Many years ago, in 1620, the Wampanoag encountered a group of English settlers in what would become Plymouth, Massachusetts.
These settlers, called the Pilgrims, had fled England in search of religious freedom and arrived in North America on a ship called the Mayflower.
Unprepared for life on the lands of the Wampanoag, the Pilgrims had little food or shelter, and they suffered great hardship.
The Wampanoag were also suffering because of awful diseases brought into their country by earlier settlers.
Even so, in 1621, the Wampanoag approached the Pilgrims.
A neighboring tribal nation was threatening the Wampanoag, so they wanted English weapons for defense.
In return, the Wampanoag helped the settlers to grow crops and to survive the harsh winter.
After the harvest, the English held a feast in celebration and were joined by Wampanoag warriors.
Although the Wampanoag and the Pilgrims came from very different cultures, they gave thanks together on this day.
The origins of Thanksgiving actually date back much further than 1621, long before settlers set foot on the lands of Native American peoples.
