Washington Post
Published in November of 2013
SUMMARY: Did you know that the Pilgrims had a fondness for colorful clothing and not the stereotypical plain, black wardrobe that is normally depicted? Did you know that religious freedom was not the primary motivation for the Pilgrims to cross the Atlantic? Our favorite Thanksgiving historian Robert Tracy McKenzie debunks five myths that are commonly associated with the Pilgrims.
KEY QUOTE: “When it comes to historical memory, the old saying that you can’t choose your relatives is just plain wrong. Americans have chosen the Pilgrims as honorary ancestors, and we tend to see their story as inseparable from the story of our nation, “land of the Pilgrims’ pride.” We imagine these honorary founders as model immigrants, pacifists and pioneers in the democratic experiment. We have burdened them with values they wouldn’t have recognized and shrouded their story with myth.”
BONUS: If you like what McKenzie has to say, we highly recommend reading his book The First Thanksgiving while also checking out his interview on Going Deeper with TGC.
BONUS II: If you want to learn more about the Pilgrims, we recommend the 2015 documentary The Pilgrims.
DID YOU KNOW? We have a learning capsule about Thanksgiving with resources to help faithfully learn about the holiday.
Read the full article at The Washington Post
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