072: Thanksgiving: A History of the Holiday

Solutions for Higher Education with Southern Utah University President Scott L Wyatt

Show Notes:

It’s Thanksgiving week and our podcast hosts dive into the history of this important American holiday, including the pilgrimage to America, religious persecution, Plymouth Rock, and the meal that started the strong tradition of turkey, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie each November.

Featured Quotes:

So, here is the teaser for Thanksgiving dinner. When you show up for Thanksgiving dinner and they family is all gathered around, you ask, ‘Why did the Pilgrims come to America? To get to the other side.’ No, the actual answer is sort of to escape the Dutch. So, yes, absolutely they were seeking religious freedom, and they found it in Holland, but they couldn’t live an English village lifestyle in Holland. So . . . they were actually escaping the Dutch, not gaining religious freedom. I just think that’s such a fun little twist on the story.
Scott L Wyatt, Southern Utah University President

This is what they probably had. They certainly grew corn, so they had corn. They had squash, they grew beans, they had barley, peas, they would have undoubtedly had ducks and geese and wild turkeys. A lot of fish, so they probably had bass and blue fish and cod. Because they had a crop of barley, they had beer that they were able to brew. No forks or spoons, they would have eaten with knives and fingers. But that’s the first Thanksgiving dinner.
Scott L Wyatt, Southern Utah University President

Links Associated with this Episode:

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