Although many children have been taught in their schools that the Thanksgiving holiday is based upon a real event, it is not. The Pilgrims did celebrate a harvest of food that saved them from starvation. This celebration lasted for approximately three days in 1621 in the state of Massachusetts. 200 years later, the Pilgrims named this time "Thanksgiving," and it was considered to be an important holiday. President Abraham Lincoln declared it to be a holiday in order to celebrate thanks for the victories during the Civil War.

The issue is that the Thanksgiving celebration was not about celebrating the acceptance of two different cultures, Native Americans and Pilgrims, by sharing a common celebration together. Yet this seems to be the reason that most children learn while they are in school. The reason that the Pilgrims were able to settle in the specific land where the harvest was held was that the Native Americans who had previously lived there had perished from plagues. These plagues were mostly brought upon them by the new arrivals, and these new arrivals called themselves separatists instead of pilgrims.

There is no evidence that Native Americans were invited to the harvest, but people have claimed that some from the Wampanoag tribe attended the event. Some historians believe that this may have been because they had their own harvest as well nearby the separatists' harvest. The celebration itself may have been peaceful with more Native Americans in attendance than Pilgrims, but brutal murders and battles took place between Native Americans and Pilgrims after this event.

Children have been taught that Squanto, a Native American of the tribe, helped the Pilgrims. This is true, but he was also sold into slavery after the year of 1614 once he was captured.

There is no evidence that turkey was considered a dish as a part of the harvest. Sweet potatoes and pie were also not a part of the harvest.

So, should Americans continue celebrating Thanksgiving despite the fact that most of it the holiday based upon a lie?

I, personally, think that we should. Thanksgiving is a holiday where people come together to celebrate being thankful for their families and all the blessings that occurred in their lives over the year. The tradition of Thanksgiving is based upon a historical lie, but each Thanksgiving can be used to promote good values.

Personally, I do not think that lies should be taught in schools or should be used as valid reasons for upholding traditions. However, upholding traditions for worthy values—family, gratefulness, and love—should be done regardless of the false history. We can celebrate family and blessings regardless of what food is on the table, just as long as we don't pretend that Thanksgiving was based upon a historical event that promoted values that it did not.